22 May Navan Women’s Rugby Claims ‘Outstanding Achievement’ Award
Navan RFC’s Women’s Rugby section capped off a historic period of growth and on-field dominance by capturing the Outstanding Achievement Award at the prestigious 2026 Meath Chronicle Community & Sports Awards.
The glittering ceremony, held on Thursday afternoon at the Darnley Lodge Hotel in Athboy, was hosted in partnership with Specsavers and Bective Stud. The event brought together the very best of Meath’s community leaders and sporting icons.
The award, sponsored by Aura Leisure Navan & Trim, specifically acknowledges a monumental milestone reached at Balreask Old. This season, Navan RFC became one of only a select few clubs in the entire country to successfully and competitively field three adult women’s teams in a single campaign.
This extraordinary feat of participation follows a relentless period of elite performance, which saw both the Women’s 1st and 2nd XV squads achieve stunning back-to-back league promotions within the Leinster Women’s competitive structures.
The celebratory afternoon also rightfully shone a spotlight on the off-field engines driving the club’s success. Navan RFC Women’s Teams Manager Edwina Connor was formally recognized as a shortlisted finalist in the highly competitive Sports Volunteer of the Year category.
Her nomination is a richly deserved acknowledgment of her tireless commitment and administrative leadership, which extends well beyond Balreask Old to benefit Leinster North-East and Leinster Rugby Women’s and Youth structures.
The event was officially opened by the Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr Wayne Harding, who paid an elegant tribute to the selfless volunteers who anchor local communities and the sporting heroes who bring the county so much collective joy.
Guiding the audience through the afternoon’s proceedings were Meath Chronicle Editor Gavan Becton, who oversaw the Community Awards segment, and Sports Editor Fergal Lynch, who presented the Sports Awards.
Pictured above at the event L-R: Jackie Shiels, Aoife Ryan, Jimmy Geoghegan (Meath Chronicle), Anna Bolger, Lauren Kelly, Simon Marchant, and Michelle Claffey.
Club Members & Supporters can look forward to comprehensive coverage and an extensive gallery of photographs from the event in next week’s print edition of the Meath Chronicle, hitting newsagent shelves next Tuesday evening, 26th May.