DONAGHADEE RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB 1885-2010
The 21st August 2010 has been chosen for the formal opening of the celebrations for Donaghadee Rugby Football Club’s 125th Anniversary. This previous sentence took about 20 seconds to type, but it highlights a truly momentous history for a sports club. To put it in perspective, the year 1885 when Donaghadee was formed was actually two years before Ireland’s first International victory in rugby union, not to mention only five years after the IFA was formed and one year after the GAA.
In rugby football in those days, local clubs were sprouting up all over. Some, like Belmont, Crossgar, Fortwilliam, Knock, Mount and Sydenham were destined to have a short life, whilst other centenarians like Donaghadee and near-neighbours Holywood and Bangor still flourish. 
Donaghadee’s neighbours have led fairly nomadic existences in their long histories, but Donaghadee RFC has spent its 125 years (with a short tour to Ballyhay in the 1970s) at the same ground on the Newtownards Road. Of course it has changed over time like everything, but this field has hosted rugby football since those days when it was known only as the field behind the Parish Rectory right up to its present identity of Donaldson Park. 
The location of this playing field is perhaps unsurprising. Not only was the Parish Rector, the Rev. Richard Henry Coote, the first Captain, press officer and President of the club, but it is probable that the young men of Donaghadee would never have known much about the sport of rugby football if it had not been for this sporting giant from Monaghan. He had learned his rugby as a boarder at Dungannon Royal School and then honed it at Trinity College before his elevation to Donaghadee Parish. We can get an impression of the man from the writings of a fine old Donaghadee historian called John Moore of Bow Street, who once described the Rector as “that great old sport and gentleman, the Reverend R H Coote, who . . . was half a team himself.”
Now, 125 years, two World Wars, a clutch of Ulster cups and other trophies and perhaps five generations of players later Donaghadee is still fielding three teams proudly clad in their red and green playing kit almost every Saturday in the season.
When asked about this special season’s prospects, the club chairman David Monson displayed a mixture of optimism and caution. “Last season’s long injury list, with on occasion as many as ten first team players unfit for action and a few lasting all or most of the season, was probably the difference between gaining promotion to Qualifying League 1 and finishing second after a winning run of eight successive wins. Long cup runs took their toll too in a season that for Donaghadee actually meant that they became victims of their own success with more games than their rivals.
He continued that he was still of the opinion that Donaghadee must never take cup competitions lightly. “Nothing” he said “gets the supporters in Donaghadee fired up as much as a big cup gam – unless it is a long cup run.” He was looking forward to an explosive start to 2010/11 with the President’s XV game, a visit from old friends Letterkenny on the 28th September leading up to the first League game against Enniskillen where Donaghadee will be looking for payback for the Fermanagh men’s last gasp victory in the Cup last year.
You are reading this in what is sometimes called the summer – traditionally the season of cricket and holidays. Donaghadee’s rugby season does not formally begin until Saturday, 21 August, but, because the commemorative day is so special, this piece is to alert or remind all those interested in good enough time to make their arrangements to attend. If you wish to watch the game against the President’s XV you just have to turn up at Donaldson Park (kick-off 2.30pm and enjoy it. If you wish to book a seat at the Grand Dinner later on at the same venue you should call Hans Arthur as soon as you can.
On the training field the club’s coach Jimmie McCoy and Andy Monson have been putting the players through their pre-season paces for over a month now. The former Irish International prop McCoy confided that his biggest hopes for the season are that we do not have another bad winter like the last one where all sports lost a month, and that the club does not suffer the serious rash of injuries that it had last season. Possibly with his tongue in his cheek, but possibly not, he added “I also hope that none of the players have to take their wives, girlfriends etc away for a weekend, or that they have to go shopping when we have an important league match.”
He concluded “My goal for the season is first and foremost to get the club promoted, and in trying to achieve this, I also want the players to set personal goals in improving their performances in each match whilst playing a good standard of rugby. Like any other coach I believe players should go into each match to perform well and to win, but also to enjoy themselves on the pitch.”
The club captain Chris Good echoed this when he said “It would be great to gain promotion into Qualifying 1 in Donaghadee’s 125th year. If we continue to have the belief and confidence in the expansive brand of rugby we played last season this is certainly achievable.”
InTouch will be following Dee through their 125th season.
