History of Boyne, Drogheda & Delvin Rugby Clubs

Boyne R.F.C. was founded 1997. Up until then Drogheda had two rugby clubs; Delvin Rugby Football Club situated on the towns southside at Bryanstown, whilst Drogheda Rugby Football Club was situated on the northside of the town at Shamrock Lodge on the Ballymakenny Road.

Delvin RFC was originally based at Mosney on the site of the Butlins Holiday Camp before moving north to the outskirts of Drogheda.

Both Delvin and Drogheda clubs had phenomenal success in youth rugby from the late ’80’s and featured regularly in the Leinster Branch provincial winner’s enclosure in what was truly a golden era of youth rugby. Both clubs had proud pasts and the need for one club in the town of Drogheda began to strengthen in the mid ’90’s when the professional era of Rugby Union was dawning. Whilst both clubs were producing title winning teams at youth level their adult playing bases were diminishing. The success of their youth sides meant that many of these players moved on to the senior environment and enhanced their careers with further Representative honours.

Talks began between the two clubs in April 1997, when delegations from both met to discuss amalgamation. Several previous attempts had ended in failure, however, this time there was to be no hic-cups and the outcome ended in both clubs holding special meetings to effectively disband and form a new club, which would later be named Boyne RFC.

Boyne Rugby Football Club came into being at the start of the 1997/98 season when they played their first match as a club against Skerries RFC at Bryanstown. Boyne first played in Division 1 of the Leinster League, in the 1997/98 season, against Kilkenny R.F.C. at Shamrock Lodge in its first competitive match.