Terenure College RFC

Terenure College RFC was founded on November 14th 1940. It is a senior rugby union club in Dublin, Ireland.

History

Terenure College RFC was founded on November 14th 1940. With a great love for the game and concerned that past pupils were not playing rugby union after leaving school, Rev. Fr Jackie Corbett O' Carm chaired a meeting of rugby playing past pupils of Terenure College in the Hotel Lenehan, Harcourt Street, Dublin. Those present included Johnny Corrigan, Hugh Clarke, Joe Clarke, Sean Ryan, P.P. Maguire, Colm O' Nolan, Niall Thunder, Hugh Milroy, Dick Dunlop, Des Giltrap, Jack Hearne and Dudley Fisher. Terenure Collegians Rugby Football Club was formed. Fr. Corbett was elected first President. J.P. Clarke was elected Hon. Secretary Johnny Corrigan as Hon . Treasurer and Hugh Milroy as Club Captain.

Terenure played their first match shortly afterwards against the Terenure College SCT at the time. The club won 8 points to 3. It took until January 8th 1959 for Terenure to be promoted to a Senior club after fourteen applications to the Leinster Branch, that after winning five Junior 1 titles and many other trophies. Two years later the great Mick Hipwell was selected to play for Ireland, Terenure's first Irish international. Mick donned the green jersey against England at Twickenham.

The years 1965/66/67 were great seasons for Terenure under the captaincy of Eddie Coleman (later to be IRFU president), as they won the Leinster Senior league twice in a row. Over the years since Terenure was founded they have had many great players don the green jersey of Ireland including Mick Hipwell, Brendan Sherry, Paul Haycock, Ciaran Clarke, Niall Hogan, David Corkery, Girvan Dempsey and Eric Miller. Indeed Terenure has also been represented by Ireland at other levels including Paddy 'Rala' O'Reilly as Baggage Master to the Senior Team, Colin Phillips as Baggage Master to U21's and Martin Searson as Baggage Master to U19's.

The Club now

Leinster have benefitted greatly from Terenure's 'rugby factory' and currently there are two 1st XV players with the Provincial side - Girvan Dempsey and Brian Blaney.

Terenure field the most adult teams in the province of Leinster, with six adult teams fielded each week. Also with 450 boys playing mini-rugby every Sunday, the playing base in Terenure looks like it will have no problems for the foreseeable future.

Terenure College have provided two Presidents of the IRFU - M.H.Carroll (1984-85) and E.Coleman (2000-01)

Coached by former Munster and Leinster hooker James Blaney and present Clongowes Schools coach Kevin West, Terenure play in the first division of the All Ireland League, having been promoted in 2006 from Division 2.

ee also

* Mark Egan