Great support for Navan RFC

There is a tremendous amount of goodwill amongst the sporting community for Meath's sole All-Ireland League club Navan RFC.

Located at Balreask Old adjacent to the Ardboyne Hotel, club officials learned last week that the 2020 / 2021 season would not resume.

With the IRFU announcing that the AIL 2020/'21 season was to be cancelled clubs are at least spared costs of travelling to games, but the lack of sustained revenue is a big challenge.

All rugby clubs have had to start looking for alternative ways of generating income now that their normal revenue streams are no longer viable - and Navan RFC is no different.

"It's a financial struggle, but we recognise that almost everyone is facing up to the same issue," said Navan RFC chairman Eddie Lyons before going on to outline how the club has looked to grapple with the issue of meeting on-going costs without access to any of the usual revenue streams.

Right up there in terms of costs is maintaining the grounds and clubhouse at Balreask Old which the club chairman compares to maintaining a big house and gardens.

This has prompted the club to look at other means of ensuring the lights are kept on.

They discovered there was a great deal of goodwill out for the club - and not just in the local area.

"We have considerably less rugby activity due to Covid restrictions of course over the last 10 months and no activity at all at present," he said.

"However, we still have to maintain the grounds and premises, the club bar, and we don't have attendances at home matches.

"In May 2020 we set up a GoFundMe page as we had missed out on the final third of the season, and we were amazed at the support we received from people all around the world, particularly from former players and members."

The club chairman outlined the huge contributions that continue to be made by people determined to keep the wheels turning.

"We are hugely grateful to our current members, who have played their part and followed the requests of our Covid compliance team.

"Our volunteers have been fantastic, as ever, doing whatever they can within the public health restrictions.

"Even now, some of our under-age coaches are leading fitness sessions by Zoom for the under-age members of the club on Saturday mornings.

"Everybody wants to get back to playing our sport, and enjoying the benefits of social contact and physical exercise," said Lyons.

The chairman also added that the contribution of club sponsors is crucial.

"We are deeply appreciative of our sponsors who have supported us throughout the pandemic.

"We're introducing a new piece in our newsletter that will shine a light on those local businesses who sponsor us, and hopefully we can support them as they have supported us.

"A Sport Ireland grant distributed through the IRFU and the Leinster Branch has been great boost to us as have the more local supports from Meath County Council and Meath Local Sports Partnership.

"These will help towards the changes required to reopen the club premises, as and when we are allowed to do so," he concluded.