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PRESIDENT’s<br />
WELCOME<br />
THank You To Our Partners for<br />
their continued support<br />
Hello everyone,<br />
I am delighted to introduce today’s<br />
matchday programme for our historic<br />
BKT United Rugby Championship<br />
fixture against DHL Stormers at<br />
Dexcom Stadium.<br />
Today is an occasion that will live long<br />
in the memory for lots of reasons. We<br />
have players potentially making their<br />
debuts, others we are saying goodbye<br />
to, we say goodbye to our beloved Clan<br />
Stand as we know it, and above all else<br />
it’s a massive game in the context of our<br />
season.<br />
Stadium Partner<br />
Official Partners<br />
Principal Partner<br />
Firstly let me say a few words on the<br />
11 players who will be leaving us in the<br />
summer. They have all made enormous<br />
contributions to the club and they<br />
should be very proud of their efforts<br />
to help our club and province go from<br />
strength to strength. They will always<br />
be welcome back to Dexcom Stadium<br />
and I hope all our fans in attendance will<br />
hang around after full-time to say a fond<br />
farewell in our usual presentation on the<br />
field.<br />
A special word of thanks has to go to<br />
Tiernan O’Halloran on the occasion<br />
of his final home game for his home<br />
province. What he has achieved in his 15<br />
years is nothing short of incredible, and<br />
we all owe him a debt of gratitude for<br />
what he has done for Connacht Rugby<br />
and rugby in Connacht.<br />
Speaking of goodbyes, today as you<br />
know is the last fixture in front of the<br />
Clan Stand as we know it. It has been<br />
the heartbeat and home of many of our<br />
season ticket holders for many years,<br />
and it will be a bittersweet moment when<br />
we all leave the stand for the final time.<br />
However, great plans are afoot, so I’d<br />
ask you not to be too despondent. The<br />
new North Stand replacing it will be a new<br />
home fitting of our aspirations in the years<br />
and decades ahead.<br />
On a personal note this is my last home<br />
fixture as President of this great club, and<br />
I can honestly say I’ve loved every minute<br />
of it. From travelling around Connacht<br />
meeting clubs and schools, to travelling<br />
around Europe and beyond with the Pro<br />
team, it’s clear to me that the future of<br />
rugby in Connacht is brighter than ever<br />
before.<br />
A huge thank you to everyone I have met<br />
along the way.<br />
Finally a welcome to our visitors the<br />
Stormers from Cape Town this afternoon.<br />
We hope you enjoy your trip to the West<br />
and we’re glad you brought the nice<br />
weather with you!<br />
Enjoy the game.<br />
Connachta Abú!<br />
Michael O’Hehir<br />
Connacht Rugby President, 2023/24<br />
Irish<br />
Official Suppliers
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