Page 16 - Lansdowne Yearbook 2020-21 Master Digital Edition

fancied to do more damage in the cups before the
season was halted. We are delighted to be able to
add an addition Under 20 Pennant team this year
with a resurgence of numbers directly attributed
to the success of our youth system and under
17’s in par-ticular. It is great to see these young
men return to the club after their secondment to
schools rugby and we welcome new Head Coach
Seb Berti who is very well assisted by returning
player Clive Ross and are captained by grandson
Luc of legendary member Paul Van Cauwelaert
aka Vanner. We also welcomed Charlie Doel as
new coach of the J1’s and they had a great season
leading the league for most of the sea-son and
losing out on the title in a tightly contested play
off final. Charlie along with the energetic John indeed sport and rugby in particular. It seems as
Kilroy are back again this season. Our J2’s & J3’s we will regrettably be stuck in a cycle of ups and
have battled through a huge transition with over downs for the new future, but we are resilient
25 re-tirements of long-time players over the last people and will come out stronger the other side
couple of years and are now proving to be a force of it whenever that is. We have ap-pointed our
to be reck-oned with once again. Junior rugby new Club Covid 19 Safety Officer Kieran Walsh
would simply have not survived without the hard also our Club Honorary Secretary who has his
work and dedication of Director of Junior Rugby team of Covid 19 compliance officers working
Ian Hopkins who I can’t speak highly enough of with him and overseeing all of the complicated
the great work he does and that of Brian Whelan new rules and regulations we must abide by if
in particular who always has a smile on his face we want a safe return to rugby so a big thank you
along with Dave Tunney , Reg White and Phil to all of you.
Donnellan we are lucky to have them involved.
I am delighted to welcome former player and
We welcome close to 400 minis to Lansdowne two-time club Captain Enda Bohan on board
every week and the organisation at this level as our new Chairman of Rugby, along with new
is a sight to behold with parents, coaches and Junior Vice President Mick Dawson (for the second
players swarming around Lansdowne Road in time) and new Club Trustee Oisin O’Buchalla.
club colours on a Sunday morning. It is a great Enda along with Mick & Oisin who need no
sight to see and to all of you involved at this introduction are lifelong Lansdowne men and
level you bring a great vibrance and ex-citement are very reassuring and capable appointments
to the club and produce the next generation to during these strange times and bring a wealth of
participate, play and run our club in the future. experience and knowledge to vital areas of the
Great to see the next generation of Quinn’s club.
(Grandson of Mick and also Son of Graham),
Forrest’s and McCar-ron’s along with my on I am also very pleased to welcome Jack Dwan
nephew and Godson Harry all lining up for the back as senior captain for a second term as I
under 6’s this year who no doubt will be the best know Jack and the squad feel they have some
looked after team in the club and will soon want unfinished business from last season’s abrupt
to tour with seniors! Huge thanks to Brian Moran end. It is a measure of the man that his fellow
our Director of Mini & Youth Rugby and all of our players voted him back in as Captain again this
mums and dads volunteering their precious time. year and I am extremely proud to have Jack back
as Lansdowne FC Club Captain for my year as
As I originally wrote this piece the Covid situation president.
was growing more positive every day and the
outlook has changed from doom and gloom to No more than our members we are blessed to
a more positive outlook both for our health and have great staff in Lansdowne, and I look forward
16 YEARBOOK 2020-2021