Search

30 Jan 2026

PICTURES: Bruff RFC U16 girls organise successful trip to Northern Ireland

The Limerick club were hosted by Ballymoney RFC in Antrim

Reporter:

Oisin Nolan

10 Sept 2025 11:30 AM

THE BRUFF RFC U16 girls recently organises a successful trip to Northern Ireland. Preparations for the trip involved rigorous training sessions, team-building activities, fundraising events, and logistical planning.

READ MORE: Limerick Celtics basketball players receive Ireland caps and medals
Coaches focused on developing fundamental skills — tackling, passing, scrummaging, and game strategies — while also fostering a supportive and inclusive team environment.

Administrative tasks included coordinating with host clubs in Northern Ireland, arranging transport and accommodation. The excitement and anticipation grew steadily as the departure date approached, and the team was eager to test their mettle against new opponents.

Upon arrival in Northern Ireland, the host club, Ballymoney RFC extended a warm welcome to their Limerick visitors, introducing the girls to the unique hospitality that the region is renowned for.

After a long first stage of travel, the first day was spent in Lets Go Hydro water park where the players also got to play water rugby on their floating pitches. Throughout the tour, the girls participated in training sessions which were invaluable due to the lack of distractions.

Players honed their technical skills and improved their understanding of the game, gaining confidence and adaptability.

One of the highlights of the tour saw Bruff  U16 girls play the Ballymoney RFC U16 side, which boasts 11 players on the Ulster Development squad in a pre-season game. The match was fiercely contested, with both sides demonstrating determination, creativity, and resilience. The match ended in a narrow victory for Ballymoney on a score line of 26-19.

Beyond the rugby, the tour provided the Bruff players with countless opportunities for cultural exchange. The team explored local landmarks, including the Giant’s Causeway, and the North’s beautiful coastline.
 
Many described the tour as a pivotal moment in their rugby journeys, inspiring aspirations for higher levels of competition.

Players expressed gratitude for the opportunity to experience rugby in a new context and to form friendships that might last a lifetime.

Coaches noted improvements in teamwork, adaptability, and on-field communication.

To continue reading this article,
please subscribe and support local journalism!

Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.

Subscribe

To continue reading this article for FREE,
please kindly register and/or log in.

Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!

Register / Login

Most Popular

Sponsored Content

Multimedia

We've got Donegal Covered...

Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie

Buy a paper

Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.

Buy Now
Get the news

Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.

Register Here
Iconic Media is Ireland's largest independently owned regional newspaper and media group, with an unrivalled audience in print, online and mobile. We have 19 regional newspapers and 21 digital sites.

Iconic Digital Titles

  • Carlow Live
  • Clare Live
  • Derry Now
  • Donegal Live
  • Éire Bheo
  • Inish Live
  • Ireland Live
  • Kildare Live
  • Kildare Now
  • Kilkenny Live
  • Laois Live
  • Leitrim Live
  • Letterkenny Live
  • Limerick Live
  • Longford Live
  • Louth Live
  • Mayo Live
  • Nenagh Live
  • Offaly Live
  • Tipperary Live
  • Waterford Live

    • Iconic Print Titles

  • Clonmel Nationalist
  • County Derry Post
  • Derry News
  • Donegal Democrat
  • Donegal Post
  • Dundalk Democrat
  • Homes in Donegal
  • Inish Times
  • Kilkenny People
  • Leinster Express
  • Leinster Leader
  • Leitrim Observer
  • Letterkenny Live
  • Limerick Leader
  • Longford Leader
  • Mayo News
  • Midland Tribune
  • Tipperary Star
  • Tullamore Tribune

    • This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.

    © 2026 Iconic Media