Club history

Barnhall rugby Club was founded on the 16th of May, 1969 by employees of Irish Meat Packers, Barnhall, Leixlip, Co. Kildare. Our first full season was 1969/70 when we played in the J5 O’Connor Cup (Which we still compete in to this day)
At the start of the following 1970/71 season, the committee decided to find games for a second team. The rationale for this move was that the club had no chance of progression or even survival unless a second team was put on the field. Such was the theory hatched in a committee room; for a start, only 25 people could be found to play rugby and 25 people do not constitute two rugby teams!
Secondly, there was a culture amongst some players new to the game, that it really was not essential to turn up for all games if something more important, like doing the shopping, visiting the in-laws or going to the zoo, came up. It took some time to get through to them that being selected usually meant that there was nobody else. Thirdly, the first team played in J3 League on Saturday and playing again on Sunday for the second team meant playing with a sore body and in many cases head.

“Its important that all involved know that without them Barnhall simply could not have survived”

So we journeyed forward. The first team played around 30 games and the second team 15 games that season. The number of players who played both games at the weekend varied between 5 and 10 and it was the same 5 or 10 who did the business. Five players played all 45 games that year. It was an enormous sacrifice to all concerned. But they did it, often not knowing why other then it was their duty and with the belief something better would appear soon. They always believed that Barnhall would be a senior club. Thankfully in 1969 they didn’t know it would take 30 long years until that wonderful day in 1999 when senior status was achieved. It's important that all involved know that without them Barnhall simply could not have survived.
Since 1999 Barnhall have established themselves as an All Ireland League Team having spent most of their time in Divison Two. 2008 brought Relegation to Parsonstown, So for the 2009/10 Season Barnhall will be playing division three rugby but hopefully just for a another season as Dennis Bowes has rebuilt a team he believes will be capable of return to the second division at the second time of asking.