Athy Rugby Club faces uncertain future due to insurance problems

140-year-old Co Kildare club says it is under ‘serious threat’ due to two claims

The 140-year-old Athy Rugby Club is facing an uncertain future as it struggles to find an insurance provider, it has confirmed.

The Co Kildare club, which has produced top level players including Ireland international Joey Carbery, has said it was now under "serious threat".

This week the executive committee informed club members that it was having trouble securing public liability insurance due to two claims, one historic and one pending.

“We are working with multiple brokers who have trawled the market on our behalf but, so far, all insurers have declined to quote,” it said in a letter to its members on Wednesday.

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On Tuesday a club delegation met with Michael D'Arcy, Minister of State with responsibility for insurance to seek a solution, organised by Kildare South TD Martin Haydon.

“Both men have promised to do what they can to help but have emphasised that there may not be much they can do in the short term,” the letter stated.

In a subsequent statement, the club said it “has been part of the fabric of life in Athy for 140 years. Generations of players and members have worked hard to build a community and a legacy of which we are justifiably proud.”

Mark Hilliard

Mark Hilliard

Mark Hilliard is a reporter with The Irish Times