About Us

Portumna RFC was founded in 2002 by a group of locals who wanted to bring rugby back to a town where it had once briefly existed in the 1960s. With borrowed space from Portumna Community School (whose support has always been vital), second-hand gear, and support from volunteers, the club started with one senior team and the belief that rugby could belong here too, even in a town best known for hurling.

From Borrowed Grounds to Building a Home

For many years, the club played on a rented pitch at Castle Avenue and while it wasn’t fancy, it became a base for both youth and senior rugby. After two decades of relentless fundraising, lease discussions and agreement with Portumna Recreation and Tourism community group, grant proposals, and support from the wider Portumna community, the club opened its first official home pitch off Clonfert Avenue in January 2023 with a great celebration led by Portumna’s own John Muldoon and Anne Rabbitte (Senator).

The day was marked by a senior men’s fixture against Gort RFC, the first competitive game on home turf.

“This was a big step. It was a sign that the club wasn’t just surviving anymore, it was establishing roots.”

In 2025, construction began on Portumna RFC’s new dressing room and club building, a long-awaited facility that will serve players of all ages, host matches and events, and provide the club with a proper base. Thanks to Sports Capital Funding and community fundraising, the building is set to open for the 2025–2026 season and will include:

Dressing rooms
Showers, toilets, and storage facilities
Dedicated space for coaches and first aid

This project reflects years of planning and is being made possible through grants, club fundraising, local sponsorship, and community backing.

Where We Are and Who We Serve

Portumna RFC is based in Southeast Galway. Thanks to our unique location near the Shannon, we draw players from three provinces and over a dozen communities. From our pitch on Clonfert Avenue, we can see Munster across the bridge and Leinster is not far down the road. Because of that geography, our club naturally draws players from:

East Galway (Connacht) – Portumna, Killimor, Woodford, Gurteeny, Tynagh, Eyrecourt, Tiernascragh
North Tipperary (Munster)- Borrisokane, Lorrha, Rathcabbin, Ballingarry
South Offaly (Leinster)

This make up defines us. Week to week, our squads include players from all three provinces. It brings a bit of extra bite to interprovincial match days! We don’t try to smooth over rivalries, we enjoy them. It gives training a bit of spark and it makes us different.

Our Colours and Symbol

The Portumna RFC club’s logo carries real meaning:

Green for Connacht, our home province and playing base
Red for Munster, where many of our players and families come from
And at the centre, an acorn, symbolising growth, potential, and the long game