Shannon Rugby Football Club is an
amateurAn amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
rugby unionRugby 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...
team from
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, they hail from
LimerickLimerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
near the banks of the
Shannon river.The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
The club is a member of the
Irish Rugby Football Union Munster BranchMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
and as one of the top amateur sides in Ireland has seen many of its players progress to professional and international rugby.
History
Shannon was founded on the 18 February 1884, in the Shamrock Bar, a Pub by the old Park Bridge, Corbally Road, Limerick. The founder members were Paddy Lynch, Dan Duggan, Richie Gleeson, Pierce Hartney and Joe Hegarty. Paddy Lynch captained the first Shannon team and Stephan Hanrahan was president of the club for the first two years of its existence.
Shannon remained a junior club for the best part of 70 years, during which time Shannon supplied numerous players to
GarryowenGarryowen Football Club , usually referred to as Garryowen, is a rugby union club from Limerick, Ireland. Historically it has been one of the most successful clubs in Irish rugby union leagues.-Name:...
's successful senior sides. Shannon won the
Munster Junior CupThe Munster Junior Cup is a rugby union competition played in the province of Munster, Ireland. The competition was established for the stronger junior clubs and the second teams of the Senior clubs in the province of Munster...
for the first of many times in 1914. Their first Transfield cup was won in 1938. The following year, the
Munster Junior CupThe Munster Junior Cup is a rugby union competition played in the province of Munster, Ireland. The competition was established for the stronger junior clubs and the second teams of the Senior clubs in the province of Munster...
was won again. One year later(1940), in the process of winning their first Charity Cup, they added both the
Munster Junior CupThe Munster Junior Cup is a rugby union competition played in the province of Munster, Ireland. The competition was established for the stronger junior clubs and the second teams of the Senior clubs in the province of Munster...
and Transfield Cup.
Shannon's continued and consistent success as a junior club eventually led to the club attaining senior status in the 1953-54 season, becoming Limerick's fifth senior club.
It was not until 1960 that Shannon won their first
Munster Senior CupThe Munster Senior Cup is a rugby union competition for the senior clubs affiliated to the Munster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union.-1880s:* 1886 Bandon beat Garryowen* 1887 Queens College beat Limerick County* 1888 Queens College beat Garryowen...
, defeating University College Cork, 6pts to 3 in a pulsating replay at Thomond Park, having drawn 8-8 the previous week at
Musgrave ParkMusgrave Park is a rugby football stadium in the city of Cork, Ireland. The ground consists of four terraces, one stand, three tribunes, one jogging track, and two VIP stands on the west side. Musgrave has a capacity of about 9,251 and is situated on Pearse Road in Ballyphehane...
,
CorkCork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
.
Over the years, since the club's inception, Shannon have had numerous temporary grounds, among them the field at the Island Bank, Gilligan's field, Johnny Cusack's field and Egan's Field on the Mill Rd. in Corbally. The first purchased grounds were 14 acres (56,656 m²) of land at Fir Hill, Gortatogher, (better known as Athlunkard) just two miles (3 km) from Limerick city. However, a few years ago, it was determined that this was not big enough, so it was sold to Corbally Utd. soccer club in favour of our current more spacious grounds at Coonagh off the Ennis Road. Shannon currently have 3 training pitches there, floodlights and newly built dressing rooms, and are developing two more pitches.
While still a junior club, Shannon became co-tenants with Bohemians RFC at the
Munster RFUMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
-owned grounds at famed
Thomond ParkThomond Park is a stadium located in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and count Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. The capacity of the stadium is 26,500 following its large scale redevelopment in...
. In 1967, they completed their own Club
PavilionIn architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
there. In 1978, the Pavilion was extended to the size it is today. There is talk currently of a further extension as the needs of a successful club in this professional age expand rapidly.
A great milestone in the history of the club was the celebration of their centenary in 1984. In a long and illustrious history Shannon have won everything that has to be won in the game. However, that does not diminish the hunger for success that is the hallmark of Shannon teams at every level.
Honours
- AIB League
The Ulster Bank All-Ireland League is the national league system for the 48 senior rugby union clubs in Ireland, covering both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is not, however, the highest level of rugby union in Ireland, as teams representing the four provinces of Ireland play...
- Winners 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09: 9
- AIB Cup
- Munster Senior Cup
The Munster Senior Cup is a rugby union competition for the senior clubs affiliated to the Munster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union.-1880s:* 1886 Bandon beat Garryowen* 1887 Queens College beat Limerick County* 1888 Queens College beat Garryowen...
- Winners: 1960, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007-08: 19
- Munster Junior Cup
The Munster Junior Cup is a rugby union competition played in the province of Munster, Ireland. The competition was established for the stronger junior clubs and the second teams of the Senior clubs in the province of Munster...
- Winners: 1914, 1920, 1924-25, 1939-40, 1954, 1961-62, 1996: 7
- Munster Senior League
- Winners: 1981, 1986, 1989, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05: 7
MunsterMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
Three Shannon players, Brendan Foley,
Colm TuckerColm Tucker is a former international rugby union player. He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British Lions during a period when at club level he was representing Shannon RFC. Tucker was educated at St. Munchin's College in Limerick.-Notes:...
and
Gerry McLoughlinGerard Anthony Joseph McLoughlin is a former international rugby union player. He played club rugby for Shannon RFC and played on the 1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand....
, played for the
MunsterMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
side that defeated the touring
All BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
12-0 on October 31 1978 at
Thomond ParkThomond Park is a stadium located in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and count Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. The capacity of the stadium is 26,500 following its large scale redevelopment in...
. Mick Galwey captained the Munster side when they finished as runners up in the
Heineken CupThe Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
finals of
2001The 2000–01 Heineken Cup was the sixth edition of the Heineken Cup. Competing teams from France, Ireland, Italy, Wales, England and Scotland, were divided into six pools of four, in which teams played home and away matches against each other...
and
2002The 2001–02 Heineken Cup was the seventh edition of the Heineken Cup. Competing teams from France, Ireland, Italy, Wales, England and Scotland, were divided into six pools of four, in which teams played home and away matches against each other. The pool winners and two best runners-up qualified for...
. In the
2005-06The 2005–06 Heineken Cup was the eleventh edition of the European Heineken Cup rugby union club tournament. 24 teams from 7 different countries took part, with the opening game played on Friday October 21, 2005...
season seven Shannon players, including the captain,
Anthony FoleyAnthony "Axel" Foley is a retired Irish rugby union footballer. He was educated at St Munchin's College in Limerick.-Shannon:...
, helped Munster win the Heineken Cup for the first time.
Ireland
The following Shannon players have represented
IrelandThe 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...
at full international level.
- Tony Buckley
Tony "Mushy" Buckley is an Irish rugby union player from Newmarket, County Cork, who plays tighthead prop for Sale in the Aviva Premiership and for Ireland. He is currently one of the heaviest men playing professional rugby, weighing in at 21 st 5 lbs or 135 kilograms. He wears size 16 boots...
- Jerry Flannery
Jeremiah Paul "Jerry" Flannery is an Irish rugby union player who plays at Hooker for Munster and Ireland.-Early career:...
- Anthony Foley
Anthony "Axel" Foley is a retired Irish rugby union footballer. He was educated at St Munchin's College in Limerick.-Shannon:...
- Mick Galwey
- John Hayes
John Hayes is an Irish rugby union player, who plays in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup for Munster. Having spent his underage career playing with the local Cappamore GAA club, he was 18 when he started playing rugby. It was his size which enabled him to overcome his late start to the sport...
- Trevor Hogan
Trevor Hogan was a professional rugby union player. He attended Nenagh CBS and Dublin City University, from which he obtained an honours degree in journalism. He played rugby with Nenagh Ormond, Dublin University and Blackrock College RFC before joining Shannon RFC in 2002 whom he has helped to...
- Mick Fitzgibbon
- Brian O'Brien
- Brendan Foley
Brendan Foley is an Irish writer, film producer and director.He grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland and has written feature scripts for companies in UK, US, Canada, South Africa and Thailand. He wrote and produced the 2005 thriller Johnny Was, starring Vinnie Jones, Eriq La Salle and Patrick Bergin...
|
British and Irish Lions
The following Shannon players have also represented the
British and Irish LionsThe British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
.
- Colm Tucker
Colm Tucker is a former international rugby union player. He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British Lions during a period when at club level he was representing Shannon RFC. Tucker was educated at St. Munchin's College in Limerick.-Notes:...
: 1980In 1980 the British Lions rugby union team toured South Africa . The tour was not a success in terms of international results, the Lions losing the first three tests before salvaging some pride with a win in the fourth...
- Gerry McLoughlin
Gerard Anthony Joseph McLoughlin is a former international rugby union player. He played club rugby for Shannon RFC and played on the 1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand....
: 1983In 1983 the British and Irish Lions toured New Zealand for the first time since 1977. The Lions went down to a 4-0 whitewash for only the second time in history - the previous was also inflicted by the All Blacks on the 1966 Lions. Overall the Lions played eighteen matches, winning twelve and...
- Mick Galwey: 1993
In 1993 the British Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand. This tour followed the Lions' 1989 tour to Australia and preceded their 1997 tour to South Africa. It was the last Lions tour in the sport's amateur era....
- John Hayes
John Hayes is an Irish rugby union player, who plays in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup for Munster. Having spent his underage career playing with the local Cappamore GAA club, he was 18 when he started playing rugby. It was his size which enabled him to overcome his late start to the sport...
: 2005In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
, 2009The 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009....
(both while registered as a Bruff RFC player). |
See also
First XV (2010/11)
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16 - J. Cronin, 17 - K. O'Neill, 18 - D. Heffernan, 19 - C. McMahon; 20 - R. Guerin, 21 - T. Bennett (k), 22 - R. Mullane.