Dolphin RFC

History

The club was founded in 1902, by members of the Dolphin Swimming Club who were seeking to find a wintertime activity. Initially a Junior club they gained Senior status in 1913 after winning the Munster Junior Cup that year for the first time. Their first Munster Senior Cup came in 1921 and in 1942 the club moved to their current home at Musgrave Park A clubhouse was completed in 1956 with further facilities added in 1976. The club was not a member of the All-Ireland League for the inaugural season in 1990-91 but won promotion to the League the following season. The club won Division 2 of the League in 2002-03, the club’s centenary season. In 2021, the club decided the time was right to set up Women and Girls teams. This has been very successful, the Women were promoted to Division 1 of the Munster Senior League and we have U14, U16 & U18.5 sides.In this short period, 7 of the girls have played for Munster U18's, Irish U18 (7's & 15's, Irish U20 and 2 have played for the Munster Senior Women's side.

Honours

• All Ireland League Division 2 Champions 2003
• Munster Senior Cup Winners (6): 1921, 1931, 1944–45, 1948 and 1956.
• Munster Junior Cup (4):1913, 1923, 1926, 1944.
• Munster Junior Plate: 1985.
• Munster Under 20 League: 1984.
• Munster Senior League: (8) 1924, 1926, 1929, 1949, 1955, 1956, 1973 and 1991.

Notable Past Players

Former Irish Coach, Declan Kidney played for the club in the 1980s and early 1990s. Michael Kiernan, with 43, is the club's most capped international player. J S McCarthy and Terry Kingston both captained Ireland. Tomás O'Leary was the scrum half on Ireland's 2009 Grandslam winning team. The club's top try scorer in The AIB League & Cup is James Coughlan with 37, Coughlan was captain of the Munster side that beat Australia in 2010.

The following have represented Ireland at full international level whilst playing with Dolphin;

IRFU Presidents

• 1955/56 C J Hanrahan
• 1973/74 I F Mahony
• 1983/84 G F Reidy

Current Munster-Contracted Players

• Niall Scannell
• Rory Scannell

References

References

1. [https://www.irishrugby.ie/all-ireland-leagues-old/men/league-tables/ A.I.L. Tables 2024–25]
2. Noble, Ciaron. (19 September 2024). "Dolphin Family Ties Run Deep As They Look To Continue Rebuild".
3. "Dolphin swimming Club history".
4. "Dolphin RFC history".
5. Small, Daragh. (1 March 2019). "Club focus: Dolphin RFC". [[Irish Independent]].
6. (8 February 2006). "Where are they now? Michael Kiernan". [[Irish Independent]].
7. McCarry, Patrick. (23 November 2013). "All you'll ever need to know about Dolphin Rugby Club".
8. (16 November 2010). "As It Happened: Munster 15-6 Australia".