Portlaoise RFC unveil coaching and leadership team
Adrian Baldwin (Club Secretary), Amanda Hade (Club Vice-President), Ben Gleeson (Scrummaging Coach), Domnick Gleeson (Head Coach), Alison Holmes (Team Leader), Hugo Griffin (Club President), Niamh Griffin (Captain), Ciarán Reilly (Chair of Rugby)
The club sincerely thanks outgoing Head Coach Martin Murphy and Captain Rachel Murphy for their significant contribution in getting the Women’s team back on the pitch and finishing last season in a strong position.
Head Coach: Domnick Gleeson
Scrummaging Coach: Jason Gleeson
Line-Out Coach: Con Heavy
Club Captain: Niamh Griffin
Team Leader: Alison Holmes
Niamh Griffin brings an outstanding rugby CV to the captaincy. Having played at
AIL level with Blackrock RFC for a number of years, she returned to Portlaoise
last season and immediately made her mark as a leader on the pitch.
Most recently, Niamh represented Ireland in Canada at the Rugby League World
Series last autumn, a testament to her quality as a player at the highest level.
A natural communicator and an influential presence on the field, Niamh was instrumental in driving the team’s development last season. She comes from a proud Portlaoise RFC family. Her father, Hugo Griffin, is Club President, and her brother Kevin plays with the Senior Men’s team.
“I can’t wait for the season ahead and am honoured to captain Portlaoise. I’m excited to work with our new coaches and to continue building. Bring it on!”
Alison Holmes makes a hugely welcome return to playing after a number of years away, reigniting her passion for the game and bringing immediate leadership and experience to the pack. Alison has a long history with Portlaoise
RFC, having coached at underage level and played on the historic 2012 team that won the AIL Division 2 title and reached the AIL Division 1 Final the following year, one of the proudest moments in the club’s women’s rugby history.
“I’ve been playing rugby for over 13 years and being part of Portlaoise RFC is a real privilege. The friends and teammates I’ve made here mean everything to me. I’m thrilled to be back playing again and I can’t wait for the season ahead.
If you have even the slightest interest in rugby, just show up and give it a go — you won’t regret it.”
Domnick Gleeson arrives at Portlaoise RFC with an extensive coaching record across women’s rugby at club, university, provincial development, and youth level. He has a proven track record of developing players and creating highperformance environments where athletes thrive. Domnick has worked alongside Con Heavy and Jason Gleeson for the past two seasons, and the three bring real continuity and momentum to the Senior Women’s programme as it enters an exciting new chapter.
