Brisbane Irish Rugby Football Club

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Brisbane Irish RFC
Founded	1996
Location	Brisbane, Australia
Region	Queensland
Ground(s)	Memorial Park
Capacity	n/a
Coach	Terry Donaghue, David Lea, Daymon Tuka, David Holder, Grant Rogerson
Captain	Adam Daly
2007	3rd
Home colours		Away colours

The Brisbane Irish Rugby Football Club are an Australian rugby union club, based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club currently competes in the Queensland Suburban competition in the Barber, Pegg and Scotney Cups. The club was established in 1996 and has developed into one of Brisbane's fastest growing clubs.

[edit] History

Brisbane Irish Rugby Football Club originated as the Terrace Old Boys formed in 1994 until in 1996 when a meeting of players at Dooley's Irish Pub gave birth to the Brisbane Irish Rugby Football Club. The club operated out of Gregory Terrace`s Tennyson playing fields until 1999 when the club moved for one season to Kenmore.

In 2000 the Brisbane Irish did not compete and regrouped and in 2001 thanks largely to Paul Quaglia, Tom Nicol and Brendan Yantsch, the club reformed and operated out of Purtell Park at Bardon in partnership with the West (Brisbane) Junior Rugby League Club. In 2007 the Brisbane Irish relocated to their current home ground Memorial Park, Enoggera in partnership with the Everton Park Rugby Union Sporting Association.

In 2003 the Irish expanded the club with 1st and 2nd Grade teams competing in the Queensland Suburban Division 2 competition. In 2005 the Irish 1st Grade team qualified for the club's first ever Grand Final and were runners up. In 2006 the club qualified both 1st and 2nd grade teams in the finals with the 2nds playing in the Grand Final and were also runners up. In 2007 the club expanded again and fielded three senior teams in the Queensland Suburban Barber, Pegg and Scotney Cups.

The Brisbane Irish Rugby Club currently boasts one of the largest QLD Suburban Rugby clubs in Brisbane.

From its humble beginnings in Irish pubs around Brisbane, the Brisbane Irish have strived to provide all Brisbane rugby folk with an enjoyable club to play rugby and the opportunity to experience the thrills the great game can offer.

[edit] Home of the "MCBRATS"

The Brisbane Irish Rugby Football Club shot to national and international prominence when multi national company McDonalds filed a Trademark dispute in March 2005 with the Australian Trademarks office over the club’s use of “McBrat” on their playing shorts.

“McBrat” the sponsorship logo of former player and club sponsor Malcom McBratney became the centre of a well publicised dispute as McDonald’s claimed the prefix “Mc” as a trademark of the burger giant.

The story resonated throughout the world as the Brisbane Irish gained national & international coverage in their David v Goliath battle. Media agencies in Australia, New Zealand, England, Canada, France, Belgium & South Africa all reported in both television and print media the plight of the Brisbane Irish.

In August 2006 the Australia Trademarks Office delivered its decision in favour of the Brisbane Irish and sponsor Malcom McBratney enabling the continued use of “McBrat” on the club’s playing shorts.

The Brisbane Irish has since become one of Brisbane’s leading Irish ex-pat organisations whose presence at “Irish” events and comment on Irish related news is often sought after.

The “McBrats” have become one of the prominent Irish identities in Brisbane with national and international appeal and is one of the most recognisable clubs in Queensland Rugby.

[edit] Representative Players

Queensland Suburban Rugby Union Representative Team

• 1997 - Pat Noonan
• 2004 - Robert Donaghue
• 2005 - Robert Donaghue; Tony Hunt
• 2006 - Robert Donaghue; Clint Deveraux; Kyron Meithke
• 2007 - Evan Donaghue; Kyron Meithke

[edit] QLD Suburban Rugby Union Grand Finals

Runners-Up

• 2005 Ipswich 20-7 Brisbane Irish (1st Grade)
• 2006 Wynnum 14-0 Brisbane Irish (2nd Grade)

[edit] External links

• Brisbane Irish Rugby Football Club - Official website