The season 2009-2010 marks the centenary of rugby in Castleknock College, with February 17th marking the centenary of the Rugby XV’s first competitive fixture against a University College Dublin XV. 1912-1913 was a red-letter one in the history of Castleknock College Rugby in that Michael Thornhill’s side captured the Leinster Senior Crown on the college’s first attempt defeating our hosts Blackrock College in the final. Castleknock entered the Leinster Schools Junior Cup the following year but it was not until the following year that we enscribed our name on that trophy. The season 1919-1920 was and remains the most successful season in the history of Castleknock Rugby in that both the Leinster Senior and Junior Cup’s were brought back to the college with the Senior side being captained by future British and Irish Lion, Jimmy Farrell while the Junior side featured Castleknock’s other British and Irish Lion Michael Dunne. In total the College has won the Leinster Schools Senior Crown on eight occasions the last victorious side was skippered by Ralph Ince and defeated our hosts Blackrock College 12-8 in the 1965 decider. In total the College has accounted for the Leinster Schools Senior Cup on eight occasions winning the competition in 1913, 1920, 1931, 1937, 1944, 1947, 1959 and 1965. While the Junior crown has also been returned to the College on eight occasions in 1915, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1928 and 1966. The College has the undesired distinction of being defeated in the Schools Senior Cup final on more occasions than any other Leinster College falling at the final hurdle on 15 occasions. The last such occasion was in the 1983 decider when Joe Fogarty’s side were beaten by DLS Churchtown. To date the college has had 26 Pastmen go on to become full internationals while 2 Pastmen were wartime internationals. Tom Shanahan of Lansdowne was the College’s first international footballer and was capped for Ireland in 1885 a full 24 years before Rugby replaced Association Football as the sport of choice in Castleknock College! Denis Hurley is the most recent ‘Pastman’ to wear the green of Ireland while both Denis and Devin Toner were involved in Munster and Leinsters Heineken cup successes in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Since the establishment of the Irish Schools side in 1974-75, 18 Castleknock boys have represented their country while 182 pupils of the College have represented their provinces since the season 1912-13.
Castleknock’s school Interprovincial players
08-09 Martin Moore, Peter Reilly
07-08 Martin Moore
05-06 Brian Collins
05-06 Ruadhairi Murphy
05-06 Tom Walsh
04-05 Brian Collins
03-04 Devon Toner, Eric Flanagan, Eoin Mullen, Ciaran Delany
02-03 Vincent Gough
01-02 Greg Stafford
00-01 Simon Crawford, Greg Stafford
99-00 John Lyne
97-98 John Duffy, Colm McMahon
94-95 Aidan McCullen, Adrian Langan, Ian Murphy
93-94 Peter Coyle
92-93 Patrick Farrell
90-91 Cormac Dooley
88-89 Cormac Twomey, Philip Kenny
83-84 Ian Kelly, Peter Brady, Ronan Carthy,
82-83 Ian Kelly
80-81 Paul Bell, James Fitzsimmons
79-80 Conor McCarthy
77-78 Michael Moylett, John Murphy
76-77 Mark MacWhite, Peter Kinsella
75-76 Willie Sexton, Paul Derham, Paul Loughran
74-75 Jimmy Molloy, Jerry Sexton, Barry Murphy, David Moore
73-74 Michael Kearney
72-73 Peter Desmond, Michael Kearney
70-71 Emmet O’Rafferty
69-70 Paddy Bourke
68-69 Tom Cheevers
67-68 John Magee, John McCormack
66-67 Vincent Hay, Tom Durcan, Alec Blayney
65-66 Terry Grant, Fergus Meehan, John Cheevers, Peter Murphy
64-65 Ralph Ince, Arthur Cunningham, Terry Grant, Ronald Cudmore, Fergus Meehan
63-64 Niall Kennedy, Peter Roughneen
62-63 Brian Mullen, Niall Kennedy, Peter Roughneen
61-62 Tommy Greally, Laurence Cheevers, Michael Bannigan, Jeremiah Desmond, William Dunne
60-61 Paul Feighery, Alan Duggan, Laurence Cheevers, Tommy Greally, Stephen Fuller, Desmond Murphy
59-60 Donal McGoldrick, John Kilfeather, John Murray, Stephen Fuller, Tommy O’Reilly
58-59 Brian Brereton, Dermot Dorgan, Frank O’Donnell, Niall O’Farrell, John Roughneen
57-58 Dick Donworth
56-57 Paddy Bourke, Gerard Cleary
55-56 Brian Taylor, Patrick Shortall, Oliver Quinn, Tom Lombard, Paddy Bourke, Anthony Boylan
54-55 Matthew Barry, Brian Taylor, Gerry Hardy, Paddy Bourke, Thomas McGeough, John O’Neill
53-54 Frank O’Rourke, Tom Crotty
52-53 Dermot Ward, Joseph Quinn, Brian Howlett, Noel Doyle, Frank O’Rourke
51-52 John Moore, Conor Austin, David O’Neill, Dermot Ward, James Crotty, Jerry Nestor
50-51 Liam Galligan, Laurence McGovern, Fearghal O’Farrell
49-50 Robert Dowley, Robert Kerr, Roger Shipsey
47-48 Leo Lynch, Tom Cleary, Brendan Guerin, Roger Shipsey, John Nestor, Richard O’Neill
46-47 Paul Cullen, William O’Neill, Frank Maher, Peter McCabe, Tom Cleary
45-46 Stan Brindley, Brian Devlin, Conor Crowley
44-45 Joe O’Neill, Tom Delahunt, Paddy Hopkins, Eddie Connellan
43-44 Paddy O’Donoghue, Joe Brennan, John Cooney, Ray Carroll
41-42 Jack Mackesy, Frank Johnston, James Walshe, John Browne
39-40 Colm Callan, Paid O’Donoghue, Brendan Steen, Liam O’Rafferty, Sean O’Hanrahan, Frank O’Donnell
38-39 Liam O’Rafferty, Tom Cosgrave, Paddy Lawler
37-38 David Bell, Alec Lyons, Tom Cosgrave
36-37 David Bell, Francis Cosgrave, Laurence Curran, Sean Gallagher, Patrick Lyons
34-35 Noel Burke, Jim Ryan, Willie Dallas, Dom Cosgrave
33-34 Derry Sweeney, Jim Ryan
32-33 Brian Crealey, Tom Brophy
31-32 Hugh Finlay, Tim Boland, Widger,
30-31 Michael Gibson, Tom Sinnott, Tim Boland
29-30 James Black
28-29 Dick Drew, Joe O’Leary, Sean Maher
25-25 Tommy O’Reilly
23-24 Michael Dunne
22-23 Desmond Grant
20-21 Jimmy Farrell
19-20 Jimmy Farrell, Charlie Hanrahan, Jack Fitzgerald
18-19 John MacKenna
17-18 Edgar Hanrahan, Ted McElligott
16-17 Ted McElligott
15-16 Dan O’Connell, Brendan O’Farrell, James Fitzgerald
14-15 Phillip Kelleher
12-13 William Murphy, William Power
Castleknock’s School Internationals
08-09 Martin Moore
07-08 Martin Moore
05-06 Brian Collins
05-06 Ruadhairi Murphy
05-06 Tom Walsh
04-05 Brian Collins
03-04 Devon Toner
01-02 Greg Stafford
00-01 Simon Crawford
99-00 John Lyne
94-95 Aidan McCullen
93-94 Peter Coyle
80-81 Paul Bell
79-80 Conor McCarthy
77-78 Michael Moylett
76-77 Mark MacWhite
75-76 Willie Sexton, Paul Derham
74-75 Jimmy Molloy, Jerry Sexton
Castleknock’s SCT Captains
09 Daire Heneghan
08 Liam McConville
07 Dermot O’Riordan
06 Brian Collins
05 Sean MacKay
04 Eoin Mullen
03 Shane McCarthy
02 Greg Stafford
01 Colm Manning
00 John Lyne
99 Will Stafford
98 John Duffy
97 Ted Robinson
96 Paul Grimes
95 Adrian Langan
94 Niall Gunne
93 Patrick Farrell
92 Peter Harrison
91 Peter Mullan
90 Pat Gunne
89 Conal Lowry
88 Phillip Kenny
87 Donough McGowan
86 Eddie Fleming
85 Rory Mason
84 Ian Kelly
83 Joe Fogarty
82 Ray Carroll
81 David Ronan
80 Pat McCann
79 David Lyne
78 Jeremy Cotter
77 Peter Kinsella
76 Paul Loughran
75 Jimmy Molloy
74 Barry Boland
73 Paddy O’Sullivan
72 Cathal Louth
71 Emmet O’Rafferty
70 Paddy Kelly
69 David Murphy
68 John Magee
67 Vincent Hay/ Tom Durcan
66 Terry Grant
65 Ralph Ince
64 Niall Kennedy
63 Paul Kirwan
62 Micheal Bannigan
61 Stephen Fuller
60 John Murray
59 Brian Brereton
58 Terry O’Neill
57 Patrick Bourke
56 Oliver Quinn
55 Mattie Barry
54 Frank O’Rourke
53 Dermot Ward
52 Conor Austin
51 Barry Walsh
50 Walter O’Donoghue
49 Roger Shipsey
48 Tom Cleary
47 Peter McCabe
46 Paddy Hopkins
45 John Fitzharris
44 Ray Carroll
43 Henry O Hagan
42 Francis Johnston
41 Emmet O’Rafferty
40 Liam O’Rafferty
39 Liam O’Rafferty
38 Alec Lyons
37 Patrick Lyonsl
36 Pat Lyons
35 James Ryan
34 Derry Sweeney
33 Tom Brophy
32 Tim Boland
31 Siggie Hopkins
30 James Black
29 Joe O’Leary
28 Michael Saurin
27 Harry Lightfoot
26 Paddy Lawler
25 Tommy O Reilly
24 Jack Toner
23 John David Smyth
22 Myles Shelly
21 Jimmy Farrell
20 Jimmy Farrell
19 John McKenna
18 John Delaney
17
16
15
14
13
12 Desmond O’Neill
11 Desmond O’Neill
10 Thomas Donovan
JCT
09 Rory Gleeson
08 Conor O’Riordan
07 Sean Lacey
06 Jack O’Shea
05 Liam Townsend
04 Dermot O’Riordan
03 Brian Collins
02 Eoin Mullen
01 Eoin Mullen
00 Denis Hurley
99 Greg Stafford
98 Colm Manning
97 John Lyne
95 Will Stafford
96 Alan Dixon
94 Barry Twomey
93 Ian Murphy
92 Cian Lynch
91 Bernard Robinson
90 Donal O’Reilly
89 Peter Harrison
88 Marcus O’Connor
87 John Doyle
86
85
84 Oliver Quinn
83 Mark Egan
82 Peter Brady
81 J.Brady
80 Joe Fogarty
79 Damien McGovern
78 Donald Hickey
77 Patrick O’Dwyer
76 Jeremy Cotter
75 Jimmy Geraghty
74 Peter Conlan
73 Jimmy Molloy
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57 Liam Lalor
56 Dermot Hyland
55 Noel Curran
54 Patrick Bourke
53 Oliver Quinn
52 John Bourke
51 Frank O’Rourke
50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
42
41
40
39
38
37
36
35
34 Barry O’Brien
33 Meryn Murphy
32 Jim Ryan
31 Charlie Brophy
30 Fred Dwyer
29 Tom Sinnott
28 Siggie Hopkins
27 Ryan
26 James Marsland
25
24 Jimmy Quinn
23 Eddie Lightfoot
22 Michael Linnane
21 Percy/ Paddy O’Donnell
20 Leo Shortall
19 Charles Hanrahan
18 Charles Hanrahan
Internationals
1885-1888 Tom Shanahan (Lansdowne)
1920 Willie Duggan (UCC)
1922 Jack Egan (Bective)
1926-1932 Jimmy Farrell (Bective)
1926-1932 Charlie Hanrahan (Dolphin)
1928-1932 Jack Arigho (Lansdowne)
1929-1934 Michael Dunne (Lansdowne)
1931-1933 Eddie Lightfoot (Lansdowne)
1934 Jim Reardon (Cork Constitution)
1935-1936 Paddy Lawlor (Bective)
1939 Jim Ryan (UCD)
1944 Noel Burke* (Lansdowne)
1944 Tom Halpenny* (UCD)
1947-49 Colm Callan (Lansdowne)
1947-1950 Ray Carroll (Lansdowne)
1952-1954 William O’Neill (Wanderers)
1956 Leo Lynch (Lansdowne)
1956 Brendan Guerin (Galwegians)
1962 Gerry Hardy (Bective)
1963 John Murray (UCD)
1964-1972 Alan Duggan (UCD)
1965 Henry Wall (Dolphin)
1972 Con Feighery (Lansdowne)
1984-1988 Willie Sexton (Garryowen)
1988 Michael Moylett (Shannon)
1994 Richard Costello (Garryowen)
2003 Aidan McCullen (Lansdowne)
2009 Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution)
Castleknock’s British and Irish Lions
Jimmy Farrell (Bective)
Michael Dunne (Lansdowne)