A History of Rugby in Leinster

Book excerpt: Leinster is one of the most successful and influential Irish sporting teams of all time. The team boasts a dazzling roster of players, past and present, including Brian O’Driscoll, Johnny Sexton, Jamie Heaslip and current captain James Ryan. But there is so much more to rugby in Leinster, and, for the first time, this book compiles the rich history of the sport in the province, from its origins in the school and university teams, through the amateur years, with the growth of clubs throughout the province, to the dawn of the professional age and the many spectacular championships won by the province in the twenty-first century, when the national love for rugby kicked up a gear. Doolin celebrates all the breathless victories enjoyed by Leinster teams at every level, but it’s not just about the silverware. He looks at the challenges that rugby faced in surviving and growing province-wide since it was first played in Dublin in the nineteenth century. He also ruminates on the sport’s relationships with politics and class, which reflect the complexities of politics and identity in Ireland as a whole. A History of Rugby in Leinster is a vibrant celebration of sport-ing greatness and of Leinster’s enduring commitment to teamwork, integrity and community.