Connacht Rugby can celebrate the opening of the new Dexcom Stadium - some 99 years since the first recorded game was played at the venue.
Much has changed since then. On the occasion of the 1936 interprovincial, Henry J Anderson presided over a Connacht side that overcame Ulster by a single point, 14-13, at the venue known for generations as the Galway Sportsground.
Although subsequently losing to Leinster 17-3, four years later Connacht made an impressive breakthrough, drawing with their Dublin opponents in Kilkenny 11-11.
According to rugby guru Ralph O’Gorman, their first home game in the official Interprovincial Championship in November 1946 was a memorable occasion; finishing in a 5-5 draw with Leinster, despite Connacht being forced to finish the game with 14 men through injury.
The history of Connacht has always been about challenges - population, distance, facilities. Not to mention the unpredictable weather. There have been more defeats than successes, and for many years Connacht could only deliver to the best of their resources.
Yet when the IRFU threatened disbandment to cut costs in 2003, the Connacht public responded. Few supporters today will have forgotten the powerful march of some 2,000 on Lansdowne Road which convinced rugby headquarters to reassess.
The change in Connacht’s fortunes was not immediate, but there was a palpable determination to survive and thrive, the European competition becoming the highlight of their season with quarter-finals in 2005/06. However, inconsistency in performance did not disappear, but reaching a semi-final in the 2003/04 European Challenge Cup delivered some much-needed cheer.
In reality, there was little change in fortunes as Connacht’s league form remained poor. Their European games provided hope - a second-place pool finish in the 2008/09 season Connacht ensured a place in the quarter-finals, only to be beaten 42–13 by a stronger Northampton Saints. More was to come the following year. After winning all six pool games in Europe with the highest points total, Connacht eventually advanced to the semi-finals, losing to French outfit Toulon by 19-12 in Galway.
Connacht’s qualification for the Heineken Cup in 2011 through the newly-formed Pro12 certainly gave the province confidence and boosted the growing fan base, but it was new coach, New Zealander Pat Lam, who changed the landscape. It took time, but in 2016, Connacht beat Leinster by 20-10 to claim the Pro12 trophy. It also gave the faithful Connacht supporters a reward for cold nights on the terraces and their forbearance.
However, the see-saw has continued. There has been Champions Cup rugby and a Pro12 quarter-final, the new high-performance centre, and an artificial pitch. But the biggest change is the newly-named Dexcom Stadium - a venue that can accommodate supporters, diners, players, and children in the 6,500 seater new Clan Stand.
“The old Clan Terrace was synonymous with Connacht Rugby and over 13 years became the home of many of our loyal supporters, with many shared memories made over that period,” says Willie Ruane.
“By naming our new stand, The Clan Stand, we want to acknowledge the history and memories that have gone before now and ensure it remains a special place for generations to come.”
No longer content to be hard-luck losers, constrained by location, facilities, and attitude, Connacht are on a journey to fulfil their potential and realise their dreams and those of their supporters.
