Dublin University, founded in 1854, was the first organised Rugby Football Club in Ireland. From 1874 to 1879 there were two Unions. The Irish Football Union had jurisdiction over clubs in Leinster, Munster and parts of Ulster. The Northern Football Union controlled the Belfast area.
When the first international was played against England in February 1875, the teams were twenty a side and the Irish team included 12 players from Leinster and 8 from Ulster. The first 15 a side match was in 1877 and the first Munster players were chosen in 1879.
In 1879 the two Unions agreed to amalgamate and become the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU). In 1885, twenty-six clubs were affiliated to the Union of which ten were in Ulster, nine in Leinster and seven in Munster. The Connacht branch was formed in 1886.
There are presently approx 60,000 players in total in Ireland. 56 clubs are affiliated to the Ulster Branch; 71 to the Leinster Branch; 59 to the Munster Branch and 19 to the Connacht Branch. In addition there are 246 schools playing rugby, Ulster(107), Leinster(75), Munster(41) and Connacht(23). There is a National Rugby League of 50 Senior clubs.
The Union owns grounds at Lansdowne Road at which International Rugby and Soccer matches are played. The ground is also home to Wanderers and Lansdowne Rugby Clubs. Developements in recent years have added greatly to the seating capacity and the ground holds 50,000, of which 29,500 are seated. The Union also owns Ravenhill Park in Belfast, Thomond Park in Limerick and a number of grounds in provincial areas that have been rented to clubs.
The International team ha taken part in the Nations Championships since 1912. The other teams involved are England, France, Scotland and Wales. In 1999 Italy were accepted and the competition became the Six Nations Championship. In the three Rugby World Cups to date Ireland have reached the quarter finals each time. In 1991 they were beaten by Australia, France in 1995 and the biggest shock of all Argentina in 1999. |
