Lansdowne FC

Founded in 1872 by Henry WD Dunlop as the Irish Champion Athletic Club, Lansdowne Football Club is one of the oldest rugby clubs in Ireland as well as one of the best-known wherever the game of rugby football is played. Steeped in the history of the game, the Club’s home ground is Lansdowne Road, the Irish international stadium, which is also the oldest international rugby ground in the world. The lease to the ground was originally passed to the IRFU by HWD Dunlop, President of Lansdowne from 1872 until 1904. Remarkably, over a hundred years later, Henry Dunlop’s son, Eric, was involved with Lansdowne until his death in July 2008, and was an Honorary Life Member of the Club. The Club’s playing colours are black, red and yellow hoops, with navy shorts. To date, 99 Lansdowne players have won international caps, including many famous names in Irish Rugby, including: Moss Keane, Eugene Davy, Ernie Crawford, Ned Lightfoot, Mick Dunne, Jack Arigho, Morgan Crowe, Robin Roe, Mick English, Pat Casey, Sean MacHale, Gordon Wood, Alan “Dixie” Duggan, Barry McGann, Mick Quinn, Noel Manion, Eric Elwood, Philip Danaher, Michael Kiernan (dropped the goal to win the 1985 Triple Crown), Conor O’Shea, Donal and Dick Spring (former Tanaiste), Michael Gibson, Des Fitzgerald and, of course, the great Con Murphy (the only player to represent Ireland both before and after the 2nd World War).