Rugby News

Limerick, a city obsessed with sport, has elected a local rugby legend, Ginger McLaughlin, as Lord Mayor. It gives us a great excuse to show this then.

Ireland, and Munster especially, is no stranger to electing sporting icons to office. From current Minster Jimmy Deenihan (of Kerry football fame) to former Taoiseach Jack Lynch (a multiple All Ireland winner with Cork) a bit of sporting swagger does you no harm at the ballot box.

So we weren’t too surprised to read today that Limerick had elected Gerry 'Ginger' McLoughlin as their new Lord Mayor. McLoughlin played for Munster and Ireland, and he was one of the XV who beat the All Blacks in that infamous game back in 1978.

But he is best remembered, at least in the rest of the country, for the above try. It helped Ireland beat England at Twickenham in 1982 and set up a tilt at a Triple Crown, which Ireland won by beating Scotland at Lansdowne Road. However, the England win lives longest in the memory, especially this score.

McLoughlin was elected to the City Council in 2004 and the now Labour member has committed to tackling unemployment in his tenure. We wish him all the best.