By Paul O’Donovan
Mullingar Rugby Club held a Gala Dinner last Saturday night in Mullingar Park Hotel that coincided with the launch of Mullingar RFC’s bid to host a team for the Rugby World Cup in 2023.
Over 400 people attended the Gala Dinner and were treated to a Question and Answer session provided by the guests for the night – Irish Rugby player Sean O’Brien, Irish Rugby Coach Joe Schmidt and Irish Times Rugby correspondent, Gerry Thornley, with Rob Hartnett acting as a very efficient MC for the night.
During their speeches, Rob Hartnett and Gerry Thornley explained that “Ireland is bidding to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and we will find out before Christmas, possibly on November 15, whether we have been successful or not as a country. The World Cup can generate €1.2bn for a country hosting the World Cup. But if we do win the bid, then we have to be very quick. Other towns will be in for a slice of the large cake and compete against us to also host teams.
Large numbers of people would be expected to stay in the town of Mullingar.
So all businesses and companies will be interested in hosting a team here in Mullingar. Mullingar will not be hosting any of the World Cup matches, but what better place for one of the competing teams, its supporters and media to come to. So as a town, we will have to be on our toes. Ireland has already hosted a brilliant Women’s Rugby World Cup here over the past few weeks, so now we can do it with the men.”
Irish rugby coach Joe Schmidt was also full of praise for Mullingar RFC and the town of Mullingar and its facilities. Joe said, “Mullingar has got one of the best rugby pitches in the country to train on, a full size top class artificial pitch, and the town has a great sporting heritage and great sporting friends.
“If Mullingar are looking to host a team, it is best to get a team based in and around Dublin. If Mullingar can get their act together, then they should be very close to the criteria that would be required to host a World Cup team here, but you have to sell the package – that is important. The hotel here, the Mullingar Park Hotel, was excellent for us when the Irish team stayed and trained here in Mullingar. Everything was spot on, but there will be other towns competing to host teams as well,” said Joe.
Following a wonderful meal supplied by the staff of the Park Hotel, there was an auction of top class items such as a Mullingar RFC jersey, signed by Joe Schmidt, Sean O’Brien, Gerry Thornley and Rob Harnett, as well as 2 Category 1 tickets for Ireland’s Six Nations matches against Wales, Scotland and Italy.
Also auctioned off on the evening was a midweek stay for four people in the Diamond Coast Hotel, Enniscrone, as well as two All-Ireland football final tickets for Mayo v Dublin, and also vouchers from fourteen Mullingar businesses. The large crowd then danced the night away to some great music provided by the live band.. so let’s hope that Ireland wins the Rugby World Cup bid for 2023 and that Mullingar can play a significant role in that World Cup by hosting one of the teams here in Mullingar.
The future of rugby in Ireland and here in Mullngar is very bright.
