Dolphin RFC - Rugby Club

Message to Dolphin RFC from John Hussey, President, IRFU, 2011-‘12.

I am delighted to extend my best wishes to club President David Kirk and all
members of Dolphin RFC for season 2011-’12.

I also take this opportunity to wish club member Declan Kidney continued success in
his role as coach of the Ireland National team and acknowledge the contributions by
Cyril Fitzgerald to both Munster and Irish rugby in recent years.

This is a special season in Irish domestic rugby which sees the introduction of a
restructured Ulster Bank League, comprising a record 52 clubs.

I believe the new format will prove to be very popular with players and supporters
and that it will generate more activity and interest in the clubs on match days.

This is in keeping with the wishes of the IRFU, whose policy is to maintain a vibrant
clubs scene throughout Irish rugby.

While wishing the Dolphin club every success in Division 1 A, I also take this
opportunity to acknowledge the role played in club rugby by the volunteer force.
They are greatly appreciated and make an invaluable contribution to the success of the
game. In the current economic circumstances their role is even more important.

I also wish to sincerely thank Ulster Bank, the official Community Partner to the
IRFU, for their sponsorship of the Ulster Bank League, the Irish Club international
team and the Ulster Bank Rugby Force initiative.

* Dublin businessman John Hussey created a piece of sporting history when he becomes
the first member from St. Mary’s College RFC (founded 111 years ago) to be enrolled as
President of the Irish Rugby Football Union, at the Union’s annual Council Meeting in the
Aviva Stadium, on July 22nd.

He assumed the highest office in Irish rugby following a life-long association with St. Mary’s
College. As a wing threequarters he was a member of the schools’ junior and senior cup
teams but on joining the club and being capped for the Leinster junior interprovincial team in
1966, he had his career cut short by a succession of injuries. He was elected President of the
club in 1988 – ’89.

A well know chartered accountant, Hussey’s high profile business life includes a 12 years stint
as Managing Partner of Arthur Young & Company, after which he spent a number of years
as a director of two companies involved in structured financing. He was also a consultant to
a number of organisations in the areas of governance and strategic planning. He has held
directorships in a number of other companies, including New Stadium Ltd which has been
responsible for the development of the Aviva Stadium.

President of the Leinster Branch in 1998-’99, he was first elected to the IRFU in 1996, since
when he has made a major contribution to Irish rugby. He was Chairman of the Strategic
Review Committee which produced the first IRFU Strategic Plan (2003 – ’07). As part of
this process the Union made changes to its laws to create a new Management Committee.
Hussey became its first Chairman and served the maximum two three year terms (2003 – ’09)
in that capacity. He also chaired a number of other committees including the IRFU Academy
and the IRFU Charitable Trust, of which he remains a Trustee.

He was also Chairman of the Magners League (now RaboDirect PRO 12) for a seven years

period noted for the tournament’s consolidation and growth in stature and popularity in
Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and led the negotiations which brought recently the admission of
two teams from Italy.

The 124th President of the IRFU is married to Patricia and has two sons, John Paul and
David.