Spinning yarns on a special trip down memory lane at Cill Dara RFC

Sunday, November 9th marked a very special day for Cill Dara RFC as the club paid homage to their past players in a glorious celebration of a Kildare institution. The ‘Past Players Reunion Reception’ attracted a crowd of close 90 attendees representing a broad section of legends and stalwarts from across the generations.

The guests of honour were the team selected to represent Cill Dara in the club’s very first game – a Round 1 clash in the Michael Dunne Cup against North Kildare on Sunday, February 17th, 1977. While 14 of that legendary team are still with us, four have sadly passed away.

The first meeting to form the rugby club took place in August 1976 in the Derby House Hotel, now known as the Kildare House Hotel, and the first executive was formed in January ‘77 in the Vatican Pub in the town, now Firecastle.

The festivities were organised under the tutelage of club President, Joe Byrne. “We're 50 years on the go and it's an opportunity to get guys to stand in each other's company again, who haven't met for a few years,” Mr Byrne told the Kildare Nationalist. “In my previous life I was secretary in the club, so I have a huge amount of phone numbers. In the old days phone numbers were everything; Instagram, TikTok, Facebook? Goodnight. And emails? Forget about it."

Newbridge Silverware sponsored a spirit decanter for each member of the original Cill Dara team, while two local businesses Firecastle and JJ Mahon’s provided the refreshments.

Mr Byrne regaled attendees by sharing memories and spinning yarns about the class on '77, including prop Jack Bourke, and the Grey brothers, John and Jim. There was the tale of an away trip to Waterford where the bus was provided by Hal Conway, but it was iconic player Tom Hanley that drove the team home. 

The President reminisced about the club's first home: “We were very fortunate that Michael Osborne, who was manager of the Irish National Stud - he was a man way before his time – he let us train on the paddocks down there, put up the goalposts, and we even had a shower in a stable.

"The shower was very primitive, and there was only one guy in the club, Tom Lee, was the only one who could, to light the flame for the gas for the showers. There was a knack in it, and only Tom had the art of doing it. The story goes that if the opposition weren't respectful, or if there was any kind of a to-do or fracas, the showers wouldn't be turned on."

The two-hour buffet reception ended just in time for everyone to head outside and enjoy the clash of Cill Dara and Newbridge, where the visitors spoiled the party by winning the Conlon Cup. The trophy was presented by the Conlon family in memory of the late John Conlon, to be completed for whenever Cill Dara and Newbridge meet, be it in the Towns Cup, Hosey Cup or the Leinster League.