CLUB HISTORY
2003: Club Foundation
Emerald Warriors RFC was founded in August.
The first training session was held on September 3rd with five members in the War Memorial Park.
Richie Whyte was the
first Club President & Captain.
2004: International Debut
Competed in the Bingham Cup
(World Gay Rugby Championships) in London.
The first official game was played against the London Steelers, and the first official win (10-5) was against the Gotham Knights.
Emerald Warriors RFC took part in the club's first Dublin Pride.
2005: Club Debut Tours
Attended the London Steelers Rugby Clinic.
Attended the Union Cup in Montpellier
and ranked fourth in Europe.
Raised €686 for BelongTo by carol singing in December.
2007: Queering the Pitch
Emerald Warriors were featured in a TG4 documentary titled Queering the Pitch.
Won the Bristol 10s Rugby Tournament.
Became the first LGBT Rugby Team to join the
Leinster Metro League in September.
2008: Bingham Cup
Emerald Warriors hosted the Bingham Cup International Gay Rugby Tournament.
The Emerald Warriors Barbarian Team
won The Bingham Shield.
Secured Paddy Power as a Club Sponsor
for the Bingham Cup.
2011: First League Win
Achieved their first official League win playing against Trinity.
Competed in the Union Cup in Amsterdam.
Joined the Dublin Devils for the Oscar Wilde Cup, which was Soccer meets Tag Rugby.
2012: Club Promotion
Competed in Bingham Cup Manchester.
Promoted up one division in the
Leinster Metro League.
Leinster Metro League.
Travelled to Stockholm for a mini tournament and to take part in the Pride Parade.
2013: 10 Years in the Game
Celebrated 10 years since the club was founded.
2015: The Queen's Debut
Voted Yes in the Marriage Referendum before flying to Brussels to compete in the Union Cup.
Debut of the Queen of the Warriors fundraiser.
Celebrating the Marriage Referendum during Pride.
2017: Union Cup Bid
Entered and won the Hadrian Cup.
Won the bid to host Union Cup 2019.
Entered two teams into the Union Cup Madrid, with the First Team bringing home the Shield.
2019: Securing Sponsors
Secured Bank Of Ireland as the Club's Main Sponsor.
Hosted Union Cup Dublin 2019.
A dedicated women's tournament was held as part of the Union Cup for the first time.
Guinness made history by painting their famous gates in the Pride Rainbow colours.
Featured on the intro to the Ray D’Arcy Show.
2020: Folláine Welfare
Entered and Won the Hadrian Cup for the third time.
Introduced the Folláine Welfare Programme.
Held the first online fundraiser, Drag Bingo.
2021: The Family Grows
Naoise, a Tag Rugby program, officially launched, bringing Tag Rugby into the EWRFC Family.
2022: Bingham Bowl
Warriors take part in the Front Runners Pride 5k.
Both of the 10's Warriors teams won at the Hadrian Cup in March.
Warriors Win the Bingham Bowl in Ottowa, Canada.
2023: Here Come the Girls
The The Emerald Warriors RFC's Azure team join the family and start training for the Union Cup.
The Green Team won the Union Bowl in Birmingham.
Emerald Warriors RFC celebrates 20th Anniversary.
2025: European Champions
The Green Team won the overall Union Cup in Oslo, Norway, becoming European Champions.
The Azure Team competed in the inaugural Emily Valentine Cup at the Union Cup and secured the Emily Valentine Vase, placing joint third.
Naoise expand to three competitive teams,
Coral, Saffron and Plum, playing weekly in various Dublin leagues.