Photo Credit: Conor Wyse
Limerick is famous for its proud rugby tradition. From the early 1900’s to the present day, intense rivalries on the pitch have led to great stories and friendships off it. As part of his series on the the seven senior All Ireland League rugby clubs based in Limerick, Daragh Frawley turns his attention to Division 2B side, Thomond RFC.
“I REMEMBER going to the games back in day with the late Pat Lawlor and the Leinster teams could batter you, especially when you were away from home. If they got a score early there would be a pasting.
“They had the silky football but they didn’t understand cup rugby. It was different. The Limerick clubs knew how to play cup rugby and it was a rude awakening for the rest of the country.
Those are the words of life-long Thomond RFC man John Hartery, who has been at the club since 1971. Understanding cup rugby from a Leinster perspective was difficult, but any team that played Thomond knew exactly what it was all about when leaving Fitzgerald Park.
The Legendary Liam Fitzgerald.
The term legend is thrown around an awful lot, but there is no doubt that Liam Fitzgerald is deserving of the title.
A Thomond man through and through, Fitzgerald was one of the most formidable men in the club, both on and off the pitch.
“The grounds were named after Liam Fitzgerald because he was an unbelievable servant to the club”, explains Hartery.
“He started out as a player in the late 1950s, became club captain in the 1963/64 season and held the presidency in 1984/85.
“He was known for being a tireless worker on and off the pitch and would spend his annual two-week vacation above in the club digging drains and helping out in any way possible. He would go round on his bike and collect the gear in the Good Shepard Convent.
“He was a quiet man but at the same time he was an absolute legend and a phenomenal clubman.
The Golden Era
Every club in Limerick has had a golden era, and for many Thomond supporters theirs would be the junior team of the 1980’s.
Winning seven Junior Cups over three decades between the 70’s and the 90’s, both Hartery and current head coach Ger Casey explained the path taken by the men in blue.
“The 1971 team broke the mould. We had been knocking on the door for a while, but they set the standard by beating Garryowen in the final 6-3 that year.
“After that there were a lot of semi-final defeats, which were incredibly frustrating. We won it again in 1980 beating UCC and for the next decade or so we were mixing it with the best.
And that they certainly were. After winning the Junior Cup in 1980, they went on to win it again in ‘81, ‘85, ‘89, ‘90 and ‘91. They would also go on to win two Charity Cups in the 80’s, which was a monumental achievement for a junior club.
“The tradition after a Junior Cup win on a Sunday was taking two days off work, going around for a couple days with the trophy visiting public houses.
“Throughout the golden era the main drivers of the club’s success were Sean McNamara, Donal McMahon and John Bromell. Between them they would have given 30 years of coaching to the club.
“Sean Mc is credited with introducing the rolling maul to Thomond, and all our teams were built around a good pack and then you’d run the ball in April if it suited!
“We kept applying for senior club status but there was no meritocracy. There was a vote in the Munster branch but senior clubs dominated that at the time. We were essentially knocking on a door that was never going to be opened”, explained Hartery.
As Thomond were completing their famous three-in-a-row, the All Ireland League came to be, but being a junior club meant that they would have to bide their time before getting a shot in the big leagues.
The AIL
Players leaving clubs in all codes for bigger and better things happens by nature, and with Thomond remaining as a junior team, many players left for the lure of Senior rugby.
“They were moving up a level, in the 70s and 80’s it was to Bohs, and because of the team being blocked from gaining senior status, players undoubtedly left as a result.
On the Young Munster’s team that won the AIL in 1993, four Thomond players were in the squad (Ger Copley, Ger Earls, Niall McNamara and Aidan O’Halloran). It’s not bitter by any means, but that was the reality of being a junior team”, explained Hartery.
“We didn’t get the opportunity to play in the AIL until it became a four division league, and we finally got the break through in 2000. The team went through the qualifiers at the time and came second in the round robin stage, winning a playoff to gain senior status and we have been in the AIL ever since.
Recalling how big rugby was in Limerick in the 80’s and 90’s in the build up to the AIL, both Hartery and Casey describe it as “the be all and end all”.
“The crowds at the games during the 80’s and 90’s were unreal. John played in the ‘91 junior cup final against Garryowen and there were 4,000 people in Thomond Park.
“When the AIL came in, everything transitioned to the senior game, and on a Saturday at the big AIL games it was standing room only across the grounds in Limerick City.
“I remember Young Munster and a few other senior teams flying up to games. Thomond would fly on the New York flight that would stop in Shannon and go on to Belfast. That was in ‘01,’02, and ’03.
You read that correctly. Thomond RFC used to fly to away AIL games in the north on a Boeing 747 (but they would come back down on a bus!).
Asked if they ever thought the AIL was going to be as big as it was in the 1990’s, both found it hard to envisage in the beginning.
“In 1995 and 1996, the inter provincial matches were second fiddle to the AIL. There was no Pro12 or Celtic League and the European Cup was in its infancy.
Above: Munster’s Keith Earls
“The AIL gathered momentum and as Ger said, there were thousands in Thomond Park and the stars were playing in the AIL.
Looking at the AIL now, Hartery believes that the league has plateaued and that it won’t go any lower.
Casey is of the same opinion but believes that there can be improvements made to make the AIL more attractive.
“The league needs to be looked at. There needs to be the edge to local derby games that was there in previous times.
“The drop-out rate from age 20-23 is scandalous and it needs to be looked at too. Of course, the clubs have suggestions but, at the end of the day, Munster and Ireland get their players from the clubs and if there is a sacrifice that needs to be made from the ‘A’ games then it should happen”.
Above: Thomond pack down against Sligo last season
The ‘A’ argument.
With the B&I argument coming up unsurprisingly (it has been a permanent fixture in the interviews with all clubs thus far), both Casey and Hartery had their say on the matter.
Hartery, who is involved with Munster as well as Thomond, stated: “I can categorically say that Munster want guys playing rugby. They don’t want gym bunnies sitting at home on a Saturday playing PlayStation. They want them to play.
“Conor Murray, David Kilcoyne, Tommy O’Donnell, Dave Foley – as well as a whole host of others who are currently playing with Munster – all played B&I cup.
“There is ongoing discussion surrounding the AIL in relation to the matter and there is a possibility that it could change.
Ger Casey believes that players based in academies should play more frequently in the All Ireland League.
“Guys in the academy with Munster playing senior rugby in the AIL would benefit all sides in my opinion. AIL experience is what guys need and I have no doubt they’ll get better from it.
If we produce players in Thomond and they go to a higher level so be it. It would be beneficial to all. We aren’t a feeder club; we want to play and to compete.
What we can offer them is senior rugby instead of disappearing into 20’s or seconds rugby. If they prosper here we’d shake hands with them if they wanted to move on to a 1A or 1B club, but the players need to be playing across all senior AIL sides.
Taking the good with the bad
Of the many memorable days at Thomond, the opening of the new clubhouse is up there with the best for Hartery.
“Seeing the clubhouse open was a red-letter day, and winning the ‘91 Junior Cup as a player was up there too. But above those I think going senior in 2000, for all the fellas that tried over the years, it was great to finally get the recognition for them.
For Casey it’s much the same. “Almost 15 years to the day from playing in the playoff game to go senior, we got promoted two years ago when I was coaching so that was an unreal feeling”.
On the other side of the coin, getting relegated last year is fresh in the memory for both, with the Junior Cup semi final defeats in the 70’s against Highfield and Waterpark sticking out for Hartery.
Above: Dermot Fitzgerald was key in Thomond’s charge for promotion two seasons ago
Looking ahead
“After a very difficult year which culminated in relegation from division 2A, head coach Ger Casey is excited by what he describes as a challenging season ahead.
“We want to consolidate where we are and stop the drift of players from the club. Last season was very, very difficult for a combination of reasons, but we’ve parked that and we’re aiming to kick on now.
“We want to get promoted but we know we need a platform and a positive early start in the league is key. We have ambition and it is a really exciting time for the club. With Davy Quinlivan coming on board as player coach in the forwards, it’s a huge plus as he’ll bring a lot to the table with his experience.
“We will also be expanding the grounds under the regeneration scheme, and have a top class clubhouse and gym, so off the field we are good nick too.
“With President Leon Ledger and Chairman of Rugby Danny Coady, the club is in good hands.
Being a Thomond man
For Hartery being a Thomond man is all about pride.
“I’m born and bred Thomond and I’ve lived here for a large part of my life. When you wear the jersey, you play with your brothers, your mates, your school friends. Everyone who plays here does so with huge pride and there is toughness in the jersey.
“When teams come here they know what they are going to get, and to be part of it is something special. There is a loyalty here, fellas that have a constant name in the club that has been carried on through generations, the likes of the Ryans, Coadys, Harterys, O’ Donnells and O’ Mahonys. The nucleus that was here is still here and it is something to be very proud of.
