A history of rugby in Kilruane, Co Tipperary

The performances of Ben Healy, from Rapla, with the Munster team in recent weeks against Scarlets and Edinburgh have received widespread praise in the local and national press. How many people know that Kilruane had a thriving rugby team from 1876 to 1880?
In Cloughjordan Heritage Volume 2 published in 1987, Danny Grace wrote an article on the Kilruane rugby club. They played nine matches between 1876 and 1880. Their opponents in those matches were Carrigatoher, Nenagh Cricket Club, Killeen Cricket and Football Club and the 53rd Regiment from Nenagh Military Barracks. The following is the side that played their first game against Carrigatoher in 1876; Toler Woulfe (Captain), Ml Spain, James Hogan, James Peters, Pat Kelly, James Kelly, Pat Minogue, James Minogue, Pat Nolan, Rody Nolan, William Delaney, P Ryan, John Scully, Wm Spain, Rody Spain, John Spain, Ed Flannery, Michael Gleeson, Pat Gleeson, Wm Gleeson, Wm Hayes, P Minogue, T Meagher, M Meagher and Tom Meara. Players who lined out in later matches included; Wm Martin, Con Keogh, Matt Whaley, Wm Delaney, Con and Mike Gleeson, John Gaynor, Edward Moloney, George O'Leary, Con MacDonagh, Wm Parker and John Hearn. It appears that the Kilruane club became defunct in 1880, probably as a result of the outbreak of the Land War, and many of its members then became part of the Rapla hurling team after the foundation the GAA in 1884.
The Kilruane Rugby club enjoyed themselves off the field as well. The accounts of the club for 1877 show that the total expenditure for the year was over £8 and most of this expenditure (75%) was incurred in buying 3 barrels of porter, 2 gallons and a quart of whiskey and 3 dozen lemonade.