• The Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) Future Stars of Rugby Awards include candidates from counties Louth, Meath, Down, Armagh, Cavan and parts of Dublin

Ray McCabe, event organiser, said:

“We run a Blitz Day, tiered off into Divisions, for boys and girls and another Blitz Day, for development players. The teams are selected and play each other on the appointed day. From that, the coaches pick out 45 players, three in each position. Three players in each position move forward to be nominated for one of the 15 awards. On the night of the Awards, instead of a Cup or a medal, we hand the 15 winners a Future Star jersey they can wear around their local town or village.”

Back in 2016, DKIT wanted to spotlight the fact that the college had developed a state-of-the-art High-Performance Centre that was flying under the radar. During the Six Nations, the Leinster squad travelled up to DKIT to take advantage of the wonderful facilities.

Ray McCabe, event organiser, stated:

“It is a proper High-Performance facility, located just off the DKIT campus. The problem was that no one knew about it. We came up with the idea to bring these rugby-playing kids onto the campus to show them all about college life. We have numerous courses available. We have rugby scholarships. It is also about 50% cheaper than going to Dublin. It is all designed to keep the North East players playing in the area. That was our overall goal for it.”

Part of the voting process was an online system where people could go to vote for their favourite player in each position, for both boys and girls.

Ray McCabe event organiser, noted:

“In the beginning, it was slow enough to catch on. However, we have completely bypassed Gaelic football and soccer, which have a similar system. This year, our system crashed due to the huge numbers voting online, albeit people could vote as many times as they wanted. This will be limited next year.”

There are many reasons for the expanding interest, one of which is the explosion in the Girls’ game in the North East. There have been two boys selected for the Leinster U-19 Programme. Eleven players, representing seven clubs, are still in the Leinster Youths selection process. Two girls from the North East were selected for the Ireland U-18 squad, both of whom were injured prior to the Six Nations. There are three North East girls on the Leinster U-16 Sevens squad and seven representatives on the Leinster Summer Programme. In addition, on the playing field, many of the North East squad that competed in the Shane Horgan (U-16) Cup have progressed to the Leinster Summer Programme.

Ray McCabe event organiser, added:

“The trick is how to keep it going.”

Leinster Rugby and DKIT have partnered to place McCabe, a Community Rugby Officer, in the complementary role as DKIT’s Development Rugby Officer. It provides that all-important rugby link between his involvement with the North East and his day-to-day presence at DKIT.

On the evening, Aitzol Arenzana-King — currently a winger in the Leinster Academy — joined fellow former North East players Alma Atagamen and Emma Brogan — themselves current Ireland Age Grade internationals — to present the awards.

Ray McCabe event organiser, added:

“It was a nice segue for the award winners to see how boys and girls could follow a different Pathway to play for Leinster and even Ireland. The voting system is split 50-50 between those made online and those made by a voting panel of five committee members, four others and me. The success of the Awards is built on the groundwork being done in the schools and the clubs. Without them, we would not have the numbers of boys and girls that make this such a competitive process. Up to three years ago, we would have struggled to come up with 45 players to be nominated in the girl’s category. This year, for example, the number of players and the standard of the individuals is on a completely different level.”

The Future Stars Awards are just one way of promoting the possibilities for players to secure scholarships towards education and a High-Performance facility to assist in the pursuit of personal rugby development.

2025 DUNDALK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FUTURE STARS OF RUGBY AWARDS

BOYS WINNERS

BEN MULVANEY – Prop – Ardgillan CC & Balbriggan RFC

DAMIEN LYNCH – Hooker – De La Salle, Dundalk & Dundalk RFC

ANTHONY UKAGWU – Prop – St Mary’s Diocesan School & Boyne RFC

MATTHEW HORKAN – Second row- Drogheda Grammar – Boyne RFC

RUAIRI O’NEILL – Second row – St Oliver’s CC & Boyne RFC

ANDREW McGOVERN – Flanker – O’Carolan College & Navan RFC

LUKE KENNEDY – Flanker – St Patrick’s, Navan & Navan RFC

BEN O’HARE – Number eight – St Mary’s, Dundalk & Carlingford RFC

MARK DONOHOE – Scrum-half – De La Salle, Dundalk & Dundalk RFC

MAHON HALL – Out-half – St Mary’s Diocesan School & Boyne RFC

CORMAC NUGENT – Wing – St Patrick’s, Navan & N/A

DARRAGH McFADDEN – Centre – Ardgillan CC & Balbriggan RFC

HARLEY FAGAN-HAROLD – Centre – Ardgillan CC & Balbriggan RFC

ANDREW McARDLE – Wing – Bush Post Primary – Dundalk RFC

HARRY WATERS – Full-back – Ratoath College & Ratoath/Navan.

GIRLS WINNERS

LILY BYRNE – Prop – Skerries CC & Skerries/Balbriggan

AVA McKEOWN – Hooker – Ardee CS & Dundalk RFC

ERIN ROE – Prop – St Vincent’s, Dundalk & Dundalk RFC

TYLO CONNOWAY – Second row – Ardee CS & Ardee RFC

CHLOE BOYLE – Second row – Bush Post Primary & Carlingford RFC

BREANNA McARDLE – Flanker – St Joseph’s Crossmaglen & Dundalk RFC

KATIE ANN BOBBETT – Flanker – Ashbourne CS & Ashbourne RFC

MAEVE O’DWYER – Number eight – Eureka & Virginia RFC

AOIBHINN REILLY – scrum-half – Bush Post Primary & Dundalk RFC

SOPHIE MALONE – Out-half – Dundalk Grammar & Dundalk RFC

LISA STULBERGA – Wing – Ardgillan CC & N/A

MOLLY WHATELY – Centre – St Vincent’s, Dundalk & Dundalk RFC

KATE O’MOLLOY – Centre – Dundalk Grammar & Dundalk RFC

KATIE McDONALD – Wing – Bush Post Primary & Dundalk RFC

MOLLY EGAN – Full-back – St Joseph’s Mercy, Navan & Navan RFC