ENNISKILLEN Rugby Club are paving the way for fledgling rugby stars to make their sporting dreams come true.
The County Fermanagh club, has become a talent pipeline for the players to play for Provincial and international teams, with former member Claire Boles set to make her Women’s Rugby World Cup debut for Ireland against Spain on Sunday.
The 27-year-old, who made her Ireland debut in the 2019 Women’s Six Nations and competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, currently represents one of the success stories emerging from the County Fermanagh club.
The club has received an injection of £100,000 in National Lottery funding through Sport Northern Ireland in recent years, part of a wider investment of over £6 billion into grassroots clubs and organisations in the last 30 years.
Ahead of Ireland’s second pool game clash with Spain this Sunday, former international Claire Small (nee McLaughlin) noted just how important grassroots clubs like Enniskillen are to the nation’s sporting success.
“The funding has allowed for a real growth within the women’s and girls’ game across Northern Ireland, but particularly here at Enniskillen Rugby Club,” she said.
“They have been such a pipeline for women and girls going on to play for Provincial and international teams.
“The £491,000 invested into the women’s game over the last two years has allowed clubs to increase their participation, improve facilities and allow for higher quality coaching, which allows those girls to get up to a certain level and put themselves in the best footing to play at the highest level.
“Being able to see the pathway and seeing girls that are playing at the highest level and seeing that there is that potential from the first day that a girl goes on to a rugby pitch, is incredible.
“That Sport NI slogan of ‘Be seen, be heard, belong’, is such a great one, because if you can’t see girls going ahead of you playing for the country, you’re not going to realize that that’s a potential option for you whenever you pick up a rugby ball.”
More than £170 million of National Lottery funding has transformed grassroots rugby across the UK, including £491,000 awarded by Sport Northern Ireland to Ulster Rugbyto develop the women and girls’ game between 2023-2025. Sport Northern Ireland also awards National Lottery funding directly to clubs for kit, equipment, coaching development and facilities and so forth.
Enniskillen is just one club that has benefitted from this injection of cash, with Boles’ World Cup appearance a first-hand testament to just how important funding can be to help progress someone’s career.
From greater facilities and coaching to the belief that you have the support behind you to succeed, Small believes that Boles’ success can be a brilliant incentive for young players currently at the club to see what they can become.
“For these girls that are at Enniskillen Rugby Club, this is huge for them to see that Claire Boles has come from this small club and been able to go out there and do the business at international level,” she said.
“Yes, it’s taken hard work from her, and it’s taken talent, but it’s also taken a club at the grassroots level that’s allowed her to perform and to learn her trade.
“It’s been amazing to see her go from strength to strength and be out there playing with Ireland.”
Thanks to National Lottery players, over £6 billion of National Lottery funding has been invested into grassroots sport. More than £170 million of National Lottery funding has transformed grassroots rugby across the UK, including vital investment into the women and girls’ game and creating the infrastructure that’s now producing world-class female players.
Claire Small on her visit to Enniskillen Rugby Club (above and below)
