'This can also be a rugby county': Leitrim's Rugby development officer talks the counties growing game

“Probably still a few toes missing, but I've kind of found most of my feet, to be honest now,” says Sam, Leitrim’s new Rugby Development Officer.

Since taking the job in August, it's been a busy time for the Carrick-on-Shannon native as he motors around trying to develop rugby in Leitrim.

In the week before he spoke to the Leitrim Observer, he spent his days in and out of primary schools giving introductory classes, helping train secondary schools in the county, and spending his evenings with the rugby club in Carrick-on-Shannon -all while finding time to get down to the province for more training.

“What I'm trying to do is just increase rugby participation within Leitrim, and that's from trying to recruit players to come join clubs, to just get balls in the hands of kids in schools.”

Leitrim’s Rugby Scene

At the moment, Carrick-on-Shannon is the only active rugby club in Leitrim and takes players from around the county.

Sam feels there is growth for the club in the north of the county, but for now, those who want to play and live too far from Carrick-on-Shannon head out to clubs in Donegal, Sligo, or Longford, depending on where they are based.

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Carrick-on-Shannon RFC has steadily been on the rise in recent years as it competes with some of the biggest club teams in Connacht.

“I feel like it is every young kid's dream to play for Ireland someday,” says Sam. “I think that is something that Carrick-on-Shannon Rugby Club can provide. It is no longer a middleman club like it might have been looked at a couple of years ago -it is starting to become a force to be reckoned with.”

“I think it's just taking it small increment by small increment. Again, what we're trying to do here is get more people involved in rugby -just get balls in hands and grow rugby in Leitrim.”

Carrick to Ireland

The pool of players from Leitrim reaching international level is small but growing. Earlier this month, Carrick Rugby Club’s former player Diarmuid O’Connor lined out for the Irish Under-20 team against South Africa in Cork.

He follows in the footsteps of Bornacoola’s Shane Mallon, who was capped at U20 level for the Ireland team that won the Six Nations in 2022 and has since lined out for Connacht against Leinster at senior level.

The game ended in defeat for Ireland; however, O’Connor, now playing for Connacht, played the full match and managed to bag himself a try.

Another former Carrick player finding success at the international level is McEnee, who represented Spain at the U20 World Cup earlier this year.

Both men lined up together for the Connacht A’s when they played Ulster A’s last week in the Interprovincial Championship. Connacht lost out after a flurry of first-half tries gave Ulster a 28-22 win.

Rugby in Schools

“All the schools I've been in, they've all been welcoming and open-armed, and the kids who've got involved -teachers too, I think -have enjoyed it.”

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Sam himself started playing rugby in his first year in Sligo Grammar School. He went on to train with Connacht at underage level and had a stint with Sligo Rugby.

“I didn't really know anyone coming down, so I knew it was kind of a rugby school, so I was like, you know what, I'll give it a go. And I actually got involved with that and played rugby then with the Grammar School.

“When I was studying and maybe had a lot going on, having those kinds of outlets through rugby or sport was huge for me.”

Just a Football County?

The Gaelic football–mad county of Leitrim could hardly be accused of being a rugby stronghold, but the reception Sam has gotten in schools has been positive, and kids are enjoying learning about the game.

“What I'm trying to do at the moment is get into them while they're young and while they're still picking and choosing which sport is and isn’t for them.”

There can often be resistance among some coaches to let talented children play multiple sports for fear it will diminish their performance or -worse -they might choose another sport.

But Sam feels that there are benefits to kids playing multiple sports, and it is very manageable.

“I feel like that's, how do I say it, an old-time saying that you have to play one sport and you have to perfect that one sport. I think with the right coaches and the right consideration for a child, you can definitely juggle your football, your rugby, your soccer, your tennis, and your school.”

“It is really down to the club, Carrick-on-Shannon. They are really trying to care for the players that come in -alter their training sessions so that they are not going straight from rugby to football training, for example. And if a guy has football training or a game on, they are understanding about it.”

Sam’s goals for Leitrim rugby are to get more people involved and keep it moving in a positive direction, which it is already doing through the club in Carrick-on-Shannon.

“For me, anyway, it's not a middleman club anymore. It’s really a force to reckon with -so just trying to show and prove to everyone that this can also be a rugby county.”