Local Faces: Stephen Heaney

Tallaght Rugby Football Club was set up in 2002 as part of the “Tallaght Project,” an IRFU (Irish Rugby Football Union) initiative, designed to introduce rugby in non-traditional areas, Writes Ken Doyle.

Since then, the club has gone from strength to strength, with both the men’s and women’s teams winning many honours throughout all the age groups, going from under-eights to senior.

Unfortunately, the club has one big problem, they’re effectively homeless. Games are played at the good will of other sporting organisations.

Our ‘Face of the Community’ this week, Club Chairman Stephen Heaney is hopeful that the rugby nomads of Dublin 24 find a permanent home sooner rather than later.

Before we give you Stephen’s pitch for an, erm, pitch, we’ll take a look at the life of a true Tallaght clubman.

“I’m a Tallaght man, born and bred,” he tells me. “I grew up in Springfield and went to school at St Mark’s. I live in Maplewood now, so you could say I came back to my roots after some years away.”

“After St Mark’s I studied at what is now IT Tallaght and then moved to Belfast where I graduated with a degree from the University of Ulster in Business and Applied Management.”

“I played sport all through those years, and particularly Gaelic football in Belfast.

“Here at home I played everything and I was a keen hockey player with Glenanne at one stage. Sport has always been a huge part of my life.”

“My rugby career started when I was travelling after University. I ended up living in Queensland, Australia and I played for a team called, believe it or not, Condamine Cods. I got the bug from there and was determined to continue playing when I got home.”

Stephen’s career started in earnest when he accepted a position at DNA IT Solutions and worked under a man named Joe Greene whom he cites as a great influence.

He’s now a Senior Sales Executive with E.T.L. Networks and whilst I’m sure Stephen loves his job, he might sneakily admit that the rugby is his true passion.

“We’re a great little club,” he enthuses. “I first came in as a player when Luke Tyrell was manager, playing centre primarily and the enthusiasm and dedication of the people around the place were completely infectious. When my playing days ended, I made sure I stayed involved.”

Unsurprisingly, Stephen was keen to talk about some of the club’s achievements.

“Well the Men’s team have been Metro Division 7 winners and Metro Division 6 winners.

They’ve also won the John Madden Cup and a Madden plate. We were also Winter’s Cup finalists, which was a big achievement for us.

The women’s team were Division 5 league winners and now play in Division 3.

Our coaches are the heart and soul of the club and they include ex-players Adam Nolan and Ciaran Rudd. Martina Fitzpatrick has played for us for years and, having been Women’s Development Officer, is now Director of Rugby, the first woman to ever hold the position in the club.

In the youths, there’s almost too many to mention but Dec Malone is an ex-player who has triplets playing with the club now.

“Darren Conway organises a lot of games for the minis and for other clubs too. Craig O’Brien is the men’s player’s Player of Year no less, and he coaches the boys’ 15s.”

Then there’s Tom Hall. Tom’s doing a fantastic job in the Youth Development role – he has a brilliant team of coaches and is growing the youth section week on week.

The youth section is the highlight of the club at the moment and we’re very optimistic for the future.

Stephen is very concerned that he’s left people out but one thing he stresses to me is that he’s extremely grateful to all the coaches and volunteers who keep the club going. He’s even more grateful that he was elected chairman of the club he loves.

And so to the search for a home. Stephen tells me that the club has to rent various pitches from South Dublin County Council, generally a pitch in Firhouse or another one in Tymon Park.

“There are avenues we’re exploring to find a home and we have such a vibrant group of people within the club.

“We don’t really want them to have to get changed in shipping containers going forward.”

“We really want to create a community club, a club that represents the area properly. We’re blessed with great sporting clubs in Tallaght and I’d really love to see our club become a Tallaght sporting institution.

‘At the moment, if someone wanted to come and watch us play, they wouldn’t know where to go, and that really can’t continue.”

Stephen tells me there’s an action plan in place and they’re working, with the co-operation of the IRFU, towards establishing a home for Tallaght Rugby Club.

Stephen is an impressive guy and if anyone can lead them to achieving their ambition, I don’t doubt he’s a great man to have in the front row, so to speak.

Meanwhile, Stephen is happily attached to his partner Ciara Beirne and enjoys a contented civilian life in Maplewood. Ciara is totally supportive of Stephen’s passion project, which is just as well really. He’s dedicated to spreading the word on the club every chance he gets.

We at The Echo wish Stephen and Tallaght Rugby Club all the luck in the world on and off the pitch.

And hopefully soon enough, the pitch will be their own.

For more information on Tallaght Rugby Club, HERE.