The Ireland Women’s team played their first international in 1993 and in the years since then the Women’s game has grown to an incredible extent. On Saturday afternoon ahead of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations match in Virgin Media Park, the IRFU honoured the people who played an integral part in the early years of the game including Ireland Captains, Coaches and members of the orginal Irish Women’s Rugby Football Union.

It was an uplifting and emotional event that allowed the new generation of players, represented by Ireland international Sam Monaghan, to pay tribute to those who paved the way for them.

Speaking to the guests Monaghan pointed out that she was born the year of that first game when Jill Henderson captained Ireland against Scotland

IRFU President Declan Madden spoke passionately about the importance of Women’s Rugby, acknowledging the struggles of the past and the work done by so many volunteers over the years and stating his and the Union’s, firm support for the future of the game.

Award Recipients

IWRFU Past Presidents

Mary O’Beirne, Nicola Doyle, Carole Ann Clarke, Carole-Ann Reynolds, Grainne O’Connell, Frances Cross Spalding, Su Carty.

Captains

Jill Henderson, Cath Mullaly, Kathryn Hennessy, Anne Parsons, Therese Kennedy, Aoife Rodgers, Carole Ann Clarke, Suzanne Fleming, Fiona Steed, Sarahjane Belton, Lynne Cantwell,  Fiona Coghlan, Germaine Healy.

IWRFU Committee Members

Johnnie Neary, Lorraine Noade, Maura Coulter, Rohan West, Deirdre Lynch, Sinead Cosgrave, Marie Hayes Cahill, Edel Bourke, Jacqui Conboy, Paula Keane, Tanya Waters, Alison Donnelly.

Coaches/Managers

Alain Rolland, Dónal O’Leary, Philip ‘Goose’ Doyle, Rachel Reid, Denise Tracey, Colin Moran.