All Blacks Commemorate Legend Gallaher

All Blacks flanker Jerry Collins smashes a champagne bottle at the opening of the Dave Gallaher Memorial Park at Letterkenny RFC

Players from the New Zealand squad, including captain Tana Umaga, travelled north to the Donegal town of Ramelton on Wednesday to commemorate the All Blacks’ first captain Dave Gallaher.

The players and team officials visited the birthplace of Gallaher, who captained “The Originals”, the first touring New Zealand side to visit Europe and North America in the 1905/06 season.

Gallaher’s family, which included mum, dad and nine children, emigrated to New Zealand in 1878, to the Bay of Plenty and then Auckland, when he was just five-years-old.

Ironically Gallaher, who stood 6ft and 13st, missed the 1905 tour match against the country of his birth, played in front of 12,000 spectators at Lansdowne Road on a drizzly November day, due to a leg injury.

The Originals won it 15-0.

On Wednesday, some of the current All Blacks were on hand, after months of hard work by Letterkenny RFC and the Dave Gallaher Appreciation Society, to pay homage to one of their greatest ever servants in county Donegal.

The Kiwi party, which included Umaga, Neemia Tialata, Conrad Smith, Angus Macdonald, Jerry Collins, Joe Rokocoko and team manager Darren Shand, officially named Letterkenny RFC’s new ground, the “Dave Gallaher Memorial Park.” There, they took part in a skills session with some local children.

They also travelled to neighbouring Ramelton where they unveiled a plaque over Gallaher’s birthplace – what was Corry’s shop in the Market Square. Tea and photographs were taken with the house’s current inhabitant, Mrs Ena Corry, who runs a bed and breakfast.

Speaking on the players’ behalf, Smith said: “We hold him so true and dear to our hearts not only because he led an All Blacks team over here 100 years ago, and also because he gave the ultimate sacrifice in defending our country and our values.

“In a lot of ways we’re representing All Blacks and all the war veterans who are dear to us.”

Letterkenny RFC President Denis Faulkner addressing the All Blacks at the pitch unveiling, said: “It’s a proud day for county Donegal – we will never forget what you’ve done for rugby here.”

The moustachioed Gallaher, who is widely regaled as the game’s first true “openside” flanker, died during World War One and while several All Blacks teams have visited his grave in Belgium, the visit to his birthplace in Ramelton is thought to have been a first.

Having been christened “Gallagher” in his native Ireland, Auckland immigration officials mis-spelt his name on arrival in New Zealand and from then on, he became known as Dave Gallaher.