A NEW book, 'Limerick Lions - Limerick and the British and Irish Lions 1888-1988' - tracks the first nine Limerick men to represent the British and Irish Lions.
The fascinating publication meticulously documents the players’ stories from schools’ rugby, through club and on to representative level.
These nine men, between them played one hundred and nine times for the Lions, including in eighteen test matches. Their adventures took them to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Canada, Namibia and Kenya.
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Readers can learn about their on-field and off-field experiences in these far-flung parts of the world as well as their club and international careers.
A Limerickman, Ned Dore from Shanagolden, played against the Lions before a Limerickman had even played for them.
Colm Tucker played for the Lions more times than he did for the Ireland team. Garryowen’s Tom Reid was the first man to play for and against the Lions.
William Roche even had a WW2 encounter with Rudolph Hess. This is their story.
The first hundred years of Limerick and the British and Irish Lions.
Written with the support of some of the players and/or their families, this book is crammed with interesting anecdotes and detail, not just about these players but the early Lions tours in general.
The book's authors say the criteria used in selecting the players featured was Limerick born or deeply associated with rugby in Limerick either by playing significant parts of their careers in Limerick or by living for long periods in Limerick.
Long before professionalism, when tours lasted six months, Limerick men heroically wore the Lions jersey. Young Munster's Tom Clifford, Garryowen's Tony Ward and Gordon Wood, Bohemian Mick English, Shannon's Colm Tucker and Gerry McLoughlin, or men like Bill Mulcahy and William Roche who didn't play their rugby in Limerick, these guys were heroes to many far beyond their native city.
The book is written by Des Ryan and Stephen Ruschitzko and will be published on July 1.
Limerick Lions - Limerick and the British and Irish Lions 1888-1988 will be on sale in O'Mahonys and online via Amazon