Oct

The Gala Table Quiz – Sat. 20th October

The Gala Table Quiz will take place on Saturday 20th of October

It will be held in the School Gym

Tables are going fast, so please book on-line to ensure your place, just click on the link below

http://www.eventelephant.com/donalmccanntheatreprojecttablequiz

This promises to be a great social occasion for the past pupils, parents and friends of the College

The quiz will be hosted by Mike Murphy and we will have a full bar on the night, so book early to avoid disappointment.

Prizes on offer include weekends away, rounds of golf, meal vouchers and many, many more amazing prizes

Come along as a team or come on your own, but don’t miss out on what promises to be a fantastic night out

So book now….

We look forward to seeing you there !

Oct

Conor O’Shea on Quins, H Cup and Terenure College

Mighty’ Quin

By Julian Bennetts

Monday, October 08, 2012

IF HARLEQUINS take Leinster’s Heineken Cup crown they may have to thank the unusual combination of Michael Phelps, Terenure College in Dublin and Alabama’s United States Sports Academy.

The three don’t often go hand-in-hand, but perhaps it requires something special to dethrone Brian O’Driscoll, Jonny Sexton and friends. And under the stewardship of Conor O’Shea, Harlequins are threatening to be pretty special indeed.

Last May they were crowned champions of England just three years after the Bloodgate scandal ripped the club asunder.

It was a triumph built on the core values brought in by an injection of young, English talent — and overseen by an affable 42-year-old from Limerick, one who combines the best of the amateur era with all the trappings of professionalism.

O’Shea was forged in Terenure College, following in a long line of rugby players — specifically full-backs who have graduated to full international honours. Yet as he worked in a bank while representing Ireland and Leinster, his focus was on the future.

The advent of the professional game ensured he headed to America to complete a Masters in sports science.

Now, after spells at London Irish, the RFU and the English Institute of Sport, O’Shea has found his perfect home. He still has time to broaden his horizons though, hence his decision to be part of a panel assessing British Swimming’s disappointing performance at this summer’s Olympics, where he will be joined by Bob Bowman, Michael Phelps’ former coach.

Yet Harlequins dominates his here and now.

Their progression to the top of the English game has been rapid, and now they will attempt to conquer Europe, too. Marshalled by England captain Chris Robshaw and New Zealand fly-half Nick Evans on the pitch, O’Shea is the undisputed boss off it.

O’Shea makes it clear he is a man shaped by his experiences. Where better to start, then, than his time at Terenure.

“I couldn’t have loved school life any more than I did there,” says O’Shea as a broad smile crosses his face.

“The sad thing is it’s 25 years since I left and there will probably be a reunion where we will all feel like we’re 18 again.

“It’s just a great, great school and a great community. When I’m next over I will walk around the grounds as it’s what school should be about — academically driven but sporting driven as well with a great balance.

“They taught me team willingness, a love of rugby and playing it for the right reasons.

“And in Girvan Dempsey, Ciaran Clarke and myself there have been a few good full-backs come out of there — though young Billy Dardis looks like he will be the best of them all.”

And for O’Shea, the lessons he was taught at Terenure led to a stellar career with Leinster, London Irish and Ireland. Yet he was a man with one eye on the future.

“I had done my commerce degree and my law degree and was working in an Ulster Investment Bank, but I just loved sport. Once we knew that professionalism was coming in 1995 I knew that the opportunity to work in sport, using the skills I learnt in college, was perfect for me, and that was why going to Alabama interested me.

“What did I learn there? Well first of all that I don’t like the heat! It was so hot and humid.

“But I met some great people, and everything I learnt at Terenure and UCD was applied in a sporting context. It opens your eyes to sport as you meet a lot of like-minded people who live for their game.

“A team is a team no matter what sport you play. And you can’t coach spirit and you can’t coach character.

“You can help people understand what those things are about, but it comes down to something inbuilt. I can’t give Chris Robshaw what he has got, or Nick Evans, Mike Brown or Joe Marler. That warrior element is inbuilt. You don’t have to be the best to win; it comes down to who combines talent with desire. That’s what my job is all about.”

And so far there can be no doubt it is working.

The values that O’Shea brought when he arrived in Mar 2010 were vital, but he is keen to deflect attention onto others.

“I don’t know how much I changed it,” he says when asked about the culture at Quins. “There was a huge amount of work done over a number of years to bring it here today.

“We talk about the history of this club a lot. It’s 146 years old, and you only get a small opportunity to write your name in that history. These guys have decided they want to write a chapter for themselves.”

And O’Shea is fortunate that he has found a club which encourages his outside interests — like being asked to judge the performances of Rebecca Adlington, Liam Tancock and Michael Jamieson at the Aquatics Centre this summer.

“Sitting down next to Michael Phelps’ former coach will be pretty special for me,” says O’Shea. “I might be in awe but I will learn a huge amount and I hope I can contribute to it.”

So far, both O’Shea and Harlequins deserve every accolade they have received — and there should be many more.

Irish Examiner http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/mighty-quin-210216.html

Sep

Division 2A Preview

Terenure v Galwegians, Lakelands

‘Nure managed a respectable mid table finish last season but can they improve on that this year?

Saturday will be a good opening foray as they face a Galwegians side keen to bounce back from relegation.

It came down to the last day for ‘Wegians and they dropped down alongside UCC. They will feel they have the wherewithal to come straight back up but they will need to pick wins on the road to make sure.

Sep

’Nure rivalry with Mary’s up there with anything else in the country by Tony Ward

On Saturday, I attended a celebratory luncheon at Lakelands for the Terenure RFC Leinster Senior League-winning squad of 1984.

It was unusual in the sense that the vanquished as well as the victors were invited.

I was part of the St Mary’s squad beaten at Donnybrook in that New Year’s Day final (15-13 if memory serves me right).

The luncheon set the ball rolling for the inaugural playing of a Ryder Cup-style competition, for the late great Dr Mick Smyth trophy, whereby these great D6W rivals played each other at first team, Junior 1, Junior 3, Junior 4, and Junior 5 levels, with veterans and ladies tag games also taking place all in the one afternoon.

Hopefully, it will become an annual event, with Templeville Road hosting the reciprocal arrangement next year.

For the uninitiated, the rivalry and respect between Mary’s and Terenure is up there with anything else you’ll see on this island.

For those who ignorantly dismiss rugby in the metropolis as D4 pretty-boy exhibitionism, this has the intensity of Cork Con v Garryowen, Young Munster v Shannon, and Garryowen v Shannon all rolled into one — and I think I’m in a fair position to comment.

Mary’s are reigning All-Ireland champions in Division 1A, and Terenure compete two divisions below in Division 2A.

But, as was pointed out by former St Mary’s, Leinster and Ireland ‘B’ captain Declan Fanning on Saturday, the sooner the ‘Nure make it back alongside Mary’s to the top division the better for all in this rugby hotbed.

And as someone who has been a part of this unique rivalry since the age of nine, I wish director of rugby Ian Morgan and new head coach James Blaney every success in implementation of the Greenlea Grove club’s ‘Vision 20/20’ programme.

– Tony Ward

Irish Independent

Full Article http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/tony-ward-time-running-out-for-toner-to-fulfil-towering-potential-3240523.html

Sep

Your Club Your Country

Tickets on Sale in the Club…

Your Club Your Country’ is an IRFU fundraising mechanism for all IRFU affiliated eligible clubs. Last seasons Grand Draw took place during the 2011 Rugby World Cup and was hugely successful, raising over €600,000 in additional funding for participating clubs. This year we are hoping to increase this figure even further.

Getting involved could not be easier for your club. All of the prizes are provided by the IRFU and their family of partners, leaving clubs free to sell up to a maximum of 1000 draw tickets and retain 100% of the amount from those sales to support their club activities during the season.

Your Club Your Country 2012 Prizes

1. Tour with the British and Irish Lions in Australia in June 2013
International flights, hotel accommodation, test match tickets and spending allowance for 2 persons up to 18nights. Compliments of O2

2. Ireland v England 2013 RBS 6 Nations VIP Gold Package
VIP match tickets, official IRFU hospitality, hotel accommodation and PUMA Irish Rugby goodie bags for 2 persons. Compliments of PUMA

3. Italy v Ireland 2013 RBS 6 Nations VIP trip to Olympic Stadium
Return flights, hotel accommodation, match tickets and spending allowance for 2 persons. Compliments of Guinness

4. Scotland v Ireland 2013 RBS 6 Nations VIP trip to Murrayfield
Return flights, hotel accommodation, match tickets and spending allowance for 2 persons. Compliments of Ulster Bank

5. Wales v Ireland 2013 RBS 6 Nations VIP trip to Millennium Stadium
Return flights, hotel accommodation, match tickets and spending allowance for 2 persons. Compliments of Paddy Power

6. Ireland v Argentina 2012 Guinness Series VIP hospitality package in Aviva Stadium
Corporate box with full hospitality for 12 guests. Compliments of The Hospitality Partnership

7. Dress like an Irish Rugby Player
Eden Park IRFU formal wear to the value of €1500. Compliments of Eden Park

8. Attend ‘Captains Run’ and win tickets to Ireland v Argentina in Aviva Stadium
Observe a training session with the Irish Rugby Team, tour of Aviva Stadium, goodie bags and tickets to Ireland v Argentina 2012 Guinness Series for 2 adults and 2 children.Compliments of Aviva

9. Ireland v France 2013 RBS 6 Nations VIP package in Aviva Stadium
Match tickets and official IRFU hospitality for 2 persons. Compliments of LeasePlan

10. Get kitted out like an Irish Rugby Player
Elverys Sports voucher to the value of €1,000. Compliments of Elverys Sports

Terms & Conditions

‘Your Club Your Country’ IRFU Grand Draw Particulars and Terms and Conditions

1. This draw is operated and promoted under district court license by the IRFU 10-12 Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

2. The ‘Your Club Your Country’ IRFU Grand Draw 2012 is intended as a fundraising vehicle for IRFU affiliated eligible rugby clubs.

3. The draw is a rugby club draw open only to eligible rugby clubs affiliated to the IRFU who have completed and submitted the registration of participation form which has been sent to each club.

4. Completion and submission of the registration of participation form shall be construed as an acceptance of all the terms and conditions of this draw.

5. No employees, staff members, IRFU executive committee members or their families may take part in this draw.

6. This draw will take place on Friday, 9th November 2012 under the auspices of independent auditors.

7. All valid entries for this draw must be returned for the attention of Christina Smyth, Commercial and Marketing Department, IRFU, 10-12 Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 by participating clubs including the completion form before 5pm Friday, 2nd November 2012. Failure to meet these requirements shall deem the entries null and void. No late entries will be accepted. The IRFU will not enter into any correspondence on late entries with clubs or any other party. It shall be the sole responsibility of the selling club to refund any monies relating to late entries.

8. Prizes for this draw have been sourced by the IRFU. Please note that prizes may be subject to change and without any notice given by the IRFU.

9. Failure to adhere to these terms and conditions shall null and void any entry/ies to the draw.

10. The IRFU reserves the right to cancel, amend, and alter this draw at anytime for any reasons it deems necessary without any prior announcement. In such circumstances it shall be the sole responsibility of the selling club to reimburse entrants.

11. The IRFU will not enter into any consultation with any parties.

12. All entrants for ‘Your Club Your Country’ IRFU Grand Draw must be aged 18 years or over

13. Only original, authentic printed sold ticket counterfoils will be accepted for entry into the Grand Draw. Copied sold ticket counterfoils will not be accepted.

14. All entries should include an entrants name, address, contact telephone number, email address (where possible) and Club.

15. Only one prize per winning entrant.

16. The prize is non-transferable and no other alternative shall exist.

17. In addition winners may be requested to take part in publicity arising from this IRFU Grand Draw.

All queries can be directed to Christina.Smyth@irfu.ie in the IRFU Commercial & Maketing Department.

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