A Great Day of Golf, Rugby Friends and Giving Back
There are few things better than a day spent with good friends, great rugby people and a shared commitment to giving something back to those who have given so much to the game.
That spirit was alive and well on Thursday 20th August as the Ulster rugby community came together at Lisburn Golf Club for the annual IRFU Charitable Trust Ulster Charity Golf Outing. With the sun breaking through the clouds, the clubhouse was buzzing well before the 12.30pm shotgun start. Old friends were reunited, new friendships were made and the all-important pre-golf breakfast baps were enjoyed before the competition got underway.
And what a competition it was! Scores were incredibly close, with the teams finishing second to sixth all recording the same number of points. In the end, McConnell Property claimed the Team Prize, kindly sponsored by Millar McCall Wylie, by the narrowest of margins – just one point! Macaulay Ritchie’s team finished second, sponsored by Lisburn Golf Club, with Mark Orr’s team taking third, sponsored by Intersport Elverys. Congratulations also to Yvonne Clark, winner of the ladies’ Best Drive, and Ulster Rugby star Jack Murphy, son of special guest Ritchie Murphy, who claimed the men’s Best Drive. The Nearest the Pin prizes, supported by 1Putt, went to Scott McVeagh on the front nine and Alan Patterson on the back nine. The only prize that escaped everyone was the Hole-in-One competition on the 18th, kindly supported by Donnelly Group, with a BYD car up for grabs. There is always next year!
Congratulations to all our winners and, in particular, to McConnell Property, who will go forward to represent Ulster in the IRFU Charitable Trust 2027 ‘Irish Rugby 150th Golf Cup’, which will take place at Lisburn Golf Club on Thursday 9th September.
More Than Just a Day of Golf
While the golf is always a huge part of the appeal, the Ulster Charity Golf Outing is about so much more. It is a chance for the rugby community to come together, have fun, catch up with friends and, most importantly, support the work of the IRFU Charitable Trust. A huge thank you to Lisburn Golf Club for once again hosting this special event. The excellent facilities, outstanding clubhouse, superb staff and, of course, stunning golf course provided the perfect setting for a fantastic day. Following their rounds, golfers enjoyed a complimentary Guinness or lager before sitting down to a delicious three-course meal.
Philip Gregg courageously stepped in for Tommy Bowe, who was unfortunately unable to attend this year due to work commitments, and welcomed everyone while highlighting the reason we were all gathered – to support people who have given far more to the game of rugby than most. There were plenty of laughs throughout the evening, with regulars including Ballynahinch RFC, CP Plant Hire, Motis Shipping, NK Fencing and The Shanky Hookers among those finding themselves on the receiving end of a few well-aimed jokes!
IRFU Charitable Trust Chair John Callaghan followed Philip with special words about the Trust and, in particular, the incredible support the Trust continues to receive from the Ulster rugby community. That support is what makes events such as this so important. Every team entered, every tee sponsored, every prize donated and every contribution made helps the Trust continue its work supporting people and families whose lives have been profoundly affected through rugby.
An Evening of Great Stories
The evening continued with two fascinating Q&As. Jan Cunningham hosted an engaging conversation with special guest Niamh Marley, whose sporting journey began with Armagh GAA before she made the move into rugby with Dungannon RFC – a long-term FRIEND of the Trust – and Ulster Rugby.
Philip Gregg then put special guests and Ulster Rugby coaches Richie Murphy and Clarke Dermody in the spotlight, providing guests with a revealing insight into the role of Joe Schmidt as he joins Ulster Rugby for the season ahead.
A huge thank you to Niamh, Clarke and Richie for giving their time and supporting the Trust; it is greatly appreciated, and judging by the reaction in the room, so did everyone in attendance!
Our very special guest for the night was seriously injured player Jamie Graham who spoke about his life-changing accident on a rugby pitch, how innocuous it was and how, through the support of the rugby community and in particular the Trust, he regained his love for the game. Please take the time to listen to Jamie’s story along with his wife Natalie and their two kids by clicking here.
Plenty of Prizes – and Plenty More Fun
Following the prize presentations, Niamh Marley and Philip Gregg took charge of the always-popular raffle, with more than 20 prizes finding new homes. Prizes included fourballs at Belvoir Park, Kirkistown, Scrabo, Shandon Park and Spa, as well as a fantastic luxury hamper donated by Corries on the day. All the prizes, including the super Goody Bags kindly supported by Andrew Davis, Eurospar, are listed on the table card shown on this page.
The table card also includes the list of Tee Sponsors – and this year we were delighted to see the number of sponsors increase by more than 33% on last year. Most significantly, that growth was driven by the incredible support of Ulster Rugby clubs, with 31 clubs supporting the event. That is a phenomenal demonstration of what the Ulster rugby community can achieve when it comes together.
The final element of the evening was the Silent Auction, which saw plenty of enthusiastic bidding for five fantastic lots, including generous support from The Sandymount Hotel, Royal Portrush Golf Club and long term supporters – Ulster Rugby.
Thank You, Ulster
A huge thank you to everyone who made the day such a success – everyone who entered a team, sponsored a tee, donated a prize, bid in the auction, bought a raffle ticket or simply came along to enjoy the day. Your support genuinely makes a difference. Without the ongoing generosity of the rugby community, the IRFU Charitable Trust could not continue to care for those who have given so much to our game. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks once again to Lisburn Golf Club, and in particular Glenn, for their wonderful hospitality. Special thanks go to our fantastic Ulster Trust team, led by the dynamic duo of Jan Cunningham and Philip Gregg, and brilliantly supported by Paula Stewart, George Nelson, Stephen Elliot and John Wilson, alongside Brid Berkeley, Linda Black and Marc Sheridan. And last but certainly not least – a big thank you to seriously injured player Andrew Kelly from eightyfive90 for the fantastic photographs and video capturing the event, all of which can be seen on this page.
Thank you to the Ulster rugby community.
Your enthusiasm, generosity, friendship and commitment make this such a special event. It is a great day of golf, but it is also a great day to be part of the rugby family, enjoying fun, laughter, friendship and the knowledge that together you are helping to give something back to those who have given so much to rugby.
See You in 2027!
The Ulster Charity Golf Outing returns to Lisburn Golf Club on Thursday 9th September 2027, coinciding with the IRFU Charitable Trust ‘Irish Rugby 150th Golf Cup’.
We look forward to welcoming our regular supporters once again and would love to see even more members of the Ulster rugby community get involved and support this very worthy cause.
To book your four-ball for next year, or if you are interested in sponsorship, please contact Linda at linda.black@irfu.ie.
