Emerald Warriors
 |
|
| Union |
IRFU Leinster |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Warriors |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
| Ground(s) | St. Mary's RFC, Templeville Road, Dublin 6w |
| President | Damien Kavanagh |
| Coach(es) | Simon Finnegan |
| Captain(s) | Simon Murphy |
| League(s) | Leinster Metro League Division 10 |
| Official website | |
| www |
|
The Emerald Warriors are an Irish rugby team based in Dublin. They play in the Leinster Metro League Division 10 and are members of the International Gay Rugby Association and Board. The are the reigning bronze final champions since Union Cup Madrid 2017. The Warriors are Ireland's first primarily gay rugby team although it is open to anyone with an interest in playing rugby and includes heterosexual members.
Emerald Warriors RFC was formed in August 2003 by Richie Whyte to provide gay and bisexual men the opportunity to play rugby in Ireland and internationally and to create links with similar teams and organisations in the UK, Europe and America. The team began playing in 2004 and took part in the Bingham Cup, often referred to as the 'Gay World Cup' that year, representing Ireland. They competed again in 2006 and went on to host the event in 2008, in Dublin City University's sports complex with endorsement from the IRFU. The event was deemed a success for rugby in general, for bringing gay rugby in Ireland to a new level of organisation and popularity by The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN). They entered the Leinster Metro Junior league in 2007. They also competed in the Union Cup a biennial European, non-professional, gay rugby union tournament in London 2009, Amsterdam 2011 and Bristol 2013.
The Union Cup, Madrid, 2017 - Bronze final winners.
The Hadrian Cup, Newcastle, 2017 - Overall winners.
The Union Cup, Newcastle, 2017 - Bronze Plate.
The Union Cup, Copenhagen, 2007 - 7s Champions.
The club colours are green, white and blue. The team crest is based on a traditional Celtic shield with several rugby balls forming a decorative floral pattern at the center of the crest.
The team was subject of a documentary film on Irish language station TG4 called Queering the Pitch which followed the Emerald Warriors, representing Ireland at the Bingham Cup in 2006. The documentary, which was directed by Tom Maguire, was also screened at GAZE: The Dublin International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival in 2007.
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