The Irish Rugby Union was formed in 1879 when the Irish Football Union and the Northern Football Union decided to form a single union. Some of the points laid down by this Union are:
- They would be known as the Irish Rugby Football Union and will be the governing body for all rugby matches in Ireland.
- The Union will have branches in Leinster, Munster and Ulster.
- A Council of 18 members will be responsible for the running of the Union. Three members from each province will be appointed. The Council will hold an annual meeting and will have a president and two vice-presidents among others.
By 1885, the membership had risen to 26 and by the turn of the century it had risen to more than 200. Besides these there are more than 250 schools which play rugby and are affiliated with the Union.
The headquarters of the IRFU is located at Lansdowne Road. It also owns the ground which is the venue for Irish rugby union international matches. The Union owns other grounds at Ravenhill in Belfast, Thomond Park in Limerick and as well as a number of grounds in provincial areas. These grounds in provincial areas are rented out to local clubs.
The IRFU selects the national team from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland after Ireland was divided into two separate states. Ireland competes in the Six Nations Championship every year and the World Cup every four years. They have won the Six Nations Championship 10 times but are yet to win the World Cup. Ireland also takes part in bilateral series against England, Australia, New Zealand and other teams. They also form a quarter of the British and Irish Lions.
The IRFU annually holds the AIB League, the premier rugby league of the country. All the top teams play in this league. Some of these teams are:
- Ballymena
- Belfast Harlequins
- Blackrock College RFC
- UL Bohemians
- Buccaneers
- Clontarf RFC
- Cork Constitution
- County Carlow
- Dolphin/ Y Munster
- Galwegians/Dublin Uni
- Garryowen Football Club
- Lansdowne
- UCD
- Shannon RFC
- St Mary's College RFC
- Terenure College
Rugby is immensely popular in Ireland. In certain parts of the country it is the No.1 sport relegating football to the back seat. The Union is currently organizing a series of programs to popularize this game even more amongst the masses.
