Irish Celebration Night
The Boston Bolts are excited to announce that the club will host a special “Irish Celebration Night” in recognition of the profound impact Boston’s Irish community has had on the team’s past, present and future. The Boston Bolts irish Celebration Night will be held on Saturday, June 11th during the club’s USL League Two game against Vermont Green FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00pm at the UMass - Mount Ida Stadium Field in Newton, MA.
The Boston Bolts are honored that our USL League Two team is the highest level soccer team in Boston. USL League Two is the leader in pre-professional soccer in North America and holds a vital role nationally as it provides the elite platform for those pursuing professional careers both domestically and internationally. The Boston Bolts are a proven pathway for players to progress to the ranks of professional soccer, with over 11 former players being drafted by the MLS. The Bolts are proud to consistently offer players from Ireland the opportunity to play in the league and showcase their abilities for all to see.
This season, the Boston Bolts will welcome Rian O’Sullivan, Jack Casey and Sean Bohan to the team. For more information on each of these Irish players, please read their player bios below.
The Boston Bolts Irish Celebration Night is completely free for all who attend and will also include appearances by Boston Bolts alumni who will join fans in the festivities throughout the game. Alumni appearances include several Ireland natives who have been integral to the organization on and off the field through the years, including CEO Brian Ainscough and Boston Regional Director Steven Conway.
Additional Boston Bolts Irish Celebration Night highlights:
An hour long free soccer clinic for kids directly prior to the game
Kids representing the Irish community will play on the field at halftime
Kids can experience walking out with the starting lineups for the opening ceremonies and the national anthem
The Irish Cultural Centre will receive in-game recognition prior to each half
Boston Bolts in-game recognition programs such as our Hero of the Game, Local Business Honoree and MVP in the Classroom will all recognize members within the Irish community
The Irish Cultural Centre will be included in postgame video recaps highlighting the game, which will be promoted on Boston Bolts USL2 social channels
Postgame festivities at a local Irish establishment
“We’re really excited about the Irish Celebration Night!” said Boston Bolts CEO Brian Ainscough. “The club has a huge Irish community, I myself am a Dub and we have coaches and families from all parts of Ireland who have had such a positive impact within our club. Hopefully we will see many of them on June 11th as we celebrate our amazing Irish community in Boston!”
If you have a kid who is interested in participating in the pregame soccer clinic or one of the in-game entertainment opportunities available, click here to register ahead of time.
Additionally, if someone in your life inspires others and makes our community a better place, please nominate them for one of our Hero of the Game, Local Business Honoree or MVP in the Classroom recognition programs. Click here to learn more about each program and nominate someone in your life.
Rian O'Sullivan
Currently living in Camp, a rural village in West Kerry, Rian is in his final year in college at the University College Cork. He first bagan his footballing career with the Tralee Dynamos, before representing County Kerry at various underage levels and captaining the county at the Kennedy Cup Tournament. Rian has represented the Republic of Ireland at various levels from under 15 through under 19 respectively. Rian signed a professional contract at Brighton and Hove Albion, where he spent 3 years. During his time in the UK he spent loan periods with Worthing FC and Carshalton Athletic. Rian currently plays for UCC and plans on developing a path back into the professional game once he graduates.
Jack Casey
Raised in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Jack attended Scoil Mhuire, Newbridge and Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge while growing up. He began his footballing career with Newbridge Town Football Club before moving on to Stella Maris Football Club, Crumlin Utd Football Club and Bohemian Football Club. Jack is a left back who won an NAIA National Title with Keiser University this past season.
Sean Bohan
Born and raised in Santry, Dublin, Sean attended the Gaelscoil Colmcille and Gaelcholáiste Reachrann schools growing up. Sean has played for Bohemian Football Club and Malahide United in addition to the Dublin Minor Footballers throughout his footballing career. Sean has made 6 appearances in the UEFA Youth League in his Under 19 year with Irish top division side Bohemians Football Club. Sean has represented the Irish National Team at the Under 16 to Under 19 levels as a Goalkeeper.