Buccaneers unveil new management team

Buccaneers RFC have unveiled a strong management team for their senior squad for the coming season. Darin Claasen will be head coach assisted by Garreth Halligan and Conor Kenny with Tommy Conlon as manager.

Darin Claasen is an experienced and IRFU Stage 4 qualified rugby coach with over a decade of coaching at club, school and provincial level. He previously coached the Buccaneers senior team as both head coach and assistant coach, helping the club gain promotion from Division 1B to 1A and winning the Connacht Senior Cup and League titles. Most recently, he led the Buccs U-20s to their first-ever JP Flanagan Leinster League title.

Darin has been heavily involved in the Connacht Rugby development pathway, working with the Connacht U-18s as head coach during the 2024 summer Interprovincial Series. His coaching style is rooted in player development, mindset and building a strong team culture.

The South African has also made a significant impact promoting youth and girls rugby across Athlone through schools and club-level programmes. A classy and versatile back, Darin’s influence on the club’s playing style will be key to their development and achievements.

Garreth Halligan enjoyed many successful seasons as hooker with Buccaneers whom he joined from Skerries via Athlone IT (now TUS). He skippered the Pirates twice and was also won the club’s Senior Player of the Year accolade during a period when the Athlone side won a handful of Connacht Senior League and Cup titles.

‘Hally’ played with Wellington in New Zealand and Helderburg in South Africa as well as playing experience with Connacht Seniors and Eagles. Garreth has also held coaching roles with various Buccs youths’ squads.

Conor Kenny completes the coaching ticket. A tighthead prop who progressed from Buccaneers to Connacht and then Newcastle Falcons, Kenny was capped by Ireland U-20s. The Ferbane native will add youthful exhuberance and high-level experience to the backroom team.

Tommy Conlon has had a passionate and generous involvement since the 1980s at the club whom he captained in 1987 to a Connacht Senior League title which they retained the following season and won 1991 Senior Cup final.

Tommy proudly has the unique distinction of scoring the first ever try by any player in the then new All-Ireland League in 1990! Conlon has served as chairman of football, was elected club President in 2002 and honoured as Club Person of the Year 2017/18.

Conlon renews a managerial role that he previously had with Claasen for the first team. The Moate man can be counted on to leave no stone unturned in his quest to get the best out of this squad.

This quartet, with Paul Connellan as chairman of football, have a collective wealth of experience and skills and Buccaneers RFC wishes them well for the coming season.