President’s Address from our President, Mr Keith Hayes:

It is my privilege to write to you in the capacity of President of the NORFC for the upcoming season, 2021/22 its 137th year. NORFC has been a big part in the life of the Hayes family for so many years and it is an honour for me to fill this roll and hopefully with the help of the club committee and all involved the club will be in a better place in 12 months.

The past year has had a huge impact on society. Many of us have lost family, friends, colleagues or indeed clubmates. This has been the huge tragedy of COVID 19, and these people will live long in our memories.

What is NORFC all about? To me it provides a facility and opportunity to play a sport we all love and to create memories and friendships for life. I know it has done so for me and there is nothing better than chatting to many with similar feelings and talking mainly of the good tales of what this wonderful club has provided. Some lucky ones get to move forward and to play at higher levels, some win competitions and for so many they simply get the opportunity just to play the game of rugby.

To me the important thing and strength of a club is its membership, I hope if possible to grow our membership base, and especially attract back past members who may have lost contact for one reason or another. I ask the question, what has the club given to you and your family in the past, why not return and be a part of it?

We have a very successful Split the Bucket fundraiser which is our main fund raiser going forward. It gives a weekly winner half the pot of monies collected which regularly is in excess of €500 on a weekly basis, I thank those who are entered weekly and hope lots more will join up. Please keep an eye out on social media as to how this can be entered or if you just wish to give cash, then this is possible also, any committee member will facilitate you with this.

At the playing end, our senior team are our flagship, I wish Head Coach Mike Kennedy and Manager John Long and their team of coaches and management the best of luck in the season ahead, hopefully we get a full season! More importantly to the underage section, where our numbers have grown due to the continuous voluntary work of many getting hundreds of boys and girls running and playing for the year ahead. We have teams from mini’s right up to U-18’s and 3 girl’s teams also for the season ahead. This is the future and is wonderful to see, this is what the club is for.

To all the sponsors who continuously support the club as Match Sponsors, Pitch Sign Sponsors, Golf Classic entries and many other ways, your help has brought this club through difficult times and has us in such a strong position currently. A massive thank you to our main sponsor Carey Glass who again have remained on board for this season.

Finally, I wish all help and happiness for season ahead, please if you have drifted, come back and connect, it would be great to see you in New Ormond Park for a game at any level to rekindle memories and maybe start new ones.

Mind yourselves and Hon the Red and White of Nenagh!🔴⚪️