Top award for Ballynahinch

Top award for Ballynahinch

14 November 2018

BALLYNAHINCH Rugby Club has secured another major accolade.

The Ballymacarn Park outfit has been presented with the IRFU Club Excellence Award.

The awards ceremony took place at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday ahead of Ireland’s clash with Argentina.

IRFU president Ian McIlrath presented club president Mervyn Boyd and honorary secretary Richard Hart with a certificate which will be displayed proudly in the Ballymacarn clubhouse.

Mr Boyd said afterwards: “To achieve the Club Excellence Award is a tremendous recognition for our club here in Ballynahinch.

“I would like to especially thank our honorary secretary, Richard, for working so hard to drive this project forward and all our volunteers who supported throughout.”

Ballynahinch chairman Philip Gregg, who is also Junior Vice-President of the IFRU’s Ulster Branch, said: “The Club Excellence Award underscores all our longer-term plans to ensure Ballynahinch RFC’s position as one of Ulster’s leading and progressive clubs both on and off the pitch.

“We are delighted to join the small number of clubs across the whole of Ireland who can now qualify to be a ‘Club of Excellence’.”

Matthew Holmes at Ulster Rugby, who administered the Ballynahinch RFC application, commented: “This is a huge achievement for the Club and I would like to congratulate the small, but dedicated team of volunteers who have successfully worked on this scheme.

“The Club Excellence award is a valuable process for clubs, providing them with a best practice benchmark to strive towards sustainable on and off-field development. Well done to all involved.”