Dungarvan Rugby Club’s storied past will be centre stage at a special celebration in the Park Hotel, Dungarvan, as former players gather to recall a golden era for the club in the late 1970s and 1980s.

Far from being a specialist rugby outfit, Dungarvan’s strength lay in its blend of multi-sport talent.Many of the club’s standout performers came from GAA strongholds such as Clashmore, Kilmac, the Brickeys, Ballinacourty and Ring, switching from hurling and football in summer to rugby under lights in winter.

That depth allowed the club to consistently field strong first, second and third teams.

The early 1980s brought a surge in momentum following the opening of a new pavilion in 1981. Dungarvan reached the semi-final of the prestigious Munster Junior Cup, a remarkable feat for a small country club taking on established sides from Cork and Limerick.

Silverware soon followed, including Garryowen Cups in 1986 and 1987, Mansara Cups in 1984 and 1985, and the Cashel Sevens title in 1980, alongside multiple Bally Randle and South Munster Cup successes for the seconds and thirds.

Behind the honours list were serious training blocks under Sean Hogan and later Pat Morrissey, and a cast of unforgettable characters such as the late Sean Cronin and the quick-witted Snail Power.

As past players return to mark the occasion, they do so in the hope that Dungarvan Rugby’s next great chapter is only beginning.