Garryowen Football Club (Irish: Cumann Rugbaí Gharraí Eoin), usually referred to as Garryowen, is a rugby union club from Limerick, Ireland. As at the 2024–25 season, it plays in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League. Historically, Garryowen has been one of the most successful clubs in Irish rugby union.
History
The club was formed in 1884. The founding members of the club were:
Messrs. Patrick Stapleton, Tom Prendergast, J.O'Connor, J.G.O'Brien, Roche, Riordan, Pender, Gilligan and Dick
Founding member of the club, W.L.Stokes, had a huge influence on the game in Limerick during the 1880s. He made sure Garryowen received Union recognition in 1884. If not for his tireless work promoting rugby, Garryowen might never have begun.
Another great family linked to Garryowen were the O'Connors. John O'Connor was a founder member of the club and his seven sons were prominent rugby players, runners and oarsmen of national and international renown. They won 47 Munster senior cup medals between them beginning in the early 1890s. Born in Athlunkard Street, Limerick, the seven brothers - Mick, Charlie, Jack, Thade, Joe, Bryan and Jim - set an impressive record with 47 medals. Jack with 11 had the most. His son, Mick, won 4 further Munster Senior Cup medals between 1925 and 1934.
The club has had two fixed homes: the Markets Field until 1957, then the club moved to Dooradoyle. After the club moved, Garryowen (which had won the Senior cup in 1954) did not achieve success again for 15 years – the longest period in the club's history without a cup win. It was not till 1969 that another led to a glorious period for the club with probably the finest collection of players since the great nine in row team. With 5 senior cups coming in the next 10 years. There was also great success on the international scene with 6 players getting capped for Ireland in this time.
After winning the Cup in 1979 the club did not achieve Cup success again until 1993, not the largest gap between wins but this was the 1st time that they had failed to win at least one cup in each decade. Back-to-back Munster Senior League successes in 1982 and 1983 were the highlights of the 80's. The foundations were laid for the great success that was achieved in the 90's. The advent of the All Ireland League would give the club game in Limerick the platform it had long sought.
Having won the league title in its second and fourth year (1992, 1994), Garryowen reached two finals and a number of semi-finals only to fall just short. However, 2007 proved a spectacular year for the Limerick side, seeing them finally re-take the AIL crown after their years of disappointment and also the Munster Senior and AIL cups in what is an unprecedented clean sweep of all domestic competitions in Irish club rugby.
In total Garryowen have won the Munster Senior Cup 38 times, more times than any other club. Garryowen won the trophy nine times in a row between 1889 and 1898 and have the distinction of having played in the first final in 1886 and the 100th final in 1986.
The garryowen kick
In playing terms a garryowen is a very high kick with a deliberately long time in flight rather than pure distance, named after the rugby club[1] designed to put the opposing team under pressure by allowing the kicking team time to arrive under and compete for the high ball. It is thought to have come part of the modern lexicon in the early 1920s as one of the great Garryowen teams that won three Senior cups from 1924 to 1926 used this tactic to the utmost. The 'garryowen' was immortalised as a 'descriptive' to the British sporting public by the doyen of BBC Rugby Union commentators Bill McLaren who frequently used it in his decades on air between 1953 and 2002. He often used the phrase "hoists the garryowen" rather than "kicks" adding additional colour to his commentary. In rugby league a similar kick is usually referred to as an up and under, while a similar kick in American football can occur in fourth down situations, when the team in possession 'punts' although the kicking team cannot retain possession as in the rugby codes.
The following Garryowen players have represented Ireland at full international level, 56 players in total. The club has had players represent Ireland at every position.
