A powerful alumni-led campaign has been launched to preserve the sporting identity of one of Ireland’s most historic sporting schools as it prepares to merge into a new educational institution.
The Spirit of Garbally, initiated by past pupils of Garbally College in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, is calling for the retention of the Garbally name for all sports teams under the soon-to-open Clonfert College.
The new co-educational secondary school—formed through the amalgamation of Garbally College and Ard Scoil Mhuire—is set to open in September 2025.
The campaign also proposes that the school be officially named Clonfert College at Garbally Park, a nod to over a century of academic and sporting tradition rooted in the grounds of the historic Garbally estate.
For those in Dublin, it would be akin to Blackrock College being renamed as South Dublin College. Imagine the furore.
Heritage
For more than 100 years, Garbally College has served as a crucible of Irish sporting excellence—producing legends across rugby, hurling, Gaelic football, and athletics.
Alumni include household names such as Ciaran Fitzgerald, Michael Duignan, Noel Mannion, Ray McLoughlin, Conor Hayes, Sean Silke, and Iggy Clarke.
Their collective achievements have not only inspired generations but helped place Ballinasloe firmly on the Irish sporting map.
The Spirit of Garbally campaign argues that discarding the Garbally name would represent a break with this rich legacy—one that could disconnect future students from a sense of shared pride and purpose.
“This is not about clinging to the past,” said Ciaran Fitzgerald, former Ireland and Lions rugby captain. “It’s about protecting a legacy that still has so much to offer. Garbally gave me my start. Its name is recognised internationally. It matters.”
Beyond name preservation, the campaign sets out an inclusive, forward-looking vision for sport at Clonfert College.
It advocates for the continued use and enhancement of Garbally Park as a centre for sport for all, providing high-quality facilities and inclusive programming for boys and girls alike.
This commitment is grounded in a broader mission: to help tackle teenage drop-out from sport and to address the alarming statistic that just 12% of post-primary students in Ireland meet World Health Organisation standards for physical activity.
“Sport at Garbally has always meant more than just trophies,” said Michael Duignan, All-Ireland winner and GAA pundit. “It’s about identity, teamwork, inclusion, and resilience. That spirit needs to continue, regardless of the name above the door.”
Support
Since its launch in April 2025, the Spirit of Garbally campaign has rallied more than 600 supporters—among them athletes, journalists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Backers include RTÉ’s Darren Frehill, Channel 4 correspondent Paraic O’Brien, Connacht Rugby players Colm Reilly and Matthew Devine, and Communications expert, Jack Murray.
An online survey of alumni revealed overwhelming support for the cause: 88% of respondents backed retaining the Garbally name for sports teams in the new school.
While rooted in Garbally’s legacy, the campaign makes clear its support for the new co-educational Clonfert College and its mission to be inclusive and progressive.
It proposes a blended identity honouring the best of both schools while building something bold and new.
“This is about uniting traditions, not dividing them,” said Jack Murray. “We want a future where a girl wearing the Garbally jersey feels every bit as proud as those who wore it before her.”
The campaign has engaged constructively with the incoming Clonfert College Board of Management, offering not only ideas but also the time, expertise, and resources of a national and international alumni network. This includes support for facility development, student mentorship, and potential funding initiatives.
At its heart, the Spirit of Garbally is about preserving identity, investing in community, and ensuring that future generations continue to thrive through sport.
For the town of Ballinasloe and its new school, it’s a chance to carry forward the spirit of a place that has meant so much to so many.
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Identity is important and it is rooted in sport from when we first start to play. We do not do school and college heritage as well as they do in the United States but we can, and identity is at the heart of what this campaign is all about.
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