Italian job on the horizon at Balreask Old

RUGBY Navan and Piacenza clubs forge links

Navan to Piacenza in northern Italy is 1,983km but there are a group of people working towards bridging the distance between the two locations with sport in general and rugby in particular among the modes of connection used.

Already links have been established between Navan Rugby Club and Rugby Lions Piacenza and the likelihood is that these links could be forged even closer together in the future with perhaps games taking place between teams from each club.

Recently at Balreask Old, Rugby Lyons Piacenza RFC jerseys were presented to members of Navan RFC by a member of the the Missionary Society of St Columban, Fr Derry Healy.

The Columban Farthers based in Dalgan Park have played a vital part in helping to forge the links between the two clubs - and between Ireland and Italy.

Ger Clarke, who has just retired from his job as a Development Officer with the Columban Fathers based in Dalgan Park, outlined how the two clubs became involved in the project.

He spoke about how there is work going on to establish "a Camino-type route" between Ireland and Italy that matches the journey taken by St Columban back in the Middle Ages, what is termed the 'Turas Columbanus,' with members of the Dalgan Park community such as Fr Derry Healy closely involved in that process.

"The town of Navan is already twinned with Bobbio where St Columban is buried, and a neighbouring town is Piacenza, " he explained.

"One of the Columbans was in Italy for meetings with the international committee set up to work on organising a pilgrimage route between Ireland and Italy," added Ger Clarke a rugby fan whose son Oisin played in the colours of Navan in the past.

"When they were in the Piacenza area a local solicitor, who has connections with the local rugby club, expressed a strong interest in twinning his club with Navan RFC. "The Balreask Old club was approached and they said they would like to hear more about it and that's really the stage where we are at now."

He also outlined how Italian woman Manuela Bertoncini was a driving force in forging the connection between Irish and Italian locations and cementing the relationship between both countries in areas such as music, art, food and sport.

The President of Navan RFC, Rosemarie Meegan said anything that involved bringing communities in Europe together is to be welcomed.

"It's a great idea and we love some of our lads to take a trip over to Piacenza and experience life there on a cultural exchange," she said.

"A team from Piacenza would be welcome to Navan Rugby Club anytime as well.

"Hopefully in the future we would plan for a tour, both ways. It would benefit our club greatly.

"We are in the fledgling stages of planning. We had one Zoom meeting with our counterparts in Piacenza and it was lovely, very productive.

"There is huge goodwill on both sides, huge enthusiam for the project so hopefully when the summer comes and all is well we will be able to organise a tour," she added.