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Peter McKenna (born 24 November 1974) is a former Irish Rugby International, author, broadcaster and solicitor.
McKenna was educated at C.B.C. Monkstown where he played rugby for the school, representing Leinster Schools in 1991 and 1992. He went on to study law in University College Dublin and began playing club rugby in the AIL for Old Belvedere rugby club. In between his time studying and playing in Ireland, McKenna played for North Canterbury in New Zealand in 1994. Upon completion his college work, McKenna qualified as a solicitor.
In 1999, McKenna put his legal career on hold and resumed top level rugby in the now professional game for Leinster Rugby. McKenna played at both wing, full back during his spell with Leinster. Highlights during this period for the province included winning the inaugural Celtic League (then Celtic League) in 2001 and reaching the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup in 2003. McKenna also earned international honours in 2000, playing for Ireland against Argentina in Buenos Aires. He was also a founding member of the Irish Rugby Union Players Union (IRUPA) in 2001, serving as secretary in the union's early days. In 2003, McKenna retired from professional rugby in order to continue his legal career.
Since retiring from rugby, McKenna has been a practicing solicitor through his firm McKenna Durcan Solicitors. He continues his association with the professional game by providing legal advice for members of IRUPA.
He also works as a pundit and commentator for Setanta Sports with their Magners League and Rugby World Cup coverage. In addition to his work as a broadcaster and solicitor, McKenna also wrote a book prior to the 2007 RWC entitled Rugby Explained, which aimed to inform amateurs and rugby novices about the intrinsics of the game.
Brian Gerard O'Driscoll is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland. He captained Ireland from 2003 until 2012, and captained the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand. He is regarded by critics as one of the greatest rugby players of all time.
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in South Africa, and the BKT United Rugby Championship in the competitions other territories for sponsorship reasons, the split branding mirroring the format previously adopted in Super Rugby. The Championship represents the highest level of domestic club or franchise rugby in each of its constituent countries. The Championship is one of the three major professional leagues in Europe, the most successful teams from which go forward to compete in the highest-level continental club competitions, the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. Since 2022–23, despite the name, South African teams have been eligible to qualify for European competitions, and one South African place in the Champions Cup from the Championship is guaranteed.
Connacht Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. Connacht competes in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the IRFU Connacht Branch, which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union throughout the geographical Irish province of Connacht.
Leinster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial club rugby union teams from the island of Ireland and the most successful Irish team domestically. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup.
Shane Patrick Horgan is an Irish former rugby union player who played wing or centre for Leinster and Ireland.
Eric Miller is a former Irish rugby union and Gaelic football player. As a rugby player Miller played for, among others Old Wesley, Leicester Tigers, Ulster, Leinster, the Barbarians, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. After retiring as a rugby player, Miller switched football codes and went on to play Gaelic football for the Dublin county team.
Thomas John Bowe is an Irish television presenter and former rugby union player from County Monaghan, Ireland. He played on the wing for Ulster, Ospreys, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions.
Rugby union in Ireland is a very popular team sport. Rugby union is organised on an all-Ireland basis with one national team, governing body and league for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Founded in 1879, the Irish Rugby Football Union is the third-oldest rugby union after England and Scotland, and was formed two years prior to the Welsh Rugby Union.
Rocky Elsom is a former Australian rugby union player. He played the positions of flanker and number eight. He was selected for 75 caps for Australia. He is the most capped Australian blindside flanker. Elsom was the 76th Australian test captain, having replaced Stirling Mortlock in 2009 for two years. He played for the Wallabies from 2005 until 2011. Elsom played professionally for New South Wales, Brumbies and Leinster.
Isakeli "Isa" Nacewa is a former rugby union player and coach. Born in New Zealand of Fijian descent, he represented the Fiji national team, winning one cap in 2003.
Mick O'Flanagan was an Irish former sportsman who represented his country at both soccer and rugby union. As a soccer player, O'Flanagan played for, among others, Home Farm, Bohemians and Belfast Celtic. His older brother, Kevin O'Flanagan, was also a notable sportsman who also represented his country at both sports and played soccer for Bohs and Arsenal. On 30 September 1946, Mick and Kevin also played international soccer together for Ireland against England. A third brother, Charlie O'Flanagan, also played for Bohs.
Bernard Michael "Benny" Gaughran was an Irish soccer player during the 1930s. Gaughran won the League of Ireland title with Bohemians in 1935–36. His Bohemian teammates included Harry Cannon, Plev Ellis, Fred Horlacher and Billy Jordan that season, and Gaughran was top scorer with 15 goals in 21 league games. In his 39 appearances that season in all competitions, he netted 32 times. In 1936, Gaughran was part of the team who broke a record by winning the fifth league title of the free State League Championship by defeating Cork 4–1, and Gaughran scored the third and fourth goals of the game.
Robert Kearney is an Irish rugby union former player. He played for 15 years for Leinster followed by a 6 month stint in Australia, playing for Perth based side Western Force. He also played over a decade for the Ireland national rugby union team with whom he earned 95 caps, and went on two British & Irish Lions tours in 2009 and 2013. As a youth he also played rugby union for Clongowes Wood College and Gaelic football for Louth in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship.
Jonathan Jeremiah Sexton is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Leinster Rugby and Ireland, captaining both teams. He also represented the British & Irish Lions on their 2013 and 2017 tours, and has scored over 1,000 points in his international career, making him one of the highest points-scorers in rugby union history.
Bernard Jackman is an Irish former rugby union player who played for Connacht, Leinster and Sale Sharks. At international level, he has also played for Ireland. He released his autobiography, Blue Blood in 2011. He was dismissed as the head coach of Welsh Pro14 side the Dragons in December 2018. Jackman is the current head coach of Bective Rangers FC.
Sport in Northern Ireland plays an important role in the lives of many Northern Irish people. Most sports are organised on an all-Ireland basis, for example rugby union, Gaelic games, basketball, rugby league, hockey, and cricket, whereas others, like association football and netball are organised on a separate basis for Northern Ireland.
Fergus McFadden is an Irish professional rugby union player for Leinster. He played both as a centre and on the wing.
Aidan McCullen is a businessman and retired Ireland national rugby union team player. He played as a back rower, principally at blindside flanker but also as an openside, no.8 and occasionally in the second row. He played for the Ireland national rugby sevens team in a number of competitions, including Hong Kong Sevens and the 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
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
The Celtic Cup was a rugby union cup competition featuring regional and provincial teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales that ran for two seasons between 2003 and 2005. The first edition of the competition was won by Ulster and the second by Munster, both from Ireland. After the Welsh teams agreed to join the English Premiership clubs to form the Anglo-Welsh Cup for the 2005–06 season, the Celtic Cup was discontinued. A separate competition under the same name was inaugurated in 2018 for Welsh and Irish development sides.
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