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sport · Sunday 27 September 2026 · Various 
Ennis Kilrush RFC - Women's AIB All-Ireland League 2026
At Ennis RFC Grounds · Ennis, Co. Clare
At Ennis RFC Grounds · Ennis, Co. Clare
Clare’s first women’s team in the AIB All-Ireland League kicks off its debut season in autumn 2026 - and watching them is free. Ennis Kilrush RFC earned their place the hard way, beating Enniskillen in the promotion playoff final to write a chapter that would have seemed impossible just five years ago, when no adult women’s rugby team existed in the county at all. The club formed, won the Munster Division 2 double in 2023, then took back-to-back Munster Division 1 titles in 2024 and 2025, and now they are playing in the top tier. For anyone who follows women’s sport in Ireland, or who just wants to witness something genuinely new in their county, this is a season worth catching early.
The season opener on 27 September 2026 is away - Gareth O’Hanlon’s squad travel to Tullow RFC in Carlow. The first home game at Ennis RFC grounds comes a week later, on 4 October, against Ballincollig RFC, and the campaign runs to 18 fixtures in total across the autumn and winter. AIL women’s rugby is fast, physical and competitive; these are teams that have earned their place through provincial leagues, and the standard is a step above what most Clare supporters will have seen locally. The ground on Drumbiggle Road holds up to 1,000 spectators - big enough to feel like an occasion, small enough that you are right on top of the action. Two Clare players - Lyndsay Clarke (Doora Barefield) and Saoirse Crowe (Kilrush) - have already attracted attention at Ireland Under-20 level, so there is home-grown talent to watch.
Ennis RFC sits on the Drumbiggle Road, close to the Ennis Showgrounds on the south side of town. Coming by car from Limerick, take the M18 north to junction 11 and follow signs for Ennis town centre; the drive is around 35 minutes. From Galway, the N18 south takes roughly 50 minutes. Bus Eireann runs regular services to Ennis from Limerick, Galway and Shannon Airport; Irish Rail connects Ennis to Dublin Heuston (via Limerick) and Limerick directly. Parking is available at the showgrounds area and on surrounding roads. It is a short walk from the town centre if you are arriving by bus.
Ennis is the county town of Clare, a compact and walkable place with a strong traditional music scene, a covered market, and good independent cafes and pubs. A match day makes for a natural reason to spend a few hours in the town before or after the game. There is more to see in Ennis and across Co. Clare.
Heading to Ennis RFC Grounds in Ennis? Clare has plenty more to see. Read the Ennis area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.