McGuire To Be Inducted Into Connacht Hall Of Fame
Connacht Rugby will induct legendary Connacht and Ireland back rower Eamonn McGuire into the Hall of Fame at the province’s annual Awards Dinner on Saturday, April 28.
Eamonn McGuire was part of the Ireland pack, including four other Connacht players (back rowers Noel Murphy and Tony O’Sullivan and props Ray McLoughlin and PJ Dwyer, that played New Zealand as part of their 1963/64 tour.
Despite losing the match 6-5 and having a try of his own disallowed, which would have given Ireland their first victory over the All Blacks, McGuire is credited with rattling Kiwi out-half Macfarlane Herewini enough to shake the New Zealand team to the core and cement his place for the upcoming Five Nations tournament.
Born in 1939, McGuire first came to prominence playing for the Connacht Schools side in the 1956/57 season as a St. Joseph’s, Galway pupil.
That season they went on to beat Leinster and Munster, losing out only to Ulster and Eamonn went on to represent Connacht Schools for a further two years.
In 1960, he was called up to represent Connacht in the interprovincial series and he earned his first cap against Leinster that November. A prolific try scorer, Eamonn went on to accumulate over 20 Connacht caps in his eight seasons with the province.
In the 1960/61 season, Eamonn, an Engineering student at UCG, was selected for the Combined Universities for their matches against UCD and the Rest of Ireland, scoring tries in both games.
It was his skill and turn of pace in the back row that helped him go on to win several Connacht Senior League and Cup titles whilst with UCG RFC.
In February 1963, he earned the first of eight Ireland caps in a home match against England at Lansdowne Road. The game finished scoreless and though Ireland lost to France in that series they went on to beat Wales 14-6.
A broken leg in 1966 sadly cut short the career of a tremendous sportsman who, alongside representing Connacht and Ireland in rugby, had rowed with the Bish, played football with the Claddagh Gaels and earned three provincial Championship sprinting medals.
Eamonn will join fellow inductees Brendan Guerin, Noel Mannion, Tony O’Suillivan, Ciaran Fitzgerald and Billy Mulcahy in the Hall of Fame to forever be remembered for his exceptional contribution to Connacht Rugby.
The Connacht Rugby Awards Dinner will be held on Saturday, April 28 in the Connemara Coast Hotel, Furbo, Galway.
Tickets are available from €;85 and can be purchased from the Connacht Rugby Office on College Road, Galway or by contacting Commercial Manager Fiona Keys by email: fiona@cbirfu.com.
Related Links –
Eamonn McGuire Ireland Profile