Pat O'Hara is a retired Irish rugby union wing-forward. Born in Hornchurch, Essex, on 4 August 1961, he played for Sundays Well, Cork Constitution Munster and Ireland, winning 15 caps between 1988 and 1994. [1]
O'Hara won his first international rugby cap coming on late in the game against Western Samoa as a substitute for Ulster flanker Philip Mathews. His last was played against the US Eagles in 1994. He was known for his hard tackling and rugged style of play and was one of very few internationals of his time that came from a non-rugby playing school. He went to Bishop Ward secondary school in Dagenham where he excelled as a cross-country runner.
O'Hara moved to Ireland in 1973 and finished his schooling at Ashton Comprehensive School in Blackrock. His early years were spent with the Sundays Well rugby club where he joined the youth section as a 12-year-old. He started his rugby career as a tight head prop before moving to the open side of the scrum the following year. He was playing senior rugby with the club as a 17-year-old and won his first senior cap for Munster against Connacht in 1983 at 22. He played on many winning Munster sides but never managed to win an interprovincial medal. Some notable wins during his time with Munster included both Gloucester and Middlesex while they were current county champions and he also played against such touring sides as the All Blacks, Australia and Fiji. He played with such players as Donal Lenihan, Michael Bradley, Moss Keane, Ralph Keyes and Tony Ward, and was in the 1991 Irish world cup squad.
O'Hara had the distinction of winning the Irish rugby writers' "player of the year" award for the season 1989/1990 and won the Texaco rugby sportsperson of the year award for the same year.
He is now sales director of Architectural and Metal Systems based in Cork, a company that he helped establish in 1990.
Patrick Gerard Spillane, better known as Pat Spillane, is an Irish former Gaelic football pundit and player. His league and championship career at senior level with the Kerry county team spanned seventeen years from 1974 to 1991. Spillane is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
Michael Joseph Galwey won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with the Kerry Gaelic football team in 1986, as a 19-year-old, before turning to rugby union. He is thus the only winner of an "All-Ireland" in both rugby union and Gaelic football. He also holds County Championship medals in Senior, Junior and Minor grades. His nickname 'Gaillimh' comes from the name of Irish town Galway, in the Irish language.
Gerard Cunningham is an Irish hurling manager and former player who played for Cork Senior Championship club St Finbarr's. He played for the Cork senior hurling team for 20 years, during which time he lined out as a goalkeeper. Unchallenged in the number one position for his entire career, Cunningham is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
Michael Rowan O'Driscoll is an Irish former rugby union player. He played for Munster in the Pro12 and Heineken Cup, and played internationally for Ireland. He was an integral senior player for Munster and captained the province numerous times, particularly during the 2008–09 season.
Tomás O'Leary is an Irish former rugby union player who played as a scrum-half. O'Leary played most of his career in the United Rugby Championship with Munster, where he was part of the team that won the Heineken Cup in 2006 and again in 2008. He also played in the English Premiership with London Irish, and the Top 14 with Montpellier. Internationally, he represented Ireland, where he was a member of the team that won the 2009 Six Nations Championship and Grand Slam. Also in 2009, he was selected for the British & Irish Lions, though injury prevented him from touring with the squad. O'Leary retired from professional rugby in July 2017.
Larry Tompkins is a former Irish Gaelic football manager and player. Throughout his 20-year club career, he played for his adopted club Castlehaven, winning three Munster Club Championship titles during a golden age for the club; he had earlier played for his hometown club Eadestown, and also enjoyed championship successes. At inter-county level, he captained Cork to win the 1990 All-Ireland Championship; he had earlier claimed a first winners' medal as centre-forward on the 1989 All-Ireland-winning team. As well as being a successful captain for club and county, Tompkins was also selected for Leinster and Munster in the Railway Cup. After retirement from playing, he served as a coach and manager, most notably with the Cork senior team.
Mark Foley is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Adare and was a member of the Limerick senior inter-county team from 1995 until 2009.
James Coughlan is a retired Irish rugby union player and current coach. Coughlan played primarily as a number 8 and represented Cork-based amateur club Dolphin in the All-Ireland League, his native province Munster and French club Pau, and, internationally, Ireland Wolfhounds and the Ireland 7s team during his career.
Billy Holland is an Irish former rugby union player, who spent his entire career playing for his native province of Munster, whilst also earning a single international cap for Ireland. He played primarily as a lock, though also played flanker occasionally, and represented Cork Constitution in the All-Ireland League.
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is a Fijian-Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer.
David Humphreys MBE is a former Irish rugby union player. He played 72 times for Ireland, scoring 560 points, including 6 tries, and at the time of his international retirement was Ireland's most capped out-half. He played his club rugby for London Irish and Ulster, winning the 1998-99 Heineken Cup, the 2004 Celtic Cup and the 2005–06 Celtic League with the latter. Since retiring as a player he has served as director of rugby for Ulster and Gloucester
John Joseph Hanrahan is an Irish rugby union player who plays for Connacht in the United Rugby Championship. He plays primarily as a fly-half, but can also play as a centre or fullback.
Darren Sweetnam is an Irish rugby union player for French Pro D2 club Oyonnax. He plays as a wing but can also play fullback. Sweetnam is also a former inter-county hurler with Cork and has played underage hockey for Ireland.
Jack O'Donoghue is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a flanker or number eight for United Rugby Championship club Munster.
John Poland is an Irish rugby union player. He plays as a scrum-half for the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States.
Shane Daly is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a wing or fullback for United Rugby Championship club Munster.
Gavin Coombes is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a number eight for United Rugby Championship club Munster and the Ireland national team.
Alex McHenry is an Irish rugby union player for RFU Championship club Jersey Reds. He plays as a centre.
Jack O'Sullivan is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a flanker or number eight for United Rugby Championship club Munster.
Alex Kendellen is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Munster.