Rugby union in Ireland

For rugby league, see rugby league in Ireland.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Rugby union in Ireland" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Rugby union in Ireland

Ulster  (white) vs. Leinster (blue) in the 2012 Heineken Cup Final.

Country| Ireland
Governing body| Irish Rugby Football Union
National team(s)| Ireland
First played| 1869, Dublin
Registered players| 90,209[1]
Clubs| 56 clubs affiliated to the Ulster Branch
71 clubs affiliated to the Leinster Branch
59 clubs affiliated to the Munster Branch
23 clubs affiliated to the Connacht Branch.

National competitions

Rugby World Cup
Six Nations
Rugby World Cup Sevens

Club competitions

United Rugby Championship
European Rugby Champions Cup
EPCR Challenge Cup
All-Ireland League

Rugby union is a popular team sport on the island of Ireland, organised on an all-Ireland basis, including players and teams from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Its governing body, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), was founded in 1875,[2] making it the third oldest rugby union in the world after the RFU (England) and the SRU (Scotland), which were both founded in 1871.

The Ireland national team is currently first in the World Rugby Rankings (as of October 2024),[3] and has won the Six Nations Championship (and its predecessor competitions) fifteen times, most recently in 2024, including four Grand Slams, the most recent being in 2023.[4] Ireland has appeared at every men's Rugby World Cup but never advanced beyond the quarter-final.

Ireland has four professional teams, organised by the four provincial unions that make up the IRFU, Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht, who compete in the United Rugby Championship (URC), the European Rugby Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup. Munster are the most recent Irish team to win the URC in 2022–23, while Leinster are the most successful side historically. Irish provinces have had considerable success in European competitions, with seven European Rugby Champions Cups (4 Leinster, 2 Munster and 1 Ulster) and one Challenge Cup win (Leinster).

At the local level, fifty club sides compete in the five divisions of the All-Ireland League, of which Cork Constitution are the current champions.

The Ireland women's rugby union team compete in the Women's Six Nations, WXV and the women's Rugby World Cup, while women's teams from Ireland compete in the IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series and the cross-border Celtic Challenge competition with sides from Scotland and Wales.[5]

## Governing body

[edit]

Main article: Irish Rugby Football Union

The Irish Rugby Football union was formed in 1879, after the merger of the Irish Football Union, which controlled rugby in Leinster, Munster and parts of Ulster, and the Northern Football Union of Ireland, which controlled in the game in the Belfast area.[6] As part of this amalgamation, the IRFU established three provincial branches to run the game in Leinster, Munster and Ulster;[7] a fourth branch was founded for Connacht in 1885.[8] The IRFU was a founding member of the International Rugby Board (now called World Rugby) in 1986. Despite the partition of Ireland in 1921, the IRFU continues to run the game on an all-island basis.

## International rugby

[edit]

Main article: Ireland national rugby union team

The Ireland national team represents the whole Island of Ireland, selecting players from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Its first international match was a 7-0 defeat by England in 1875.[9]

Since 1995 the Ireland national team has been fully professional.[10] They play their home games at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship, the four-yearly Rugby World Cup, and various mid-year and autumn international matches.

The national team has won several Triple Crowns and three Grand Slams and is able to play at a competitive level with the world's rugby giants, having beaten all including New Zealand in the last five years.[11]

### Development teams

[edit]

As with all top-tier rugby nations, and many lower-tier countries, Ireland field an "A" national side, a second-level national selection primarily intended to develop younger talent for possible future duty on the senior national team. Since February 2010, the IRFU have rebranded the A side as Ireland Wolfhounds. The Wolfhounds generally play "A" teams of the other major European powers and senior sides of lower-tier nations. Ireland also field an occasional development team, Emerging Ireland, used to try out promising young players. The Ireland national under-20 rugby union team competes in the annual Six Nations Under 20s Championship and World Rugby U20 Championship tournaments. The Ireland national schoolboy rugby union team competes in the Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship.

IQ Rugby (formerly the Irish Exiles) is a development programme to identify potential Ireland players from the Irish diaspora.

### Ireland Sevens

[edit]

The Ireland national rugby sevens team competes in the World Rugby Sevens Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens and at the Summer Olympics. Unlike the national team, sevens players are not selected from the provincial teams, although some go on to play for the provincial teams. Their highest ever finish in the SVNS is second 2023–24 SVNS league. They have made the semifinals of the Rugby World Cup Sevens twice, once in 1993 and in 2022, coming in third place in the latter. Their highest finish at the Summer Olympics is 6th at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

### Ireland Women

[edit]

The Irish Women's Rugby Football Union (IWRFU) was founded in 1991, and the Ireland women's national rugby union team made their international debut in 1993. The IWRFU became affiliated to the IRFU in 2001, and was incorporated into the IRFU in 2008. The Ireland women's team have competed in the Women's Rugby World Cup since its second edition in 1994, and the Women's Six Nations Championship (and its predecessor competitions) since 1996. Ireland hosted the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup, and lost to Wales 17–27 in the eighth place play off.

## Provincial rugby

[edit]

The four branches of the IRFU each organise a provincial team: Leinster, based at the RDS Arena in Dublin; Munster, based at Thomond Park in Limerick; Ulster, based at Ravenhill in Belfast; and Connacht, based at the Sportsgrounds in Galway. In the amateur era, they were representative teams, selected from the best club players in the province, and competed in the annual IRFU Interprovincial Championship, as well as playing against international touring teams. After rugby union was declared open to professionalism in 1995, they were developed into professional teams.[12]

Today, they compete in the United Rugby Championship (URC) alongside teams from Scotland, Wales, Italy and South Africa,[13] and the European Rugby Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, which also include teams from France and England.[14] All four provinces have been champions of the URC (or its predecessor competitions), Leinster eight times, most recently in 2021; Munster four times, most recently in 2023; Ulster once in 2006; and Connacht once in 2016. Leinster have won the Champions Cup four times, most recently in 2018; Munster twice, most recently in 2008; and Ulster once in 1999. Leinster have won the Challenge Cup once, in 2012.

To encourage the development of Irish talent, the provinces are allowed only three non-Irish-qualified players in their squads.[15] Each province has an academy programme to develop young players from local schools and clubs to professional level.[16] Regular internationals are signed on central contracts to the IRFU, meaning that they, and not the provinces, control when the players play and when they rest.[17]

Each province also has a women's team which competes in the annual IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series.[18] Irish women's teams compete in the Celtic Challenge tournament alongside teams from Scotland and Wales. In the first year, 2023, Ireland entered a Combined Provinces team. In the 2024 tournament, they entered two teams, the Wolfhounds, a combined Ulster-Leinster team, and the Clovers, a combined Munster-Connacht team.[19]

## Club rugby

[edit]

Main article: All-Ireland League (rugby union)

Since 1990, the top club sides in Ireland have competed in the All-Ireland League. It originally featured nineteen clubs in two divisions,[20] and currently has fifty clubs in five divisions, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 2C, with promotion and relegation between them.[21] The bottom team in Division 2C is relegated to their province's Junior League. Playoffs are held between the winners of the four provincial Junior Leagues to decide who will replace them.[22] The Bateman Cup is played for annually by the winners of the provincial Senior Cups.[23] The Women's All-Ireland League was founded in 1992[24] has one division containing nine clubs.[25] The provincial branches each organise a pyramid of league and cup competitions for both men's and women's teams.[26][27][28][29]

## Schools rugby

[edit]

Each province has a senior schools' tournament: the Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cup; the Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup; the Ulster Schools' Cup; and the Connacht Schools Rugby Senior Cup; and an under-15 tournament: the Leinster Schools Junior Cup; the Munster Schools Junior Cup; the Ulster Medallion Shield; and the Connacht Schools Junior Cup.

## Demographics

[edit]

### Playing numbers

[edit]

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (October 2018)

|

Outside Donnybrook Stadium in Dublin

The last report on the number of players playing rugby union conducted by World Rugby in 2019 showed 79,000 registered players (i.e. those registered with clubs, including the 21,000 adult players) and an overall total of 196,000, incorporating women’ players, schools, sevens etc.[30]

### Stadiums and attendance

[edit]

The professional era and the advent of the competitions now known as United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup have seen rugby union become a major spectator sport in Ireland. European Cup games are generally well supported in all the provinces, with sellouts the norm and massive crowds in Dublin's Lansdowne Road for quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Ulster, Munster and Leinster have all won the Heineken Cup. In the past Ulster led the then-Celtic League attendances for 3 years in the row and Connacht, Munster and Leinster's crowds have grown year on year and with the later two setting new world records for province/club attendance.

Munster extensively renovated and expanded their traditional home of Thomond Park in a project that was completed in 2008. The Royal Dublin Society expanded their RDS Arena in the same time period, which prompted Leinster to make it their primary home while they were planning to expand their own traditional ground at Donnybrook. After the Donnybrook plans fell through, Leinster chose to remain at the RDS and in 2023 Leinster embarked on renovation plans to increase the capacity of the arena.[31] Connacht completed ground expansion and renovation works in time for the 2011/2012 season with the construction of the Clan Terrace. And in 2014, Ulster completed the complete reconstruction of Ravenhill Stadium into a modern 18,000 capacity stadium. Munster are currently in the process of construing a new stand at their secondary home of Musgrave Park.

Before the opening of Aviva Stadium, Ireland international games sold out against all but the weakest opposition, and with the team playing at Croke Park during the reconstruction of Lansdowne Road, attendances regularly topped 80,000. However, the Aviva saw disappointing attendance during its first Tests in 2010, with no match selling out; media reports indicated that this was largely due to an IRFU ticketing strategy that made little sense in an uncertain economy. More recent Tests have seen crowds much closer to capacity, including sellouts or near-sellouts for all of Ireland's Six Nations home fixtures.

## History

[edit]

### Early years

[edit]

Rugby clubs started to appear in Ireland in the mid-19th century. Dublin University Football Club was in existence by 1855, giving it a strong claim to being the world's oldest extant football club of any code.[32] Other early clubs still in existence include Wanderers (founded 1869), Queen's University (1869), Lansdowne (1873), Dungannon (1873) and University College Cork (1874). Ballinasloe, founded in 1875, merged with Athlone in 1994 to form Buccaneers;[33] North of Ireland, founded in 1868, merged with Collegians in 1999 to form Belfast Harlequins.[34]

The Irish Football Union was founded to govern the game in Leinster, Munster and parts of Ulster in December 1874. The Northern Football Union of Ireland was founded in January 1875, and controlled the game in the Belfast area The two unions amalgamated to form the IRFU in 1879,[35] but not before the first interprovincial match, between Ulster and Leinster,[36] and Ireland's first international match against England, both in 1875.[37] Ireland played their home games at Lansdowne Road in Dublin from 1878. The earliest competitions include the Ulster Schools' Cup, first held in 1876,[38] and the Dublin Hospitals Rugby Cup, first held in 1881.[39]

### The amateur era

[edit]

#### Club rugby

[edit]

The Leinster Challenge Cup, later known as the Leinster Senior Cup, was first played in 1882, won by Dublin University.[40] Senior Cup competitions followed in the other provinces: the Ulster Senior Cup was first won by North of Ireland in 1885;[41] the Munster Senior Cup was first won by Bandon in 1886;[42] and the Connacht Senior Cup was first won by Galway Town in 1896.[43] Ulster was the first province to establish a provincial league, the Ulster Senior League, first won by Queen's in 1891.[44] The Munster Senior League followed, first won by Garryowen in 1903; the Connacht Senior League was first won by Galwegians in 1926; the Leinster Senior League was not founded until 1971, and was first won by St. Mary's College in 1972. The All-Ireland League, featuring clubs from all four provinces, was founded in 1990, and was first won by Cork Constitution.

#### Provincial rugby

[edit]

The IRFU Interprovincial Championship, between the provincial representative teams of Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht, was first played in 1946, with Ulster being the first champions.

#### International rugby

[edit]

The Home Nations Championship, ancestor of today's Six Nations Championship, was first played in 1883, between the Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales national teams.[45] It became the Five Nations Championship in 1910 with the addition of France. Ireland first won the competition in 1926, jointly with Scotland. Their first outright win, and Grand Slam, came in 1948.

The Rugby World Cup was first held in 1987; Ireland were knocked out by Australia in the quarter-finals. In the 1991 Rugby World Cup, they again went out to Australia in the quarter-finals. In the final World Cup of the amateur era in 1995 they were knocked out in the quarter-finals once more, this time by France.

Ireland's most capped players of the amateur era include North of Ireland centre Mike Gibson (69), Ballymena lock Willie John McBride (63), Blackrock flanker Fergus Slattery (61), Dungannon lock Paddy Johns (59), and Old Wesley prop Philip Orr (58). Dublin University centre Brendan Mullin is Ireland's top try scorer of the amateur era with 17; Dolphin centre Michael Kiernan is top points scorer with 308.

### The professional era

[edit]

On 26 August 1995, rugby union was declared open to professionalism by the International Rugby Board. The IRFU had been opposed to this, and rugby in Ireland was poorly prepared for professionalism. Amid fears that Irish players could be signed up by English clubs,[46] they began by offering contracts to international players.[47]

#### Provincial rugby

[edit]

The Heineken Cup, now known as the European Rugby Champions Cup, was launched the same year.[48] Ireland was given three places, and rather than enter clubs, the IRFU entered three of the four provincial teams, Munster, Ulster and Leinster.[49] This led to the development of the provincial sides as professional teams, starting with match fees,[50] and later contracts for provincial players.[51] Ulster won the competition in 1999. Munster have won it twice, in 2006 and 2008, and Leinster four times, in 2009, 2011, 2012 (defeating Ulster), and 2018. In addition, Leinster won the European Challenge Cup in 2013 after having parachuted in from that season's Heineken Cup.

The Celtic League, featuring all four Irish provinces alongside teams from Scotland and Wales, was launched in 2001.[52] The IRFU Interprovincial Championship was discontinued. The League expanded to a 22-match schedule in 2003,[53] and for the first time the Irish provinces could operate as full-time professional teams, with players only rarely able to play for their clubs.[54] The competition was renamed the Pro12 in 2011 with the addition of two teams from Italy; the Pro14 in 2017 with the addition of two teams from South Africa; and the United Rugby Championship in 2021 with the incorporation of four South African teams. Irish provinces have won the competition fourteen times in 24 seasons, and all four provinces have won it at least once. Leinster won the league in 2002, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2018–19, 2019–20 and 2020–21; Munster won in 2003, 2009, 2011 and 2023; Ulster won it in 2006; and Connacht won it in 2016.[55]

#### International rugby

[edit]

The Five Nations became the Six Nations Championship in 2000 with the addition of Italy. Ireland's first win of the professional era came with a Grand Slam in 2009. They won it again in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2023 (the last two also being Grand Slams), and 2024. They went out in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1999 (to Argentina); 2003 (to France); at the group stage in 2007; and in the quarter-finals in 2011 (to Wales), 2015 (to Argentina), and 2019 (to New Zealand). After a victorious tour of New Zealand in 2022, Ireland went into the 2023 Rugby World Cup as one of the favourites, but went out in the quarter-finals to eventual runners-up New Zealand.

The old Lansdowne Road stadium was demolished in 2007, and the new Aviva Stadium, built on the same site, opened in 2010. In the meantime, home internationals were played at the Gaelic Athletic Association's stadium, Croke Park.

Ireland's most-capped players of the professional era include Leinster centre Brian O'Driscoll (133), Leinster prop Cian Healy (129), Munster out-half Ronan O'Gara (128), Ulster hooker Rory Best (123) and Leinster out-half Johnny Sexton (118). O'Driscoll is Ireland's record try scorer with 46; Sexton is their leading points scorer with 1108.

## Irish society and politics

[edit]

Ireland rugby provinces Irish President and Taoiseach Éamon de Valera played rugby at Blackrock & Rockwell colleges

Although rugby has traditionally been associated with the more anglophile elements of Irish society, it has not been without its following in the nationalist and republican communities. For example, the longest serving taoiseach, Éamon de Valera was a former player, and lifetime fan of the game. At the age of sixteen, De Valera won a scholarship to Blackrock College, County Dublin. It was at Blackrock College that de Valera began playing rugby. Later during his tenure at Rockwell College, he joined the school's rugby team where he played fullback on the first team, which reached the final of the Munster Senior Cup. De Valera was a close friend of the Ryan brothers at Rockwell who played on Ireland's Triple Crown-winning team in 1899. De Valera remained a lifelong devotee of rugby, attending numerous international matches up to and towards the end of his life despite near blindness.

Other notable politicians, from very different backgrounds, who have played rugby for Ireland include Tyrone Howe (a former Unionist Party councillor), Trevor Ringland (a Unionist Parliamentary candidate) and Dick Spring (former Tánaiste and Labour Party TD).

Nowadays, rugby is played by both nationalists and unionists. Historically, it tended to be popular with different social groups in different parts of Ireland, although generally speaking it is regarded as a middle-class sport in Ireland and further afield. In Limerick city, it is enjoyed across the social spectrum, while in Leinster and Cork City it remains very much a middle-class game. Rugby traditionally is not as prevalent in Connacht, although it is less defined there by social class. In Northern Ireland it is traditionally played in mainly-middle-class Protestant grammar schools. The changing climate in Northern Ireland politics has altered this perceived tradition with the introduction of rugby into an increasing number of Roman Catholic grammar and secondary schools which were previously exclusively associated with Gaelic games.

### Rugby and the GAA

[edit]

Croke Park hosting a match between Ireland and England

During the late 19th century, in response to the perceived encroachment of English sports, including rugby, Irish nationalist Michael Cusack set up the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).[56] Rule 42 of the GAA's Official Guide prohibited the playing of non-Gaelic games in GAA stadiums, including rugby until it was lifted in 2007.[57] However, the rule was relaxed while Lansdowne Road was being redeveloped, and rugby was played in Croke Park[58] including a match between Leinster and Munster that broke the club rugby attendance record; see List of non-Gaelic games played in Croke Park for exceptions to this rule.

The first game to take place under the relaxed Rule 42 took place on 11 February 2007. It was a Six Nations Championship rugby match between Ireland and France which Ireland lost 17–20.[59] The following match against England generated some controversy, since it involved the playing of God Save the Queen at a ground where British soldiers had killed fourteen spectators on Bloody Sunday, 1920.[60][61] There was a small protest by Republican Sinn Féin outside the ground which included a man holding a sign saying No to foreign games while ironically wearing a Celtic FC tracksuit.[62][63][64]

A Heineken Cup semi-final was played in Croke Park on 2 May 2009, when Leinster defeated Munster 25–6. The attendance of 82,208 set a new world record attendance for a club rugby union game.[65] Leinster broke this record at Croke Park again in 2024, drawing a capacity 82,300 crowd for an Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Northampton Saints.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2023/2024 Annual Report" (PDF). 22 August 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
2. ^ "Team History Archieve". IRFU. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
3. ^ "Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
4. ^ "Six Nations Winners: Who Has Won the Most Six Nations?". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
5. ^ Barnes, David (21 December 2022). "Celtic Challenge to provide high-performance opportunities ahead of TikTok Six Nations". The Offside Line. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
6. ^ Collins, Tony (2018). The Oval World: A global history of rugby. Bloomsbury Sport. p. 122\. ISBN 9781408843727.
7. ^ "History of the Irish Rugby Football Union". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
8. ^ "Connacht Rugby". Galway Advertiser. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
9. ^ "Irish International Teams: Results, Scorers, Dates and Venues – 1874 to June 1999". Irishrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
10. ^ "It's 20 years today since rugby turned professional and it's now a different beast". The 42. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
11. ^ "Statsguru / Team analysis / Ireland / Test matches (filters: Matches won, from 23 June 2004 to 23 June 2009)". Scrum.com. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
12. ^ "How The Irish Provinces Moulded History With Modernity To Leave The Welsh Regions Trailing So Far Behind", Dai Sport, 21 January 2019
13. ^ Clubs, United Rugby Championship, retrieved30 SEptember 2023
14. ^ Clubs, EPCRugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
15. ^ "John Cooney: Ulster coach Dan McFarland has not discussed Scotland switch with scrum-half", BBC Sport, 29 January 2023
16. ^ Dylan Jones-Evans, "What the WRU could learn from the Irish Rugby Football Union business model", Business Live, 24 February 2023
17. ^ Liam Heagney, "The players left on Irish Rugby's 'central contract' hit list after deal struck for James Ryan", Rugby Pass, 5 February 2020
18. ^ "2023 Women’s Rugby Interprovincial Matches: A Game-Changing Season Preview", Sports News Ireland, 7 August 2023
19. ^ "Clovers And Wolfhounds Squads Announced For Celtic Challenge", Irish Rugby, 20 December 2023
20. ^ Irish Times. (1990). New League structure is exciting challenge, 17 September, Sport, page A6
21. ^ "Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Divisions – 2022/23 Ups And Downs", Irish Rugby, 8 May 2023
22. ^ Colm Kinsella, "Competition details confirmed for 2022/2023 All-Ireland League season", Limerick Leader, 19 July 2022
23. ^ "Energia Bateman Cup", Irish Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
24. ^ Previous Winners, Irish Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
25. ^ League Tables, Irish Rugby, 30 September 2023
26. ^ Domestic Competition Listing, Ulster Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
27. ^ Club Competitions, Leinster Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
28. ^ Domestic Fixtures and Tables, Munster Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
29. ^ Competition Listing, Connacht Rugby, 30 September 2023
30. ^ "Gerry Thornley: The strength of Irish rugby is a minor miracle given how few play it". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
31. ^ Scully, Michael (28 February 2023). "RDS Arena development plans to ramp up as Leinster say budget in place". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
32. ^ Rugby: A New Zealand History Archived 24 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine by Ron Palenski, Auckland University Press (2015) – ISBN 978-1869408367
33. ^ History of the IRFU, Rugby Football History, accessed 1 October 2023
34. ^ "Collegians History". collegiansclub.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
35. ^ Collins, Tony (2018). The Oval World: A global history of rugby. Bloomsbury Sport. p. 122\. ISBN 9781408843727.
36. ^ Peter, Richard (1999). The Origins and Development of Football in Ireland. Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation. p. 6\. ISBN 0-901905-93-3.
37. ^ "Irish International Teams: Results, Scorers, Dates and Venues – 1874 to June 1999". Irishrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
38. ^ "Past Winners of Ulster Schools' Cup". BBC Sport. 14 March 2003. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
39. ^ "The august history of the Dublin Hospitals Cup". The Medical Independent. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
40. ^ Irish Times. (1882). Football: Leinster Challenge Cup - Second Round, Dublin University v Lansdowne, 27 February, page 6
41. ^ Jim Stokes, "Rugby: Harlequins take the Malone road", Belfast Telegraph, 25 November 2000
42. ^ "‘It wasn't too long ago that we were down in Division 2'", The Southern Star, 6 January 2018
43. ^ Michael Gallagher, "Brief history of Connacht Senior Cup", Ballina RFC, 15 March 2022
44. ^ "Rugby Football Notes", Ulster Echo, 2 April 1891
45. ^ "Six Nations roll of honour". BBC Sport. 19 January 2004. Archived from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2007.
46. ^ Jim Stokes, "IRFU tackle 'pro' issue", Belfast Telegraph, 28 August 1995
47. ^ Jim Stokes, "International players only to 'cash in'", Belfast Telegraph, 12 September 1995
48. ^ "European Rugby Cup : History". ERC. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
49. ^ Jim Stokes, "Ulster to face Cardiff?", Belfast Telegraph, 29 August 1995
50. ^ Tyrone Howe, "Local game needs a professional outlook", Belfast Telegraph, 13 January 1996
51. ^ "Seventy six players win IRFU contracts", Irish Independent, 17 July 1997
52. ^ "Celtic League gets green light to kick off in August", Evening Herald, 31 May 2001
53. ^ "New format boost for Celtic League", Irish Independent, 7 May 2003
54. ^ Jimmy Davidson, "Club Ulster is perfect route to success for Solomons", Belfast Telegraph, 9 May 2003
55. ^ "Connacht beat Leinster in PRO12 final". ESPN (UK). PA Sport. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
56. ^ "Michael Cusack, Maurice Davin and the Gaelic Athletic Association" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
57. ^ "2009 official guide part1" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
58. ^ "Ireland must wait to enjoy Croke craic". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2007.
59. ^ "Ireland 17-20 France". BBC News. 11 February 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
60. ^ "'Foreign' rugby invading Ireland's hallowed ground". Mg.co.za. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
61. ^ Murphy, John A (18 February 2007). "'God Save the Queen' at Jones's Road a remarkable moment'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
62. ^ Hewett, Chris (26 February 2007). "Ireland 43 England 13: Ireland have the last laugh as Ashton rues 'massive blip'". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
63. ^ "Image showing man wearing Celtic tracksuit and holding sign". Conor.net. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
64. ^ "Republicans protest against "God Save The Queen" at Croker". Indymedia.ie. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
65. ^ "Leinster 25-6 Munster". BBC News. 2 May 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2010.

* Richards, Huw A Game for Hooligans: The History of Rugby Union (Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84596-255-5)
* Rugby Union, Irish Nationalism and National Identity in Northern Ireland
* IRB statistics for Ireland

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rugby union in Ireland.

* Irish Rugby Football Union
* Rugby news from RTE
* Irish rugby union news from Planet Rugby

* v
* t
* e

Rugby union in Ireland

Irish Rugby Football Union

National teams|

| Men's|

* Senior
* Sevens
* Ireland Wolfhounds
* Emerging Ireland
* Universities
* U20s
* Schoolboys

|

Women's|

* Senior
* Sevens

URC teams|

* Connacht
* Leinster
* Munster
* Ulster

Competitions|

| European|

* European Rugby Champions Cup
* European Rugby Challenge Cup
* United Rugby Championship
* British and Irish Cup
* Celtic Cup

|

National|

* IRFU Interprovincial Championship
* IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series
* All-Ireland League
* All-Ireland Cup

Provincial leagues|

* Connacht Senior League
* Leinster Senior League
* Munster Senior League
* Ulster Senior League

Provincial senior cups|

* Connacht Senior Cup
* Leinster Senior Cup
* Munster Senior Cup
* Ulster Senior Cup

Provincial junior cups|

* Leinster Towns Cup
* Munster Junior Cup
* Ulster Junior Cup

Intervarsity|

* The Colours Match

Schools senior cups|

* Connacht Schools Rugby Senior Cup
* Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cup
* Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup
* Ulster Schools' Cup

Schools junior cups|

* Connacht Schools Junior Cup
* Leinster Schools Junior Cup
* Munster Schools Junior Cup
* Ulster Medallion Shield

Related articles|

* List of Ireland national rugby union players
* Comparison of Gaelic football and rugby union
* London Irish
* Dublin Hospitals Rugby Cup

* v
* t
* e

Rugby union in Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* England
* Scotland
* Wales

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

* v
* t
* e

League systems in sport

* League system
* Sports league
* Professional sports league organization
* Division (sport)
* Promotion and relegation
* Closed league
* Semi-closed league

American football|

* Germany

Association
football|

| AFC|

* Afghanistan
* Australia
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* China
* East Timor
* Guam
* Hong Kong
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Japan
* Jordan
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Lebanon
* Macau
* Malaysia
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Pakistan
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Taiwan
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Vietnam

|

CAF|

* Algeria
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Comoros
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Ghana
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Madagascar
* Mauritius
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Nigeria
* Réunion
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Seychelles
* Somalia
* South Africa
* Tunisia

CONCACAF|

* Anguilla
* Antigua and Barbuda
* Aruba
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bermuda
* Bonaire
* British Virgin Islands
* Canada
* Cayman Islands
* Costa Rica
* Cuba
* Curaçao
* Dominican Republic
* El Salvador
* French Guiana
* Guadeloupe
* Guatemala
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Martinique
* Mexico
* Montserrat
* Nicaragua
* Panama
* Puerto Rico
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Martin
* Sint Maarten
* Trinidad and Tobago
* Turks and Caicos Islands
* United States
* United States Virgin Islands

CONMEBOL|

* Argentina
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Chile
* Colombia
* Ecuador
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

OFC|

* French Polynesia
* New Caledonia
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tuvalu

UEFA|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* England (women's)
* Estonia
* Faroe Islands
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany (women's)
* Gibraltar
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Kosovo
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Northern Ireland
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Scotland
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey (women's)
* Ukraine
* Wales

Basketball|

| Continental|

* Europe
* South America

|

National|

* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Italy
* Japan
* Poland
* Russia
* Serbia
* Spain
* Turkey

Handball|

* Denmark
* Hungary

Ice hockey|

* United States

Rugby league|

* Great Britain
* France

Rugby union|

* England
* France
* Ireland
* New Zealand
* Scotland
* Wales

Shinty|

* Scotland

Sumo|

* Japan

Tennis|

* Davis Cup
* Billie Jean King Cup

Water polo|

* Hungary

* v
* t
* e

Ireland topics

* Republic of Ireland topics
* Northern Ireland topics

History

| Timeline|

* Prehistory
* Protohistory
* Early history
* Gaelic Ireland / Lordship of Ireland
* 800-1169
* 1169-1536
* Kingdom of Ireland
* 1536-1691
* 1691-1800
* United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
* 1801-1923
* Irish Republic
* Southern Ireland (1921–1922)
* Northern Ireland (1921–present)
* United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
* since 1922
* Irish Free State (1922-1937)
* Ireland (since 1922)

|

Events|

* Battles of Tara / Glenmama / Clontarf
* Norman invasion
* Bruce campaign
* Black Death
* Tudor conquest
* Desmond Rebellions
* Spanish Armada
* Tyrone's Rebellion
* Flight of the Earls
* Plantation of Ulster
* 1641 Rebellion / Confederate War
* Cromwellian conquest / Settlement of 1652
* Williamite War
* Penal Laws
* First Great Famine
* 1798 Rebellion
* Act of Union (1800)
* 1803 Rebellion
* Tithe War
* Second Great Famine
* Land War
* Fenian Rising
* Dublin lock-out
* Home Rule crisis
* Easter Rising
* War of Independence
* Anglo-Irish Treaty
* Civil War
* The Emergency
* IRA Northern Campaign
* IRA Border Campaign
* The Troubles
* Peace process
* Economy of the Republic of Ireland
* Celtic Tiger
* Post-2008 Irish economic downturn
* Post-2008 Irish banking crisis

Other topics|

* List of conflicts in Ireland
* List of Irish tribes
* List of Irish kingdoms
* List of High Kings
* Gaelic clothing and fashion
* List of World Heritage Sites in the Republic of Ireland

Geography

| Natural|

* Climate
* Climate change
* Coastline
* Extreme points
* Fauna
* Islands
* Loughs
* Mountains
* Rivers
* list
* List of national parks of the Republic of Ireland / in Northern Ireland

|

Human|

* Architecture
* Notable buildings
* Tallest buildings and structures
* Cities
* Counties
* Demographics of the Republic of Ireland / of Northern Ireland
* Ports
* Provinces
* ROI-UK border
* Towns
* Tourism in the Republic of Ireland
* Tourist attractions
* Transport

Politics

| Ideologies|

* Nationalism
* Republicanism
* Ulster loyalism
* Unionism

|

Republic of Ireland|

* Constitution
* Economy
* Education
* Foreign relations
* Government
* local
* Law
* LGBT rights
* Oireachtas parliament
* Dáil Éireann (lower house)
* Seanad Éireann (upper house)
* President
* Taxation

Northern Ireland|

* Assembly
* D'Hondt method
* Economy
* Education
* Government
* local
* LGBT rights
* Peace process

Culture

| Cuisine|

| Food|

* List of dishes
* Barmbrack
* Bacon and cabbage
* Boxty
* Champ
* Coddle
* Colcannon
* Drisheen
* Irish fry
* Skirts and kidneys
* Soda bread
* Spice Bag
* Stew
* Three-in-One

|

Drinks|

* Coffee
* Cream
* Guinness
* Mist
* Poitín
* Tea
* Whiskey

Dance|

* Jig
* Sean-nós
* Set dancing
* Stepdance

Festivals|

* Imbolc
* Saint Patrick's Day
* Bealtaine
* The Twelfth
* Lúnasa
* Rose of Tralee
* Samhain / Halloween
* Wren Day

Languages|

* Hiberno-English
* Irish
* Shelta
* Ulster Scots

Literature|

* Annals
* Fiction
* Gaeilge
* Poetry
* Theatre
* Triads

Music|

* Ballads
* Céilí
* Folk music
* session
* Instruments
* Rock music
* Traditional singing

Mythology|

* Cycles
* Mythological
* Fenian
* Ulster
* Kings
* Aos Sí
* Echtrai
* Immrama
* Tuatha Dé Danann
* Firbolg
* Fomorians
* Legendary creatures

People|

* Irish people
* List of Irish people
* Irish diaspora
* Anglo-Irish
* Gaels
* Gaelic Ireland
* Hiberno-Normans
* Travellers
* Ulster Scots

* v
* t
* e

Immigration to the Republic of Ireland

Groups|

* Americans
* Brazilians
* Chinese
* Filipinos
* Lithuanians
* Nigerians
* South Asians
* Poles
* Romani
* Turks

Related topics|

* Demographics of the Republic of Ireland
* Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
* Stamp 4

Sport|

* Association football in the Republic of Ireland
* Association football in Northern Ireland
* Camogie
* Gaelic football
* Gaelic handball
* Hurling
* Martial arts
* Road bowling
* Rounders
* Rugby union

Symbols|

* Brighid's Cross
* Cláirseach
* County coats of arms
* Flags
* Northern Ireland flags issue
* Irish Wolfhound
* National coat of arms
* Red Hand
* Shamrock

Other|

* Calendar
* Castles
* Cinema
* Heritage Sites
* Historic houses
* Homelessness
* Mass media (Republic)
* Monastic
* Names
* Place names / outside Ireland
* Prostitution (Republic) / in Northern Ireland
* Public holidays in the Republic of Ireland / in Northern Ireland
* Public houses
* Squatting

Ireland portal
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template