The Council of Donaghadee RFC are delighted to announce that John Blewitt has agreed to serve as Club President. The office of President is one which is held in the greatest of esteem within the Club and predecessors (which number only six in total over our 132 year history) include such luminaries as Jimmy Donaldson and Bill Boomer.
A native of Clonakilty, John (or JB – as he is almost universally known in rugby circles) first came to Donaldson Park in the late 1970s when he moved to Newtownards where he had taken up the position of Manager of Woolco in the recently built Ards Shopping Centre. JB immediately won a place on the 1st XV partnering Dermie Moffett in the centre and he, together with wife Dorothy and sons Darren & Paul (toddlers at the time), soon settled into all aspects of life around the Club and the town…. so much so that within a short time they moved to Donaghadee from Newtownards. JB had a long and illustrious career on-field captaining the 1st XV for a number of seasons and at the same time involving himself in the administration and most particularly, the fund-raising efforts of the Club. There comes a time, of course, when all must hang up their boots and when JB made that decision it wasn’t long before he moved into coaching enjoying no little success over many years - highlights including the Junior Cup Final defeat v Omagh as Head Coach in 1993 (in which son Darren played) and going one better in 2011 when as Assistant to Head Coach Ian Martindale the Club went one better and defeated Coleraine at Ravenhill – this time other son Paul being an integral part of the side. The name of Blewitt has been synonymous with that of Donaghadee RFC for almost forty years and it is now fitting that JB should take up high office within the Club which is, in part, recognition of the service he has given to the Club over the years. Perhaps though, more importantly, it also gives the Club a highly respected and experienced figurehead to assist us in continuing to fight back from what have been a poor number of seasons both on & off field. Significant progress has been made both by the new Rugby Coaching / Management Team over the summer months and by those addressing the financial issues – no better man then than JB to keep the new found momentum going.
Although the executive functions in the Club will be led by Stephen Quinn as Chairman and Stuart Thompson as Hon. Secretary, John’s focus will, no doubt, be the restoration of the Club both on and off the park back to the position where Donaldson Park is a not only a fiercesome place to visit as a player but also one which is the most welcoming in Ulster – once the final whistle is blown. That cannot be achieved however by one man or indeed a number of men (and women)…… it needs to be a COLLECTIVE effort! Therein lies the crux of the matter…. so….. let’s continue what we have started and get back to where we were with EVERYONE doing what they can to support all of the guys taking the lead and giving so selflessly of their time and effort!
Finally… congratulations JB and, for those very few of you who don’t know him….. you soon will!!