The Cork Constitution (CC) is a

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

club based in

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

, playing in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League. It was founded by staff of the ''

Cork Constitution The Cork Constitution (CC) is a rugby union club based in Cork (city), Cork, playing in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League (rugby union), All-Ireland League. It was founded by staff of the ''Cork Constitution (newspaper), Cork Constitution'' ...

'' newspaper. Since the paper did not publish on Sundays, the staff were looking for activities to pursue on Saturday afternoons. In the summer,

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

was played, while in the winter, rugby was the designated activity. The team currently plays in Temple Hill, Ballintemple. Due to the introduction of professional rugby union, and its success at producing players who go on to obtain Munster contracts, Con, like many other senior rugby clubs in Ireland, has been unable to field a full strength side for a number of years. In this period though, Con have remained competitive, reaching the final of the All-Ireland League on six occasions since 2001 inclusive; losing in 2001 to Dungannon, losing in 2002 to Shannon, again losing in 2004 to Shannon and losing in 2007 to Garryowen, winning the elusive third title in 2008 on beating Garryowen in Musgrave Park and capturing a fourth title when beating St. Mary's by 17 points to 10 after extra time in Dubarry Park in May 2010. This 2010 League victory led by Evan Ryan completed an AIL double as Con had already won the AIL cup earlier in the season. The All-Ireland Bateman Cup, played between the Provincial Cup winners, was re-inaugurated in 2005-06, and Constitution have now won six times.

Honours

* All-Ireland League: 6 **1990–91, 1998–99, 2007-08, 2009–10, 2016–17, 2018–19 * All-Ireland Cup: 7 **2005–06, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17 * Munster Senior Cup: 30 **1905–07, 1910, 1922–23, 1928–29, 1932–33, 1942–43, 1945–46, 1956–57, 1960–61, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1972–73, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1988–89, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17 2018–19 2019–20 * Munster Senior League **1912 (shared), 1914 (shared), 1922, 1923, 1927, 1939, 1953, 1957, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1998

Notable players

Stephen Archer Stephen Archer (born 29 January 1988) is an Irish rugby union player for Munster in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup. He plays as a prop and represents Cork Constitution in the All-Ireland League. Munster Archer ...

* Michael Bradley * Paul Burke *

Rory Burke Rory Burke (born 27 April 1994) is an Irish rugby union player. He plays as a prop and previously represented Cork Constitution, Munster and Nottingham and Connacht. Cork Constitution Having been educated at Christian Brothers College, Cork, B ...

David Corkery Sean David Corkery (born 6 November 1972 in Cork, Ireland) is a retired Irish people, Irish rugby union player. In his career (playing at blind-side wing-forward) he played for Cork Constitution, Munster Rugby, Munster and Bristol Rugby, Bristol, ...

Jack Crowley Jack Crowley (born 13 January 2000) is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for United Rugby Championship club Munster and the Ireland national team. Early life Born in Innishannon, County Cork, Crowley first began playing ru ...

* John Daly *

Shane Daly Shane Daly (born 19 December 1996) is an Irish rugby union player for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Munster and, internationally, for Ireland. He plays primarily as a wing or fullback, but has also played as ...

Jody Danaher Jody Danagher is a retired Irish rugby player. He played as a tighthead prop-forward for UL Bohemian, Cork Constitution and Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Irel ...

Scott Deasy Scott Deasy (born 11 October 1988) is an Irish rugby union player. He plays at fly-half, centre and fullback. Munster After shining at various age grades with Presentation Brothers College, Cork, including three years with the Senior Cup Tea ...

Ivan Dineen Ivan Dineen (born 5 July 1987) is a former Irish rugby union player. He played as a centre or wing. Munster Dineen made his debut against Treviso in October 2010. He scored his first try for Munster against Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh ...

Len Dineen Len Dineen (born 14 December 1966) is an Irish former rugby union player. Career The son of famous rugby commentator Len Dinneen Sr, known as the "Voice of Rugby" in Ireland, Dinneen Jr played lock for Ireland Schools between 1984 and 1985, b ...

* Garrett Fitzgerald *

Denis Fogarty Denis Fogarty (born 16 July 1983) is a former Irish rugby union player who played at hooker for Munster, Aurillac, Agen and Provence. He has also represented Ireland at schoolboy, U21 and 'A' level. He was educated at Rockwell College. In May ...

* John Fogarty * Seán French *

Tom Gleeson Thomas Francis Gleeson (born 2 June 1974) is an Australian stand-up comedian, writer, television and radio presenter. Gleeson formerly co-hosted ''The Weekly with Charlie Pickering'' alongside Judith Lucy and currently hosts ''Hard Quiz'', both ...

* Brian Hayes *

Billy Holland Billy Holland (born 3 August 1985) is an Irish former rugby union player, who spent his entire career playing for his native province of Munster Rugby, Munster, whilst also earning a single international cap for Ireland national rugby union te ...

* Jonathan Holland *

Anthony Horgan Anthony Horgan (born 15 November 1976 in Cork, Ireland) is a former Irish rugby union player, who played for Cork Constitution, Munster and Ireland. He played the majority of his rugby as a Winger. Upon leaving school in 1995, he joined Cork C ...

Darragh Hurley Darragh Hurley (8 October 1985) is a retired Irish rugby union player, who played for Irish provincial side Munster in the Pro12 and Heineken Cup. Hurley played his club rugby with Cork Constitution in the All-Ireland League. His position was ...

* Gerry Hurley *

John Kelly John or Jack Kelly may refer to: People Academics and scientists * John Kelly (engineer), Irish professor, former Registrar of University College Dublin *John Kelly (scholar) (1750–1809), at Douglas, Isle of Man *John Forrest Kelly (1859–1922) ...

* Alex Kendellen *

Ralph Keyes Ralph (pronounced ; or ,) is a male given name of English, Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Old English ''Rædwulf'' and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse ''Raðulfr'' (''rað'' "counsel" and ''ulfr'' "wolf"). The most common forms ...

Tom Kiernan Thomas Joseph Kiernan (7 January 1939 – 3 February 2022) was an Ireland international rugby union player. He won 54 caps for Ireland as a full-back between 1960 and 1973 and captained his country 24 times. At the time of his retirement he wa ...

Denis Leamy Denis Patrick Leamy (born 27 November 1981) is an Irish former rugby union player who is currently part of the coaching team with Munster. He was a back-row forward who could play either flanker or at number 8, and occasionally played at cent ...

Donal Lenihan Donal Gerard Lenihan (born 12 September 1959) is a retired Irish rugby union player. He appears regularly as a co-commentator on TV and radio for rugby matches and writes for the Irish Examiner. He also works as a financial consultant in Cork. ...

* Cian Mahony * Conor Mahony * Jeremy Manning *

Paul McCarthy Paul McCarthy (born August 4, 1945) is a contemporary artist who lives and works in Los Angeles, California. Life McCarthy was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1945. He studied art at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and later continued ...

* Alex McHenry *

Tommy Moroney Tommy Moroney (10 November 1923 – 2 May 1981) was an Irish soccer and rugby union player. Moroney played soccer for Cork United, West Ham United, Evergreen United and Ireland. In 1949 he was a member of the Ireland team that defeated Englan ...

Frank Murphy William Francis Murphy (April 13, 1890July 19, 1949) was an American politician, lawyer and jurist from Michigan. He was a Democrat who was named to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1940 after a political career that included serving ...

* Kenny Murphy * Noel F. Murphy * Noel A. A. Murphy * Ian Murray *

Ian Nagle Ian William Nagle (born 17 October 1988) is a retired Irish rugby union player, who last played for Italian United Rugby Championship side Zebre. Nagle began his career with home province Munster, before stints abroad with English sides Newcast ...

* Ross Noonan *

Kevin O'Byrne Kevin O'Byrne (born 16 April 1991) is an Irish rugby union player for English club Ealing Trailfinders in the RFU Championship. He plays as a hooker. Early life He captained the Munster under-18s club side during the 2008–09 inter-provincia ...

Donncha O'Callaghan Donncha O'Callaghan (born 24 March 1979) is an Irish retired rugby union player. He spent most of his career with his home province Munster, spending 17 seasons with the province and winning five major trophies, before finishing his career with ...

* Ultan O'Callaghan * Liam O'Connor *

Mick O'Driscoll Michael Rowan O'Driscoll (born 8 October 1978) is an Irish former rugby union player. He played for Munster in the Pro12 and Heineken Cup, and played internationally for Ireland. He was an integral senior player for Munster and captained the pr ...

Ronan O'Gara Ronan John Ross O'Gara ( ga, Rónán Ó Gadhra; born 7 March 1977) is an Irish former rugby union player and current coach. O'Gara played as a fly-half and is Ireland's second most-capped player and highest ever points scorer. He is currently ...

Pat O'Hara Patrick O'Hara (born September 27, 1968) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the Pass game analyst for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the New Orleans ...

* David O'Mahony *

Peter O'Mahony Peter O'Mahony (born 17 September 1989) is an Irish rugby union player. He plays for Munster in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup and Ireland internationally. During his career, O'Mahony has captained Presentatio ...

* Brian O'Meara * John O'Neill * Conrad O'Sullivan *

John Poland John Poland (born 21 November 1996) is an Irish rugby union player. He plays as a scrum-half for the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. John recently played in the NPC with the Manwatu Turbos. Making 8 ap ...

* Brian Roche * Mike Ross * John Ryan * Tim Ryan *

Frankie Sheahan Frankie Sheahan (born August 27, 1976) is a retired professional Irish rugby union player. During his career, Sheahan played for Munster from 1996 until 2009 and for Ireland from 2000 until 2007. Sheahan played his whole career as a hooker. H ...

Bodo Sieber Bodo Sieber (born 10 January 1979) is an entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Tagmarshal Golf Course Optimization Technology and previously co-founded Berlin-based platform for social causes called betterplace.org. Sieber is a former Germany, Germ ...

* Brian Toland * Brian Walsh *

Duncan Williams Duncan Williams (born 17 April 1986) is an Irish rugby union player. He plays as a scrum-half and represents Cork Constitution in the All-Ireland League. Munster Williams made his Munster debut against Connacht in December 2009. He made his ...

Simon Zebo Simon Zebo (born 16 March 1990) is an Irish rugby union player for United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup side Munster. He is equally adept as a wing or fullback, having played in both positions often for Ireland, Munster and Racing 92. ...

References

External links

Cork Constitution official site
{{Authority control Irish rugby union teams Rugby clubs established in 1892 Rugby union clubs in County Cork Senior Irish rugby clubs (Munster)