Sport
Sport and physical activity are central to life at TUS. We firmly believe that active membership in a sporting club has a positive and enhancing
effect on students, affording you opportunities to represent the University nationally and, in some instances, to represent the University and Ireland in overseas competitions. However, you do not need to aspire to such lofty sporting achievements. There are great opportunities at all our campuses to try out lots of sports and physical activities. As well as benefiting from a little relaxation and fun, who knows what latent talents will be discovered in the process!
Students are actively encouraged to become involved in sporting and cultural activities, laying the foundations for all kinds of interesting, diverse, and exciting opportunities which contribute
to creating an enriched and dynamic student life. Therefore, the participation of students in sport is seen to be a very important part of the student experience, which enhances the student’s personal as well as social development.
Involvement in sport complements academic life, bringing countless benefits and helps to forge lifelong friendships. Joining a sports or cultural club means that an immediate social scene is available to new students, making settling into student life all the easier and more enjoyable.
Last year, TUS teams and individuals achieved success in a wide variety of codes and competitions. Such sporting success is built upon the excellent indoor and outdoor facilities as well as the established coaching/team management system, which is implemented by full-time sport and recreation officers, with the assistance of part-time coaching staff and the students’ sports representative.
The variety of sports available ensures most interests are catered for bujt pleae note that not all sports will be avaiable on each of the TUS Campuses:
Go Karting Rugby
Hurling Camogie
Gaelic Football Boxing
Handball Soccer
Outdoor Pursuits Athletics
Basketball Volleyball
Badminton Tag Rugby
Futsal Equestrian
Golf Archery
Rowing Yoga
Aerobics Judo
Surfing Pool
Kickboxing Olympic Weightlifting
Power Lifting Cricket
We are always open to adding new sports to what we provide. If any student has a new sport that they would like to initiate at TUS or if a sport/club listed
above is not active on your TUS Campus then they can contact their individual campus sports department for further details on how to create that club.
- GAA CLUB
TUS GAA Club is a thriving, sporting hub for all students regardless of playing ability and experience level. We aim to cater for each student’s needs, with particular emphasis on Freshers and International Students as a means of assisting their integration into college life. Our GAA Club offers playing opportunities in competitive and recreational/social environments. Whether your desire is to win an All-Ireland, develop your current skills, meet new friends or try a new sport to stay active – TUS will welcome you with open arms. We have existing members in all TUS campus locations – Athlone, Ennis, Clare Street, Clonmel, Moylish and Thurles.
Our GAA Club consists of Camogie, Gaelic Football, Handball, Hurling and Ladies Football. Every academic year, our competitive teams play in a League during Semester 1 – usually commencing in late September and finishing prior to Christmas exams. Semester 2 signifies the start of the Higher Education GAA Championships in each of the respective codes, typically with a playing window of January to March. Our Handball athletes have a series of competitions running nationally and internationally throughout the year also.
In the 2022/23 Academic Year, we intend to offer a social environment for beginners and/or returning players to try out and enjoy Gaelic
Games. The manner of these activities will be small-sided and on a casual “show-up” basis for those wishing to participate. We look forward to welcoming newcomers and International students who may never have witnessed GAA in the flesh, and held a hurley or kicked a size 5!
The GAA Club also boasts various scholarships and bursaries which our students are invited to apply. These are awarded across all codes of Gaelic Games, and range from entry (bronze) to elite (gold) award packages. We believe sport plays a huge a role in a student’s personal and professional development, and commit to aiding them balance the academic, sporting & social elements of their lives.
- RUGBY CLUB
The Rugby Club caters for both male and female participants in terms of both competitive and social opportunities. With multiple male and female sides, the Club caters for every Rugby player grade from beginner to AIL players. Included on our campuses are Men’s U20’s, Men’s Senior, Men’s 2nd XV, Ladies’ Senior XV and various 7’s and Tag Rugby teams. Our Rugby Club aims to provide all students with an opportunity to participate, while also catering for all levels and abilities.
The Rugby Club will continue to develop Tag Rugby and Touch Rugby for the 2021/2022 academic year which will allow students to develop their Skills in a Non-Contact Game.
- BASKETBALL CLUB
The Basketball Club is a club going from strength to strength. We have teams registered in Division 1 and Division 3 men’s leagues for college basketball; and a team in the Division 2 and 3 for the Ladies league in college basketball. The Limerick campus also competed locally with a men’s team registered in the North Munster Area Board men’s league and the Athlone campus compete in the Midland club league playing against teams from Athlone to Donegal.
TUS have also partnered with Limerick Sport Eagles and Limerick Sport Huskies to provide a partway for students to play Men’s National League Division 1, Men’s Under 20 National League, as
part of the Limerick Sport Eagles basketball club and Ladies National League Division 1, as part of the Limerick Sport Huskies basketball club.
TUS also participates in the Victory Scholar program with the Sport Changes Life organisation. These scholars attended TUS on both the Limerick and Athlone Campuses in recent years with various students from the USA on the program.
The basketball clubs cater for all levels be it National League, Colleges, Local League. Our Technological University also organises participation events such as one-day 3×3 and 5×5 participation tournaments designed to create an introduction to basketball for students who want to play socially or want to try something new before joining our basketball clubs.
- SOCCER CLUB
Our Soccer Club caters for all students throughout all years of college and boasts some of the highest participation figures in the TU. We cater for all ability levels, across all of our campuses with a multitude of teams in every division from Premier down to Division 4 in Men’s Soccer. Women’s soccer is also developing at a fast rate. We enter futsal teams in both male and female competitions. The standard of soccer in the TU is high with numerous players from both men’s and ladies’ teams playing with League of Ireland teams while also having League of Ireland coaches involved in coaching college teams. The soccer club offers regular Futsal & 5 a-side participation tournaments for people who just want to get out for a kickabout with mates as well as offering loads of coaching opportunities to both experienced and beginner coaches alike. No matter what your level or goals, the Soccer Club is the place for you.
- ATHLETICS
TUS Athletes compete in IUAA intervarsity competitions throughout the academic year while a number of our athletes undertake their coaching qualifications in their events to develop their event specific knowledge and skills. Facilities for Athletics are at a high standard on or near many of our campus locations. The Midlands Campus has both Indoor and Outdoor IAAF approved tracks on the campus grounds. TUS students often avail of the opportunity to compete in the AIT International Indoor Grand Prix each year on the Athlone campus in an event that is on the IAAF World Tour and goes out Live on TV each year. This event regularly ranks in the top 15 such events worldwide.
- VOLLEYBALL
TUS had men’s and women’s volleyball teams competing in the Student Sport Ireland leagues. The women’s team from our Athlone campus won the Tier 2 Cup final, beating Dundalk IT.
- BOXING CLUB
Our TU Boxing Club caters for all students. The club also caters for competitive fighters, recreational student athletes and students just wishing to improve their fitness and try something different. For students wishing to fight competitively there are many opportunities to do so from various colleges around the country who host fight nights to the IATBA intervarsity’s. TUS Midlands Campus scholarship student Gabriel Dossen won a European Senior Championship Gold medal in June 2022.
- SPORTS FACILITIES – ATHLONE
TUS International Arena boasts an array of options for health-conscious students, beginners and elite athletes alike. This facility includes a fully approved IAAF Indoor Athletics Stadium, student fitness gym, elite training gym, spinning studio, fitness studio, high performance testing room, two cryotherapy units and a movement mechanics sports science studio. Outdoor facilities provide for most sports including an eight-lane IAAF-approved outdoor athletics track which also features a full-size international dimension soccer pitch in the infield area (floodlit), a fully FIFA approved artificial soccer pitch, sand based multi-sport grass training field, full size GAA pitch and a 2km floodlit cross country trail.
The TUS Athlone sports gym has a dedicated team of qualified instructors who will provide you with excellent guidance, advice and comprehensive fitness programmes to match your fitness level, from complete beginners to elite athletes. Students can avail of discounted membership rates or can use the facilities on a pay as you go basis. A wide array of fitness
classes are offered in our state of the art studios.
For Bookings or Enquiries contact:
Email: AITGYM@ait.ie
Tel: 090-6471803
- SPORTS FACILITIES – LIMERICK & TIPPERARY
TUS has an impressive range of sports facilities for students, including three full size pitches and an all- weather playing pitch, as well as a fully equipped gym and indoor sports hall Moylish campus.
While development of sports facilities is on-going at the Tipperary campuses in Thurles and Clonmel, students have access to a wide range of sports facilities in both towns. In recent times, Thurles campus has developed a purpose built €3.7m, state of the art strength and conditioning building, known as the ‘SportsLab’. Among the facilities available in the 2,000 sq. metre facility are a 45m, six lane sprint track specially designed to improve speed; a Paralympic area; cable machines; a range of sport technology systems, including micro electro mechanical systems and GPS systems; Olympic lifting platforms; five functional screening kits; weights and the full range of exercise machines. It is one of the finest facilities available in the country and is designed to support our Sports Strength and Conditioning programmes. Many local club and inter-county teams have also availed of the superb facilities in the SportsLab.
For Bookings or Enquiries contact:
Email: Bookings@lit.ie
Tel: 061-293134
- SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS
TUS’s commitment to sport is underlined by our Sport Scholarship Scheme which allows students who are at the forefront of their chosen sport to apply for a range of supports which includes use of our sports facilities, physical therapy, one on one strength and conditioning coaching, functional screening assessments, cookery demonstrations, academic support, nutritional advice, lifestyle management, accommodation, financial support and sports psychology. In 2021, TUS, across all campuses, awarded near 200 Scholarships; The scholarships are not aimed solely at elite players, but are open to some individuals that take part in coaching and administrative roles in clubs across the college.
Sports scholarship recipients must adhere to the TU’s sports scholarship regulations, a copy of which must be signed by those offered the scholarship from the Sports Department at the annual scholarship induction.
Further information on Sports Scholarships is available from the
TUS Sports Offices or visit the websites where an application form can be downloaded.
Athlone Sports Department:
Tel: + 353 (0)90 6468022
Limerick Sports Department:
Tel: + 353 (0)61 293134
- ELITE SPORTSPERSON ENTRY SCHEME
TUS has in place, for all its undergraduate degree courses, an academic entrance scheme for elite sportspersons. A number of places will be reserved for outstanding candidates who have reached a very high standard of sporting achievement, through performance or coaching, and who are committed to further developing their sporting and academic careers.
Applicants must satisfy the minimum entry requirements for level 7 and/or level 8 degrees at the TU. In addition, applicants must have reached a specified sports standard to be eligible for this very competitive scheme, and selection of successful candidates will be based on a range of criteria including sporting achievements. Further details of the Elite Entry Scheme are directly available from Admissions Offices.