My fellow Suttonians,
Welcome to the 2023/2024 Rugby season. At the outset I would like to express my deep gratitude to have been chosen as your President for the forthcoming season. I hope to represent my fellow club members with the same open generous and positive manner as my predecessors have displayed throughout their tenure. Suttonians is widely known throughout Leinster and wider a field for it’s warmth and hospitality off the pitch and the competitiveness of all its teams on the pitch. This tradition was clearly brought home to me when I first joined the club over thirty years ago with no previous experience of the game of Rugby or its sporting ethos. Indeed, some might rightly say that my knowledge of the game hasn’t changed very much in the interim!!
Every Season brings with it challenges but most important of all a wave of excitement and anticipation for the season ahead. It is particularly exciting in the year of a Rugby World Cup and everyone in Suttonians will be wishing the Irish Team every good fortune in the forthcoming competition in France and let us dare to dream.
Preparations for the season ahead are well underway with all sections of the club working tirelessly to ensure that the club represents the best elements of sport and camaraderie. Whilst most of us will regret the last few months of rain; it has been exceptionally beneficial for the grounds under the tutelage of Simon Lewis whose endeavour off season ensures that both pitches are in pristine condition for the season ahead.
Work continues in both Bar and House thanks to the stalwart efforts of both Mark Colgan and Martin Griffin both of whom continue to develop our clubhouse making our facilities the envy of many Rugby clubs for the hospitality afforded to members and visitors alike in equal measure. I would like to express my deep appreciation on behalf of all club members for their continued endeavours.
Every club has its unsung heroes both on and off the pitch no more so than the executives who administer key aspects of the club from Finance, Development and Administration enabling Suttonians to continue its functioning to the highest standards and I consider ourselves particularly blessed to have people of the calibre of Allen Kiernan, Willie Moran and Emer Litchfield working in the background on behalf of us all.
Key to any club’s success is it’s ability to recruit and rejuvenate from within its ranks and critical for the success of Suttonians is our Minis and Youths’ section. Last year was no exception and the club enjoyed tremendous success at underage level particularly at under 14’s and under 16’s. I have no doubt that the 2023/2024 season will bring similar success thanks to the sterling efforts of coaches’ administrators and most importantly all the parents who support all aspects of “My Suttonians”. I have no doubt that our club will continue to be represented at Provincial and International level by men and women who have commenced their rugby journey at Minis and Youth’s section.
A vital cog in any club’s existence is to ensure that all its membership is kept informed of all club activities and events. In that regard our club P.R.O. Gerry Usher has been working tirelessly during the club’s downtime in preparation forthcoming season. We’ll forgive him for being a Leicester fan, (one can’t get everything right!!!) Along with Oscar Reilly, we hope to improve our connection with the membership during the season through Clubzap, Facebook, Instagram and our Website. Success on publicising all aspects of the club is dependent on its entire membership. I would exhort all sections within the club to continue supply appropriate content publicising items of interest through the P.R.O.
As we approach the 2023/24 season, preparation for the competitions ahead at Senior Men’s and Ladies are well underway. Pre-season training in all codes is going well under the expert guidance of our Senior Women’s and Men’s coaches. Our Women kicked off their preparations for the season ahead with a pre-season tour to Rouen in Normandy, France where they played Les Valkyries on the 19th of August with a return leg on the first weekend in January 2024. Best of luck to coaches Rob, Christy, Aiden, Captain Brenda and the rest of the team. Our Senior men started preparations for the Season ahead and recently kicked off the season with a friendly match against Enniskillen RFC. Our best wishes to coaches Synno, Andy, Graham, Captain James and all the team for the upcoming season.
For the first time in a number of years Suttonians are planning to enter a team in the Under 20’s competition so as to provide a progression pathway for the players developed through our Minis and Youth’s section. This is a club ambition not only for the 2023/2024 season but for successive seasons. Enormous work has been undertaken in the background by many officials, but I would like to acknowledge three individuals in particular Bru Amerlynk, Peter Synnott and Allen Kiernan for their sterling work.
Volunteers are always needed and we are so grateful for you all! Please if you have any spare time to help us there is always a job to be done! We would love to see any retirees who have a few hours to help contact us especially for match days when we need a big crew of helpers.
Membership is a vital source of income for our club and we urge everyone to pay as soon as possible, it’s very simple, download the ClubZap App and click on Membership and pay! Contact the office if any issues.
Finally, to our club membership, sponsors and supporters I wish to thank you for your continued support, ask that you come down to the club as often as you can to support all our teams.
Fag an Bealach
Barry O Brien - President 2023/24