About Railway Union RFC
Railway Union RFC is one of Dublin’s most historic and respected rugby clubs. Based at Park Avenue in Sandymount, Dublin 4, the club is part of the wider Railway Union Sports Club, which caters for multiple sports within the local community.
The club fields competitive men’s and women’s teams across the All-Ireland League and Leinster competitions and has a proud tradition of developing players who progress to higher levels of the game. Many current and former players have gone on to provincial and national representation, with some also becoming Olympians, a testament to the club’s strong player development pathway and high-performance culture.
The Challenge
Captains Day is a key social and fundraising event in the Railway Union RFC calendar. The event took place on Saturday, February 28, bringing members and supporters together to celebrate the club and mark an important leadership transition – thanking outgoing captain Niamh Byrne and welcoming incoming captain Ciaran Heatley.
The evening featured a raffle with highly sought-after Ireland vs. Wales Six Nations tickets, making it a central part of the event.
Traditionally, the club ran this raffle in person on the night – a well-supported initiative, but one limited to those in attendance and reliant on manual processes.
The committee wanted to explore ways to:
- Increase total fundraising revenue
- Extend ticket sales beyond the event itself
- Reduce manual administration and cash handling
- Maintain the energy and excitement of a live draw
However, launching an online draw for the first time can feel daunting. With limited volunteer time and no prior experience running digital raffles, the club needed both a simple platform and hands-on support.
The Solution: Launching Their First Online Draw with Clubforce
Working alongside Clubforce, Railway Union RFC set up and ran their Captains Day draw online through the Clubforce Club Shop for the first time.
The key shift? Selling raffle tickets online before the event.
By opening ticket sales in advance, the club:
- Extended their fundraising window
- Reached supporters who couldn’t attend on the night
- Reduced pressure on volunteers during the event
- Created momentum and anticipation ahead of Captains Day
With guided support throughout the setup process, the club was able to confidently launch, promote and manage the draw without adding extra workload.
On the night itself, the live draw was seamlessly integrated into the event, with club treasurer Grant Hourigan acting as MC, helping build excitement and keep the evening running smoothly. Combining digital ticket sales with the traditional in-person atmosphere members love.
As Shirley Corcoran, Chair of Railway Union RFC, shared:
“We simply wouldn’t have had the time or know-how to launch it without your guidance. Clubforce made the process straightforward, and we now have the confidence and skills to run these regularly ourselves. The results speak for themselves – we doubled our usual in-person draw income with minimal additional time and effort.”
The Results
🎯 2x Increase in Draw Revenue
By enabling online ticket sales before and during Captains Day, Railway Union RFC doubled their typical in-person raffle income – a significant uplift for a single club event.
⏳ Minimal Additional Volunteer Time
With the platform handling ticket processing, tracking and reporting, volunteers avoided the admin traditionally associated with selling physical raffle tickets. The process was streamlined, efficient and easy to manage.
🌍 Broader Supporter Reach
Supporters who couldn’t attend the event in person were still able to participate and contribute. This broadened the fundraising base beyond the clubhouse walls – even as far as Florida.
🎉 Enhanced Event Atmosphere
Rather than replacing the traditional draw, the online element enhanced it. The live draw on the night created a fantastic atmosphere, with excitement building around both online and in-person entries.
Shirley reflected:
“The live draw on the night also created a fantastic atmosphere. With so many moving parts, we couldn’t have delivered it all”
Why It Worked
1. Extended Sales Window
Opening ticket sales in advance gave the club more time to promote and generate interest, significantly increasing participation.
2. Simplicity and Support
Hands-on guidance removed barriers and built confidence within the committee to run digital fundraising initiatives.
3. Blended Online + In-Person Experience
The online draw didn’t replace tradition – it enhanced it, strengthening both revenue and engagement.
4. A Repeatable Model
Most importantly, the club now has the confidence and know-how to run online draws regularly.
As Shirley confirmed:
“Thanks again for helping make the first run such a success. This will now become a regular fixture for the club.”
Looking Ahead
Following the success of their first online draw, Railway Union RFC is now exploring further digital development opportunities to continue strengthening their fundraising and member engagement efforts.
What started as a first-time trial has quickly become a proven, sustainable fundraising model – one that combines community atmosphere with modern efficiency.
Conclusion
Railway Union RFC’s Captains Day online draw demonstrates how clubs can:
- Significantly increase fundraising revenue
- Reduce volunteer workload
- Expand their supporter reach
- Modernise fundraising without losing tradition
By simply extending ticket sales online ahead of their event, the club doubled income and created a repeatable model for future success.
Ready to run your first online draw? Book a demo with our team today.
