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Séamus Farrelly reflects on 15 years of using rugby to serve children with special needs in East Anglia and beyond, culminating in a Vatican visit that celebrated inclusion, faith and international friendship.
Over the past 15 years, I have been blessed to see how a simple love of rugby can become a powerful force for good, service and faith. During this time, I set up a regional branch of the Wooden Spoon Children’s Charity in East Anglia, through which we raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for special needs projects across the region. Supporting children and young people with additional needs has always been at the heart of this work.
Through my involvement with special needs youngsters, I was privileged to support a special needs rugby team in Ireland, the Barnhall Buffaloes, based in County Kildare. The spirit, joy and determination shown by the players quickly captured my heart, and I became determined to create opportunities that would recognise their dignity and celebrate their abilities.
On several occasions, I arranged visits to Rome with the Vatican so that members of the team could attend papal audiences. These trips were made with our sadly missed friend Francisco and were generously supported by the Italian Rugby Museum in Artena, just outside Rome. The museum also helped us organise inclusive tag rugby matches with teams from Napoli, moments of friendship and joy that none of us will ever forget.
This January marked another special milestone. I wrote to the Vatican to ask whether I might bring the founder and president of the Italian Rugby Museum, along with four of their volunteers, to a papal audience. Permission was kindly granted for 14 January 2026.
We went to the Vatican that morning and attended the audience, an experience filled with warmth and generosity. I had the great privilege of a personal conversation with Pope Leo, during which I presented him with shirts from the Barnhall Buffaloes and from the Italian Rugby Museum. They were offered as small but heartfelt symbols of inclusion, solidarity and the shared values that unite faith and sport.
The journey, however, was not without its difficulties. Before arriving in Rome, I suffered a fall and injured my left arm. There was not enough time to attend hospital that day, but the following morning I was examined and discovered that I had fractured my left radius. It was duly plastered, and I carried on with a renewed sense of gratitude for all that had already been achieved.
Looking back, I am deeply thankful for the many people who have supported this work over the years. These experiences have shown me how sport can break down barriers, build community and reflect the Gospel message of inclusion and care for those most in need. It is a journey that began here in East Anglia but continues to reach far beyond, reminding us all of what can be achieved when faith, compassion and perseverance come together.
Picture courtesy of Vatican Media.
