Byrne and O’Neill the major winners at Buccaneers awards

Ruairi Byrne and Tom O'Neill were the major winners at Buccaneers RFC’s Annual Awards event which took place in Athlone’s Sheraton Hotel.

One of the best moves that the club did last season was to coax Byrne out of premature retirement and the Athlonian put in hugely consistent performances that earned him the Buccaneers Senior Player of the Year accolade and thus become the first holder of the Ray McLoughlin Perpetual Trophy. Meanwhile east Corkonian O’Neill’s busy endeavours at livestreaming matches for many teams in the club warranted his selection as Club Person of the Year.

Incoming President Brendan Wilkins welcomed the gathering that celebrated another successful playing season. Following promotion to Division 1B of the Energia All-Ireland League, Buccs were comfortably placed all through the campaign, just missing out on promotion play-offs by a solitary point. However, a Connacht Senior League and Cup double was achieved. The reformed Thirds also completed a Connacht double while the U-20s were in the top half of the Leinster League. The Pirates underage teams captured three provincial cups and 6 Buccaneers players represented Ireland during the year with a seventh capped by Israel.

Mr Wilkins extended a warm welcome to Ms Muire McLoughlin, sister of the late great Ray (who played 41 times for Ireland and among many notable achievements toured twice with the British & Irish Lions), and family members to the event. The family were delighted to present to the club the Ray McLoughlin Perpetual Trophy that would be presented to the annual winner of the Senior Team Player of the Year. Accepting the impressive trophy from Muire on behalf of the club, Brendan gratefully acknowledged the family’s generosity that would ensure that Ray’s legacy would live on at Buccaneers. Ruairi Byrne thus became the first recipient of this coveted trophy which was presented to him by Muire McLoughlin.

Player of the Year winners

Ruairi Byrne had an outstanding season, delivering a consistency of top-quality performance across the entire campaign. He has shown great leadership through his high standards and tenacious approach to every aspect of his game.

Ross Murphy-Sweeney has had his best season to date. His performances for Buccs Junior 1 team were rewarded with a call-up to the Senior side where his performances stepped up another level and Ross was also recently selected on the Connacht Junior team.

James Downes made his return to rugby this season with the Thirds squad after a couple of years hiatus from the game. He integrated into the group in no time and is a very well-liked figure amongst the squad.

Gain Daly has excelled for the U20s not only this year but also for the past two seasons. He has stepped up into a true leader on the field where the dynamic backrower leads by example.

The awards to Ross, Gavin and James were presented by Michael Moore Junior, of Audi Athlone.

Buccaneers internationals

Seven Buccaneers players were honoured with International selection during the season. Robbie Henshaw and Finlay Bealham played with the Grand Slam Six Nations winning senior side while Harry West was a member of the U20 squad that enjoyed similar success. Patrick Egan, Sean Rohan and Niall Tallon all played for Ireland U18s, while Yishai Avrahami became the club's first Israel international player. Congratulations to Buccs “magnificent seven”.

Club Person of the Year

This season’s Club Person of the Year rocked up to the club when his sons Mathias and Nathaniel began to play rugby here some years ago. Tom O'Neill became involved and served in a number of roles before, following his retirement from teaching, he found his true niche becoming the club’s video guru.

It is not an easy task to set up, record, live-stream and indeed commentate all together at the same time. Lots of technicalities involved and, often learning on the hoof, Tom has progressed from covering Senior matches to doing games at many other levels in the club including underage games. This is time-consuming and demanding but Tom gives of his time freely and generously.

In the current online age, the streaming of games has been hugely beneficial to the club’s presence, and to team coaches.

This is primarily down to the efforts and initiatives of one man for providing such an excellent service to the club this season. Tom O'Neill was thus truly deserving of the honour of Buccaneers Club Person of the Year 2023. The presentation of the Michael Hanley Memorial Perpetual Cup was presented to Tom by Michael Hanley Junior.

*See more photos in this week's Westmeath Independent.