Future is bright again after putting tough times behind them

The club’s very existence illustrates the deep bond that exists within the rugby community

BGF Ravens are on their second lease of life. Ballymun, Glasnevin and Finglas Ravens RFC was originally founded in 1958 as Unidare RFC but in 2014, the club changed its name to the BGF Ravens. Finglas was their first home in the 1950s as they were founded out of the now-defunct Unidare factory.

During their early years they didn’t have their own grounds and were reliant on the generosity of Fr Shields who gave the club the use of a playing field and dressing-rooms in Blackrock College on the far side of the city.

From 1958 to 1977, they didn’t compete in the Leinster leagues but instead applied their trade in the Business Houses Cup while filling out the rest of the playing seasons with friendly matches to keep the club active, prominent and alive.

Those first 20 years or so were a tough battle between not having a home of their own and trying to attract players to keep the club going.

All clubs have periods in their history that stand to them and it was in those early years that the club became resilient and started to make a proud history.

In 1977 a new competition, the Junior Business Houses league, was brought on stream.

This coincided with the club being allocated grounds in the Unidare Industrial Estate of Jamestown Road in Finglas and suddenly, things were starting to come together for them.

The club also proved to be pro-active during this time and they fur- ther developed their grounds in Finglas by adding dressing-rooms and training lights as they looked to set some foundations for the future.

There was also success on the field which always helps when others are working hard off the field.

They won the Junior Business Houses league for the first time in the 1980/81 season and this was a major milestone for the club.

They continued to play in the league right throughout the 1980s and remained competitive throughout the decade.

The 1990s brought some unwanted problems. They lost their playing grounds when Unidare PLC sold land for development and they were without a home again.

In typical rugby community fashion, the club weren’t long without facilities to ensure they could stay playing.

Suttonians and Malahide RFC were to the fore in offering the club training and match facilities.

Catchment

In 2005 they made a move back into their own catchment area. The club saw this as vital for their growth and sustainability and in order to encourage players from the area to join the club.

They entered an agreement with Dublin City University to rent training and match facilities and this was to begin a new chapter in their history as they returned home.

The agreement served the club well for the seven seasons they stayed there before moving to their current home in Mount Temple in 2013.

The following year, the club renamed to BGF Ravens and set about making themselves a new identity.

The minis section of the club also came on stream and they now provide rugby for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 12.

This has been a big asset to the area as they now look to plan for the future and the next generations of rugby stars in the Ballymun, Glasnevin and Finglas.

The minis train on Sundays at 10.30am in Greenfield Park Community club and they are hoping to field an U-8, U-10 and U-12 team this year for boys and girls.

This is also the year they celebrate their 60th birthday.

It may have seemed a long way off back in their early days but they are holding a big celebration on November 3 in the Crowne Plaza hotel. Tickets are available from the club.

Player turnover has been quite high in recent years but the club just narrowly missed out on promotion last season and it was encouraging for the club to be in contention coming into the final stretch of the season.

They also reached the final of the Dr Kieran Foley Cup before coming up just short against Stillorgan 11-9 after their opponents kicked a late penalty.

This season sees them play in

The minis section also came on stream and they now provide rugby for boys and girls between 6 and 12