RSD hosted their “sister” school for the final leg of their International Tour which involved rugby, basketball and choir on Friday 4th October. RSD was the final destination for all three groups where the links between the school were emphasised. The schools have a long joint history with Dilworth School being founded in 1894 by James Dilworth and opened in 1906. James Dilworth was born in 1815, and grew up with his cousin “Aunt” Anne in the townland of Mullaghcreevy, just outside the village of Donaghmore about 3 miles from Dungannon where it is believed that he attended primary school, passing the Donaghmore Cross each day on his way to school. His education continued at RSD before he emigrated from Ireland in the late 1830s arriving in Auckland in July 1841 having spent two years in Sydney, Australia.

The 30 members of the Dilworth award winning Fortissimo choir travelled to Austria first, followed by England and Northern Ireland. They sang with the Vienna Boys’ Choir and performed in historic cathedrals. Then, in London, they experienced a workshop with Welsh composer Paul Mealor – who famously composed the music for the Coronation of King Charles. They also experienced an Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral before their final stop in RSD where they performed in St Anne’s Church in front of the whole school. Including a two pieces when they combined with the RSD senior choir. The joint choir sang “The peace of God” which the RSD choir had sung at Prize Day and a traditional piece from New Zealand, “Nei Rā Te Kaupapa (Tōku Reo)”.

The first stop for the 26 senior Dilworth Rugby Development Pathway students was in Los Angeles with a few days seeing the sights before visiting the LA Professional Rugby Teams Academy. The next stop is the UK, where they will go to London first before heading South to play Millfield School in the South West of England. The rugby team will see more of Ireland as they travel to Dublin to play Blackrock College. Massive tour highlights will be visiting the High-Performance Sports Academy in LA, Twickenham, the home of rugby, Anfield FC in Liverpool, and the High-Performance Rugby Academy in Dublin. The last stop was RSD where they played the 1st XV on the Armstrong Field.

The 15 Dilworth basketballers also started in Los Angeles, the ‘home’ of basketball where the students got invaluable experience through live game opportunities in and around LA, which formed a large part of their tour. Over ten days in and around the city, they played in tournaments, games, and matches, and, along with the students on the rugby tour, they will also visit the LA High-Performance Sports Academy.

They then travelled to London to see the sights before playing some games in the UK before finishing in Dungannon where they played an exhibition game against St Patrick’s Academy.

“The Dilworth Choir were truly impeccable to work with, you could almost assume they were professionals. Not only did they learn our piece of music “The peace of God” incredibly quickly, but they also personalised it so flawlessly, showcasing their talent and musicality.” (Emma Gilmore, Year 13)

“Being asked to captain the 1st XV rugby team against Dilworth School was an honour. The game and build up with the pipes & drums and the guard of honour was an amazing spectacle as well as providing a massive boost for the RSD team. The haka was an incredible thing to be able to witness first hand as it had a unique blend of awe and intimidation.” (Josh Ferguson, Year 14, 1st XV Captain)

“Having had the opportunity to pipe the rugby teams out for the 1st XV match against Dilworth School I something I am very proud to have done as it was a momentous game for RSD. Walking though the guard of honour consisting of both RSD and Dilworth pupils, there was a great sense of togetherness and sportsmanship. Amongst the crowd, tension was building as the highly anticipated game was about to begin, which made the occasion all the more special for me. I was truly honoured to be one of the pipers on the day.” (Victoria Sharkey, Year 13)

“The link between RSD and Dilworth is a long lived bond which has sparked rivalry and comradery throughout history. Last week I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to play in this monumental match. The day started with the Dilworth team arriving early that morning. We could see they were big and we were given the opportunity to bond and chat over lunch. Seeing the size and passion they had, filled me with excitement as I knew what a big game it would be. We walked onto the pitch side by side led by pipers and drummers through the guard of honour with the pitch sides packed with spectators eager for the match to begin. The atmosphere was electric. We lined up shoulder to shoulder as a team, anxious to face what was to come. The crowd went silent and the piercing screech of the haka leader bellowed out filling the pitch. Tensions rose as the Haka proceeded. After the Haka, I was fired up, ready to give my best against one the biggest matches of my rugby career. The game began and excitement was at an all-time high as both teams gave it their all. The nerves quickly went away as we challenged for every ball and ruck and gradually made ground. Although they got a few tries on us we never dropped our heads but instead we dove right back in giving it our all. This led to a try by James McNutt where we erupted in excitement and surprise. Although we didn’t win, we persevered and channeled our fear leaving everything on the pitch. The day concluded with a post-match meal and gathering of both teams, staff and past tutors. Gifts were presented, the choir performed and pleasantries were exchanged. This will go down as one of the most memorable days of school for me and the team.” (Reuben Hampton, Year 14)

“It was truly an honour to be able to perform with the Dilworth choir. Their professionalism and talent was absolutely mind-blowing and their repertoire is very versatile.” (Panna Csonka, Year 13)

“The choir was so good; it was amazing how all the different parts joined together and it was so cool they were all able to be in sync. The rugby match was very good how all the players and spectators were so supportive and kind to their team. The haka was amazing how they were so in sync and how all the Dilworth boys knew it. It was a pleasure to watch everything.” (Rachel Sloan, Year 8)

“The haka was so cool to watch and I was delighted to be able to see a live performance. The choir sounded incredible and it was amazing the way they were able to sing about their culture. The rugby match was fun to watch as I have never watched a rugby match before.” (Amber Robinson, Year 8)

“My experience of singing with the Dilworth Fortissimo choir will undoubtedly be a key moment I will remember from my RSD experience in the years to come. The Fortissimo choir radiated both professionalism and etiquette while blessing us with their melody harmonies and emotive pieces.” (Hannah Spence, Year 14)