Over 1,000 set to protest

The public demonstration organised by Friends of Connacht Rugby will definitely go ahead as planned in Dublin tomorrow, despite the IRFU's postponement of the committee meeting which was due to discuss the province's future.

Over 1,000 people are expected to attend the protest, including the entire Connacht senior squad, after recent moves within the IRFU hierarchy to dissolve the province's professional set-up.

Two additional carriages have been added to the scheduled CIE train from Galway at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning, but such has been the mobilisation of support for the province that several hundred, at least, are making their way independently to the capital to make their protest.

The protesters will assemble in Lower Baggot Street at approximately 3:30 p.m. and intend marching to the IRFU headquarters in sufficient time to hand in a letter of protest to 62 Lansdowne Road at 4 p.m., followed by a public demonstration of support for Connacht rugby.

Ollie Turner, head of sport at Galway Bay FM, publicly thanked supporters from Leinster, Munster and Ulster for lending their support to the campaign, and said: "All those who want to show sympathy with Connacht are most welcome to join us."

In a further demonstration of the broad base of support now gathering behind Connacht, Lansdowne Rugby Club have offered their club house and services to supporters of the Friends of Connacht afterwards, while Old Belvedere have made their car-park available, free of charge, to anyone travelling by car who wants to join the march.

The committee meeting has been postponed, most probably to the union's next scheduled meeting on February 7th, ostensibly to allow the 22 committee members time to evaluate submissions by the Connacht Branch and the Irish Rugby Union Players' Association.

However, the concern within Connacht is that the union will not do likewise with regard to their submission for the disbandment of Connacht, thereby allowing the same time for evaluation.

"We are more than happy to comply with the union's request," said the former Connacht treasurer Shane O'Mahony, who is part of the working party putting together Connacht's submission, "but we would expect that the union would reciprocate."