Shannon Rugby Football Club is the most successful club in the All Ireland League, having won the competition nine times. They hail from Limerick near the banks of the River Shannon. Shannon RFC is a member of the Munster Rugby. The club is one of the top amateur sides in Ireland has seen many of its players progress to professional and international rugby. The 1st XV plays in Division 2A of the All-Ireland League. While the women's side compete in Division 1 of the Munster League. Shannon RFC fields underage teams for boys and girls from u6s - u20s. In 2017 Shannon RFC became the first club in the country to field a girls u20 club side.
History
Shannon RFC was founded on 18 February 1884, in the Shamrock Bar on Corbally Road in Limerick. The founding members were Dan Duggan, Richie Gleeson, Pierce Hartney, Joe Hegarty and Paddy Lynch, who was the team's first captain. Stephan Hanrahan was president of the club for the first two years. Shannon remained a junior club for close to 70 years, during which time Shannon supplied numerous players to Garryowen. Shannon won the Munster Junior Cup for the first time in 1914.
Their first Transfield cup was won in 1938. The following year, the Munster Junior Cup was won again. One year later (1940), in the process of winning their first Charity Cup, they added both the Munster Junior Cup and Transfield Cup.
Shannon attained senior status in the 1953–54 season, becoming Limerick's fifth senior club. In 1960 Shannon won their first Munster Senior Cup, defeating University College Cork, in a replay at Thomond Park, having drawn 8-8 the previous week at Musgrave Park, Cork.
Over the years, Shannon have had numerous temporary grounds, including the field at the Island Bank, Gilligan's field, Johnny Cusack's field and Egan's Field in Corbally. The first purchased grounds were of land at Fir Hill, Gortatogher, (better known as Athlunkard) just two miles (3 km) from Limerick city. Those grounds were later sold to Corbally Utd. soccer club in favour of our current more spacious grounds at Coonagh off the Ennis Road. Today, Shannon's home grounds are Thomond Park.
While still a junior club, Shannon became co-tenants with UL Bohemians at the Munster Rugby-owned grounds at famed Thomond Park. In 1967, they completed their own Club Pavilion there. In 1978, the Pavilion was extended to the size it is today.
The club celebrated its centenary in 1984.
Honours
-
AIB League
-
1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008-09: 9
-
Division 1B 2017–18, 2021–22
-
All-Ireland Cup
-
Munster Senior Cup
-
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
-
1914, 1920, 1924–25, 1939–40, 1954, 1961–62, 1996, 2015: 8
-
Munster Senior League
-
1981, 1986, 1989, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004-05: 7
Notable players
See also
Munster
Three Shannon players, Brendan Foley,
Colm Tucker and
Gerry McLoughlin, played for the
Munster Rugby side that defeated the touring
All Blacks 12–0 on 31 October 1978 at
Thomond Park.
Mick Galwey captained the Munster side when they finished as runners up in the
Heineken Cup finals of 2000 and 2002. In the 2005-06 season seven Shannon players, including the captain,
Anthony Foley, helped Munster win the Heineken Cup for the first time.
Ireland 7s
The following Shannon players have played for the Ireland national rugby sevens team:
Ireland
The following Shannon players have represented Ireland at full international level.
British & Irish Lions
The following Shannon players have also represented the British & Irish Lions.
[ The Ireland Rugby Miscellany (2007): Ciaran Cronin]
International referees
External links
