Andy Crawford Announced As New IRFU President

Andy Crawford (Dungannon FC) has succeeded Barry Keogh (Old Belvedere RFC) as President of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

Andy Crawford (Dungannon FC) has succeeded Barry Keogh (Old Belvedere RFC) as President of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

The announcement was made at the IRFU’s annual Council meeting at Dublin’s Berkeley Court hotel on Friday evening.

Andy Crawford has bridged a 93-year gap by becoming the first member from Dungannon FC since Major Robert Stevenson in season 1912/13, to be enrolled as President of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

A retired clothing manufacturer, who lives in Portadown, County Armagh with wife Joan, father-of-two Andy assumes the highest office in Irish rugby after a distinguished career as a player and administrator.

A renowned open side wing forward with the Dungannon club from season 1958-59 to 1970-71, he played for the Ulster provincial team for six seasons from 1963-64, including matches against the touring New Zealand All Blacks and Australia.

He was also chosen to play for the Rest of Ireland against the Combined Universities and played in the Irish Final Trial in 1969-70.

President of Dungannon in 1983-84 and Ulster Branch President in 1989-90, Andy is a long serving member on the IRFU Committee, where for 13 years he has made a rich contribution to a variety of key sub-committees, most notably in the areas of youth development, the Celtic and AIB Leagues and all areas of the domestic game.