President of Portadown Rugby Club 2023/24

I am very honoured to be elected President of Portadown Rugby Football Club for the 2023/24 season.

I have been involved in rugby since I was 6 and have been at Portadown for the last 29 years, as a player, captain, coach and mini rugby convenor.

As President I would like to extend a special welcome to all of our visitors, members, players, coaches, officials, families and friends to our club.  We hope to see everyone down supporting our teams and socialising in our bar and fabulous restaurant throughout the season.

The rugby club would not run without the great support of volunteers throughout the club, whether it be on the rugby pitch coaching, helping with maintaining the facilities and grounds, organising social events, helping to run the bar facilities and much more. If you feel you can help in any way please contact me or any of the committee members.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to all our sponsors, and a special thanks to our main sponsor Shelbourne Motors.  Without the continued support of all of our sponsors the club simply would not function.  We are always open to welcoming new sponsors, big or small, and if that’s something you are interested in please contact Jill Irwin – Chairperson of the Sponsorship Committee (jirwin@irwinsbakery.com)

I look forward to the start of the season. Pre-season is already under way for the senior men’s team who are preparing for the season ahead back in Kukri Qualifying League 1. Part of this pre-season will include a tour to New England USA, where the team will train and play the Irish Wolfhounds in Boston. The team will then travel to Portland RFC for a match. The club has great links with Portland RFC through the late Willie Gribben. This is the first senior tour Portadown have undertaken in a number of years.  A lot of work has happened in the background to make this tour happen and I wish the team and travelling party a very successful and enjoyable trip where I hope lots of memories will be made.  It should be said the youngest going is 19 years of age and on the other side the oldest is Sid Rowe, at a tender age of 80.

I would like to mention the Mini and Youth Academy (Boys and Girls) Sections of the club. These sections are the foundation of the club, producing the future Players, Coaches and referees for Portadown RFC. We continue to work in collaboration with the local schools to help develop and promote rugby in our community.

A special mention has to be given to the Panthers – our Learning Disability Tag Rugby Squad.  If you ever need a smile come down and watch this incredible squad train and play, it does the heart good.

Finally I would like to wish all the teams, (Minis, Youth, Ladies, Men and Panthers) and their coaches lots of luck for the season ahead and I look forward to supporting them throughout the year.

 

Yours in rugby

Mark McBurney