Roscrea Rugby Club to celebrate historic jubilees

When Harry Reid and Dr Joe Wallace gathered a handful of rugby enthusiasts at Mount Heaton, Roscrea in 1950, few could have imagined the legacy they were launching. Reid, capped 13 times for Ireland between 1910 and 1913, and Wallace, a ten cap international who toured South Africa with the British & Irish Lions in 1904, lent instant credibility to the fledgling Roscrea Rugby Football Club. 

Seventy five years later, their maroon and white dream is very much alive and on Saturday, 7 June 2025 the club will mark both its diamond anniversary and the golden jubilee of its first Provincial Towns Cup triumph with a gala Dinner Dance at the Templemore Arms Hotel.

A 1951 membership card, above.

The 1950s were heady years for the young club. Under the captaincy of Dick Rafter, Roscrea quickly earned a reputation for fearless, open rugby. The breakthrough came in 1954 when the side lifted the Garryowen Cup, its first major silverware and a statement of intent to the Leinster junior ranks.

A tattered green membership card from the 1951 52 season, still bearing the neat signature of lifelong supporter Eugene Garvey, lists the club colours (“maroon jerseys, white shorts”) and the ground phone number (“74”). It is a small but telling reminder of the volunteer spirit that has sustained Roscrea rugby across the decades.

Silverware was scarcer in the sixties, yet those years forged the culture that defines the club today. The arrival of coach Seán Burke improved standards on and off the pitch, while Ken Henderson turned the Youth Section into a production line of talent, guiding under age teams to five Leinster Gale Cups. In 1970, Roscrea’s seniors captured the Manseragh Cup - an omen of greater things to come.

Above: Club captain Dave McCormack accepting the Manseragh Cup in Clonwilliam RFC, 1970. Roscrea defeated Thurles RFC in the final.

The victory in 1975 lives long in local folklore. Led by captain Frank O’Connor and flanked by stalwarts such as Tommy Kavanagh, the Dempsey cousins, C. Jones and P. Kelly, Roscrea edged past a formidable field to hoist the Provincial Towns Cup for the first time beating Curragh 8-7 in Edenderry. Five years later the squad repeated the feat, but it is the first triumph - now celebrating its 50th anniversary - that remains the touchstone for generations of Roscrea players.

Rugby in Roscrea has always been about more than scores and silverware; it is woven into the fabric of the town. From muddy minis on frosty Saturday mornings to senior clashes that draw half the parish to the touchline, the club has provided a gathering place, a shared identity and a lifetime of friendships. The Dinner Dance is our chance to pause, look back and simply say “Thank You” - to the pioneers who laid the foundations in 1950, to the heroes of 1975 who showed what was possible, and to the countless volunteers who keep the lights burning bright today. It is a night for stories, laughter and pride in the maroon jersey.

On 7 June the club will swap muddy boots for smart attire and gather friends old and new for an evening to remember. A prosecco reception at 5.30 pm will be followed by a three course meal at 6.30 pm sharp, live music from Traffic and a DJ set to keep feet moving into the small hours. The night will also feature the Senior Players’ Awards, celebrating the current crop of mens and womens players who flew the maroon flag this year.

Return transport is laid on, a bus leaves The Stand at 4.30 pm (€10 return). Tickets cost €65 and are already moving fast, so don’t delay.

To secure your seat contact: James Marks 087 699 8313, Michael Talbot 086 250 8544, Terry Farrelly 087 232 1978

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Numbers are limited, so early booking is strongly advised. If you have ever cheered a Roscrea team, worn the colours or simply enjoyed a pint at the bar after a match, this is your night. Join us, raise a glass and help celebrate 75 years of rugby passion and 50 years of Towns Cup glory.