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Brian O'Driscoll's dad among 12 internationals to receive an Ireland cap
By Ian Cameron
The IRFU have announced that they will be awarding caps to 12 players who were not recognized at the time for their participation in games that were not classified as International Test Matches. Among these players is Frank O’Driscoll, the father of Irish rugby legend, Brian O’Driscoll.
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Frank O’Driscoll played twice for Ireland in 1970 on a tour of Argentina, but he was not awarded a cap since the match was considered a non-Test game. However, after a rigorous examination of the history of capped and uncapped games, a special committee of the IRFU has decided to honour O’Driscoll and the 11 other players by awarding them an Ireland cap and officially enrolling them in the list of international players.
In fact Brian O’Driscoll had called for a cap for his father back in 2014, writing on Twitter: “Congrats to all the new caps on tour. In 1970 Ireland toured Argentina with one Frank O’Driscoll. 2 Tests, no cap. IRFU need to put it right.”
Congrats to all the new caps on tour. In 1970 Ireland toured Argentina with one Frank O'Driscoll. 2 Tests, no cap. IRFU need to put it right
— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) June 16, 2014
Until 1986, Ireland only awarded caps to players who played in international matches against the “original” rugby playing nations, such as England, Scotland, Wales, France, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, with two exceptions. These two exceptions were the 1888 game against the touring NZ Natives and the IRFU Centenary match against the President’s International XV in 1974. Ireland has played 19 games against national sides where caps were not awarded, but 14 of these games were recognized by our opponents.
The 12 players who participated in these 14 games will be granted their international cap in recognition of their contribution.
The presentation of the caps will occur during a pre-match event at the Bank of Ireland Nations Series game against England on August 19 at the Aviva Stadium.
The players will be assigned their Irish International player number today, and there will be no retrospective reordering of all Irish players’ player numbers, nor will past caps and points records be adjusted for those games.
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List of names, Clubs at the time, Year Capped & Ireland Cap Number:
Jack Belton (Old Belvedere) 1946 – #1142
Hugh Dolan (UCD) 1946 – #1143
Harry Greer (NIFC) 1946 – #1144
Jack Guiney (Bective Rangers) 1946 – #1145
Des Thorpe (Old Belvedere) 1946 – #1146
Paul Traynor (Clontarf) 1952 – #1147
John Birch (Ballymena) 1970 – #1148
Frank O’Driscoll (UCD) 1970 – #1149
Leo Galvin (Athlone) 1973 – #1150
Emmet O’Rafferty (Wanderers) 1976 – #1151
Rab Brady (Ballymena) 1985 – #1152
Paul Clinch (Lansdowne) 1989 – #1153
In 2018, the 112 women’s internationals who represented Ireland between 1993 to 2005, (the period prior to the IWRFU’s integration into the IRFU) were presented with caps at a ceremony at Aviva Stadium.
