RUGBAÍ Chorca Dhuibhne, the most Westerly Rugby Club in Europe, has been chosen to represent Ireland in series of short video features being filmed as part of the Rugby World Cup coverage.
A 12 person crew from Partizan Production Company in London will arrive in West Kerry this week to film Senior and Junior players from the West Kerry club as they train and play a match.
The short videos, idents, will be broadcast before and after the world cup games to a global audience. Only one club from each of the 16 Rugby World Cup participating countries will be featured and the items will be broadcast all over the world.
“It’s a huge honour for Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne to have been chosen to represent Ireland – the producers for Rugby World Cup were attracted by the spirit, energy and commitment of a small club such as ours, as well as the location, the personalities and the Irish language” says Niamh Ní Bhaoill, Club PRO, who convinced the producers to come to Corca Dhuibhne.
“This is not just an honour for our club, it is a brilliant opportunity to show the millions, if not billions, of Rugby World Cup viewers, what a spectacularly beautiful place Corca Dhuibhne is.”
According to Niamh Kennedy, from production company Partizan; “The aims of the short films are to shine a light on grassroots rugby, capturing the unity, passion, humour and spirit of the game with the people on the ground level – the people that give up their evenings to train, that work tirelessly to raise money for the clubs, and bring rugby into the heart of the community. The aim is to reflect the resilience, determination, and sportsmanship that’s at the heart of the game.”
On Wednesday April 29, Partizan will film with Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne Seniors on the path above Dún Chaoin pier, as well as recording junior training and a senior match at the Club grounds on Thursday April 30.
Club President John Holstead says; “Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne are hoping that the entire community of west Kerry will embrace this opportunity to showcase our club, and our area, by coming out to support Rugbaí Chorca Dhuibhne in a friendly match on Thursday evening (April 30th) at 6pm in our grounds near Carraig church. We are also looking forward to co-operating with schools and parents so that the children of the peninsula can be involved in filming of a training session on the same day at 1pm. This is a once off, come along and enjoy it!”
Organizers of the Rugby World Cup tournament call it the 3rd largest sports event in the world with previous combined global television audiences estimated to be over 4 billion.