Galwegians RFC
Encyclopedia
Galwegians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union
club in Galway
, Ireland
. The club was founded in 1922 and plays in the second tier of the top division of the Irish domestic club competition the All-Ireland League.
Founded in 1922, Galwegians has a long and distinguished history at the forefront of Connacht Rugby
. Of current Connacht "Senior Clubs" Galwegians have the record of winning the most Connacht Senior Cup with 29 wins to date, however UCG
relegated to the Junior ranks in 1996 have won 34. In more recent times, Galwegians recorded three back-to-back Connacht Cup and League doubles between 2000-2002. Galwegians Junior team broke their 34 year wait for Connacht Cup glory this year by beating Monivea R.F.C. 16-10 in the final and becoming the Heineken Connacht Junior Cup
Champions 2008.
Jimmy Joyce was the club's first international in wartime 1943. The tradition continued into the 1950s with Dicky Roche, Brendan Guerin, Charlie Lydon, Tony O’Sullivan and Johnny Dooley each gaining caps. The golden age of Galwegians rugby was the five-in-a-row Connacht League and Cup double in 1955-1960, an unprecedented feat in Irish rugby, when Wegians were arguably the best team in the country, regularly beating the other senior clubs in Ireland.
Galwegians field 16 teams - Senior, Development XV, Thirds XV, Women's XV and underage from U-7s up to U-21s. The Connacht Ladies representative side is constituted predominantly from the Galwegians Ladies side.
*Connacht Senior League - 21 Wins
*Connacht Junior Cup
- 2 Wins
Last Updated: 21-09-2008
MEN
WOMEN
have represented the famous Barbarians
, the most recent to play while in Galwegians colours were Jimmy Duffy and Willie Ruane who played against the Combined Service (British) at Burnaby Road, Portsmouth on 10/11/1998 in a game won 51-20 by the Baa-Baa's.
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...
club in Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The club was founded in 1922 and plays in the second tier of the top division of the Irish domestic club competition the All-Ireland League.
Founded in 1922, Galwegians has a long and distinguished history at the forefront of Connacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Connacht that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 comprising teams from the Celtic nations plus Italy. Normally, it also competes in the second-tier pan-European club competition, the European Challenge Cup...
. Of current Connacht "Senior Clubs" Galwegians have the record of winning the most Connacht Senior Cup with 29 wins to date, however UCG
University College Galway R.F.C.
University College Galway RFC is the rugby team of the National University of Ireland, Galway. Their colours are maroon and white. Although they have had a dip in form in recent years and are not currently competing in the AIB League , they have won more Connacht Senior Cup titles than any other...
relegated to the Junior ranks in 1996 have won 34. In more recent times, Galwegians recorded three back-to-back Connacht Cup and League doubles between 2000-2002. Galwegians Junior team broke their 34 year wait for Connacht Cup glory this year by beating Monivea R.F.C. 16-10 in the final and becoming the Heineken Connacht Junior Cup
Connacht Junior Cup
Connacht Junior Cup is a rugby union knockout cup competition for clubs which do not have senior status in the Irish province of Connacht, the First XV's of "Senior" clubs participate in the All Ireland League competition while the First XV's of "Junior" clubs participate in their provincial...
Champions 2008.
Jimmy Joyce was the club's first international in wartime 1943. The tradition continued into the 1950s with Dicky Roche, Brendan Guerin, Charlie Lydon, Tony O’Sullivan and Johnny Dooley each gaining caps. The golden age of Galwegians rugby was the five-in-a-row Connacht League and Cup double in 1955-1960, an unprecedented feat in Irish rugby, when Wegians were arguably the best team in the country, regularly beating the other senior clubs in Ireland.
Galwegians field 16 teams - Senior, Development XV, Thirds XV, Women's XV and underage from U-7s up to U-21s. The Connacht Ladies representative side is constituted predominantly from the Galwegians Ladies side.
Honours
*Connacht Senior Cup - 29 Wins*Connacht Senior League - 21 Wins
*Connacht Junior Cup
Connacht Junior Cup
Connacht Junior Cup is a rugby union knockout cup competition for clubs which do not have senior status in the Irish province of Connacht, the First XV's of "Senior" clubs participate in the All Ireland League competition while the First XV's of "Junior" clubs participate in their provincial...
- 2 Wins
Last Updated: 21-09-2008
Ireland
(Player capped while playing with Galwegians RFC)MEN
- 1944 - Jimmy Joyce
- 1955 - Dick Roche
- 1956 - Brendan Guerin
- 1956 - Charlie Lydon
- 1957 - Tony O’Sullivan
- 1959 - Johnny Dooley
- 1997 - Eric ElwoodEric ElwoodEric Elwood is a former rugby union player and was capped first for Ireland while playing for Connacht and Lansdowne before he returned to Galwegians RFC, the club of his youth....
- 1998 - Pat Duignan
- 1999 - Matt Mostyn
- 2007 - Gavin Duffy
- 2009 - John Muldoon
- 2009 - Ian Keatley
WOMEN
- 1997 - Stephanie Dowling Folan
- 1998 - Sue Ramsbottom
- 2003 - Nuala Ni Chadhain
- 2008 - Carol Staunton
Barbarians
Several Galwegians players, including Eric ElwoodEric Elwood
Eric Elwood is a former rugby union player and was capped first for Ireland while playing for Connacht and Lansdowne before he returned to Galwegians RFC, the club of his youth....
have represented the famous Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
, the most recent to play while in Galwegians colours were Jimmy Duffy and Willie Ruane who played against the Combined Service (British) at Burnaby Road, Portsmouth on 10/11/1998 in a game won 51-20 by the Baa-Baa's.
IRFU Presidents
Galwegians surely hold the distinction of having provided more IRFU Presidents than any other club. The incumbents were:- 1945-46 - Henry Anderson L.D.S.I.,
- 1958-59 - Johnny Glynn
- 1968-69 - Chris P Crowley
- 1981-82 - John Moore - B.Sc.
- 1996-97 - Bobby Deacy - F.C.A.
- 2002-03 - Don Crowley - B.E.,Eur. Ing., C.Eng., M.I.E.I.
2009/10 Squad
- Full-backs: Mark Butler, Gavin Duffy, Rob O'Beirne
- Wings: Liam Bibo, Fionn CarrFionn CarrFionn Carr is an Irish rugby union player. Carr currently plays for Leinster, who play in the RaboDirect Pro12 competition, involving teams from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. Carr has represented Ireland at Schools, Under 19's, under 21's and at A level. He plays as a winger or...
, John Paul Cleary, Tom Ellard, Barry Lee, Tiernan O'Halloran - Centres: Dave Clarke, Aifai Esera, John Hearty, Keith Matthews
- Out-halves: Ian KeatleyIan KeatleyIan James T. Keatley is an Irish rugby union player for Munster in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup. He was capped by Ireland on their 2009 tour to North America when he lined out against Canada on 23 May 2009....
, Ross Shaughnessy - Scrum-halves: Kieran CampbellKieran CampbellKieran Campbell is a former Irish scrumhalf who currently plays for Connacht in the Magners League. Born in Hillingdon to an Irish father and Sri Lankan mother he was a key player for Gunnersbury Catholic School and helped them reach the last eight of the Daily Mail school's cup and to win the...
, Ronan Dillon - Front-rows: Ronan Loughney, Jarlath Naughton, Jamie Stephens, Brett WilkinsonBrett WilkinsonBrett Wilkinson is a South African born rugby union player for Connacht in the RaboDirect Pro12. He plays as a prop.Brett came to prominence playing for the University of Cape Town and after a successful season in 2005 was made a number of offers, but chose to move to Europe and play for...
- Hookers: Conor Muldoon, Dermot Murphy
- Second-rows: Andrew Browne, Brian McClearn, Joe Moran, Dave Nolan, J. Rowen
- Wing-forwards: Derek Boyd, Ivan Muldoon (captain), John Muldoon, Liam Scahill, Michael Swift
- Number 8s: Liam Casserly, Ambrose Conboy, Ati Olive