SQUEALS of delight rang out across schools in south Carlow on Tuesday as the Heineken Cup came to town.
Hundreds of children from Ballinabranna NS, Leighlinbridge NS and Old Leighlin NS were delighted to see, touch and feel the trophy, which has been handled by some of Ireland’s great rugby players, including our very own Seán O’Brien.
“The kids were absolutely delighted to see it. There was great excitement,” said Joe Doheny, principal of Ballinabranna NS.
Carlow Rugby Club’s community officer Wes Whitten and Pauline Keating from the IRFU brought the cup to the local schools last Tuesday.
All 160 pupils in Ballinabranna packed excitedly into the school gym to see the silverware and inundated Wes with questions.
“They were really impressed by it. They asked a lot of questions. The school was at a standstill, but for a good reason,” laughed Mr Doheny.
In Leighlinbridge and Old Leighlin National Schools, the trophy made its way from class to class as excited boys and girls waited their turn to lift the cup.
According to Leighlinbridge principal John Threadgold, there was “huge excitement” as Wes brought the cup around the 181-pupil school.
In Old Leighlin, the boys and girls were equally impressed by the cup and bombarded Wes and Pauline with rugby questions.
Thankfully, Wes is involved in the ‘Play Rugby’ programme in primary schools and is well used to handling enthusiastic, rugby-mad children.