Eugene Davy
Encyclopedia
Eugene O'Donnell Davy was an Irish
international rugby union
fly-half.
Davy was born into an affluent family in County Dublin
on 26 July 1904. He was one of nine surviving children of Thomas Davy, a merchant, and his wife Alice. According to 1911 Irish census, both Davy's parents were originally from County Tipperary
and his family were living at 29 Terenure Road East, Rathgar
. He attended Belvedere College
where he was a contemporary of Kevin Barry
. He attended University College Dublin
and captained the university rugby team
in the 1925-26 season.
Davy's club side was Lansdowne Football Club. The club won the Leinster Senior Cup five consecutive times from 1927 to 1931 and the Bateman Cup (the All Ireland Championship) on three occasions between 1928–29 and 1930-31.
He won 34 international caps for Ireland
between 1925
and 1934
. His debut was on the 14 March 1925 against Wales
. He played his final international against England
on 10 February 1934. In his international career he scored eight tries and three drop goals and was part of the Irish team that shared the 1926 Five Nations Championship
. In 1930
he made history by scoring three tries in eight minutes in a 14-11 win over Scotland
at Murrayfield
. As of January 2009 he is among the top twenty try-scorers in Irish rugby history.
He was manager of Ireland on their victorious 1967 tour of Australia
. He also served as president of the IRFU in 1967-68.
In 1926 Davy and his brother James founded Davy Stockbrokers
, now one of Ireland's leading providers of financial services.
He died on 11 November 1996, aged 92.
In 1999 UCD inaugurated the 'Davy Bursary' in his honour. He was one of thirty-two former Belvedere pupils profiled in Oliver Murphy's book Belvedere’s Rugby Heroes (2006).
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
fly-half.
Davy was born into an affluent family in County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
on 26 July 1904. He was one of nine surviving children of Thomas Davy, a merchant, and his wife Alice. According to 1911 Irish census, both Davy's parents were originally from County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
and his family were living at 29 Terenure Road East, Rathgar
Rathgar
Rathgar is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, lying about 3 kilometres south of the city centre.-Amenities:Rathgar is largely a quiet suburb with good amenities, including primary and secondary schools, nursing homes, child-care and sports facilities, and good public transport to the city centre...
. He attended Belvedere College
Belvedere College
Belvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. It is also known as St. Francis Xavier's College....
where he was a contemporary of Kevin Barry
Kevin Barry
Kevin Gerard Barry was the first Irish republican to be executed by the British since the leaders of the Easter Rising. Barry was sentenced to death for his part in an IRA operation which resulted in the deaths of three British soldiers.Barry's death is considered a watershed moment in the Irish...
. He attended University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
and captained the university rugby team
University College Dublin R.F.C.
University College Dublin Rugby Football Club is the rugby club of University College Dublin, based in Dublin, Ireland. They play their home games at UCD Bowl. The club was founded in 1910 and they won their first trophy, the Leinster Junior Challenge Cup, in 1914. In 1924 they won their first...
in the 1925-26 season.
Davy's club side was Lansdowne Football Club. The club won the Leinster Senior Cup five consecutive times from 1927 to 1931 and the Bateman Cup (the All Ireland Championship) on three occasions between 1928–29 and 1930-31.
He won 34 international caps for Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
between 1925
1925 Five Nations Championship
The 1925 Five Nations Championship was the eleventh series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-eighth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
and 1934
1934 Home Nations Championship
The 1934 Home Nations Championship was the thirtieth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Five Nations, and prior to that, the Home Nations, this was the forty-seventh series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Six matches...
. His debut was on the 14 March 1925 against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
. He played his final international against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
on 10 February 1934. In his international career he scored eight tries and three drop goals and was part of the Irish team that shared the 1926 Five Nations Championship
1926 Five Nations Championship
The 1926 Five Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-ninth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. In 1930
1930 Five Nations Championship
The 1930 Five Nations Championship was the sixteenth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the forty-third series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
he made history by scoring three tries in eight minutes in a 14-11 win over Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
at Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
. As of January 2009 he is among the top twenty try-scorers in Irish rugby history.
He was manager of Ireland on their victorious 1967 tour of Australia
1967 Ireland rugby union tour of Australia
-Matches:-Touring party:*Manager: Eugene Davy*Assistant Manager: Des McKibbin*Captain: Tom Kiernan-Backs:-Forwards:...
. He also served as president of the IRFU in 1967-68.
In 1926 Davy and his brother James founded Davy Stockbrokers
Davy Stockbrokers
Davy is Ireland's largest stockbroker, wealth manager and financial advisor and has offices in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway and London. Davy offer a range of services to private clients, small businesses, corporations and institutional investors....
, now one of Ireland's leading providers of financial services.
He died on 11 November 1996, aged 92.
In 1999 UCD inaugurated the 'Davy Bursary' in his honour. He was one of thirty-two former Belvedere pupils profiled in Oliver Murphy's book Belvedere’s Rugby Heroes (2006).