URC 2022 Thread

pickarooney · 08-03-2023 02:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120329805#Comment_120329805

'hedge school', 'impoverished', 'creepy'...

Not having a rugby team or a swimming pool doesn't equate to destitution. It's extremely common for schools to have next to no sports infrastructure.

And to be honest there's no good reason why they should.

stephen_n · 08-03-2023 02:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120329867#Comment_120329867

Yes but not all schools are equal. The schools always contributed the vast amount of players to Ireland, long before the game went professional. For the most part, the schools other than Michael’s and Blackrock are no different than any GAA school in this country. The main benefit of schools rugby is access. The setups in Clongowes or Newbridge is nothing like Michael’s.

pickarooney · 08-03-2023 02:48PM

I've never been inside it but Newbridge is a private school, a mansion of a place. It may be no different to GAA behemoths like SKC but it's hardly an average secondary school! Maybe it's not equal to Michael's in terms of infrastructure but it's a lot more equal than the vast majority of schools.

My grandfather went there, AFAIK, over 100 years ago, and won a Leinster cap. The pipeline has been there a while.

Dubinusa · 08-03-2023 02:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120328942#Comment_120328942

Thank the gods for the private schools, so. Fair play to them. Long may they churn out talented rugby players.

Former Former Former · 08-03-2023 03:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120329910#Comment_120329910

You're the one playing the poverty card, so again I'm not sure how to respond.

You don't need "infrastructure" - you need a field, a ball and people with the motivation to put them together. That's where most schools fall down; they don't have the culture or the people necessary to be successful.

08-03-2023 04:40PM

I'm confused... so Blackrock College to win the 22/23 URC despite some public schools having an equally good gym? 🤔🤔🤔

Blut2 · 08-03-2023 06:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120329910#Comment_120329910

I work in the field of education and I don't know of a single secondary school in Ireland that has "next to no sports infrastructure". P.E., and the sports facilities that it requires, is a mandatory offering in Irish schools.

Its completely incorrect to say "It's extremely common for schools to have next to no sports infrastructure." Even just go have a look at the websites, or Google maps imagery, of any secondary school near you and you'll see they'll all have extensive facilities.

Your posts honestly read like someone who hasn't been anywhere near an Irish school in decades, if ever.

Dubinusa · 08-03-2023 06:55PM

Unfortunately lads, I being impoverished went to a school without our own playing fields. We had to saunter across the bridge to Fairview Park! I've not been the same since. No cafeteria, no library. Devastating.

b.gud · 08-03-2023 07:36PM

Apparently I have 72 unread posts in the URC 2022 thread but boards appears to be acting up because instead it showed me 72 unread posts from the schools thread...

PMC83 · 09-03-2023 02:54PM

Fekitoa signed for Treviso, didnt see that one coming!

Walter Sobchak III · 09-03-2023 04:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335066#Comment_120335066

Read elsewhere that his partner is Italian.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 09-03-2023 06:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335850#Comment_120335850

She is Spanish but a fluent Italian speaker.

Digifriendly · 10-03-2023 07:53AM

Steve Diamond taking over reigns at Edinburgh with immediate effect. Wonder will he have a bounce effect as they've slipped badly down the table recently?

sydthebeat · 10-03-2023 07:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120338875#Comment_120338875

Absolutely he will. They are playing less than the sum of their parts, and he's the right guy to ship them into shape

pickarooney · 10-03-2023 08:23AM

His timing might be perfect as they have big players just coming back into the side and they were looking like a rejuvenated team the other day. Until they weren't.

Hotblack Desiato · 24-03-2023 10:13AM

RUC TV 🤣🤣

TaurenDruid · 24-03-2023 02:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120331227#Comment_120331227

Um, what? St. Paul's, Raheny - used to have extensive playing fields and a swimming pool. (Playing fields used to be used by Clontarf under-age teams and local GAA teams)... Sold off to developers.

Chanel College, Coolock. Used to have fairly decent playing fields out the front. Sold off to developers...

That's been replicated in many, many privately owned (religious order) schools around the country. And the new secondary schools going up don't have big gyms or playing fields.

bingobango12 · 24-03-2023 02:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120395744#Comment_120395744

Out of interest, is this the schools selling the spaces to developers or are they government owned and sold by gov?

Hotblack Desiato · 24-03-2023 03:57PM

It's religious orders selling the grounds out from under the school with the school powerless to stop them.

stephen_n · 24-03-2023 05:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120396310#Comment_120396310

Might help them pay some of the reparations they owe.

SheepsClothing · 24-03-2023 05:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120329958#Comment_120329958

Looking at Clongowes it seems they're proper slumming it with only 9 Rugby pitches, plus an full sized Astro and a few exercise bikes in the Indoor gym.

stephen_n · 24-03-2023 05:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120396691#Comment_120396691

Like most GAA clubs.

The gym in Tallaght community school.

pickarooney · 24-03-2023 07:48PM

Kilmacud Crokes is not a school, it's one of the biggest GAA clubs in Ireland.

It's like posting a picture of a gym and saying look at this gym it has a gym

CIARAN_BOYLE · 24-03-2023 09:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120396685#Comment_120396685

At least one order has offered the government land attached to schools and the land the schools are on at a very deep discount and the government response was essentially we are confident that the order won't sell school assets contrary to the will of the school community.

The order's response has been to sell 'order land' attached to schools but not mentioned in the peppercorn leases under which the schools occupy land owned by the order.

The government should be doing a deal where they take full ownership of all schools owned by religious orders and land attached to those schools in return for taking on a portion or all of the reparations.