Learn about the County Derry men to represent Ireland as the country celebrates 150 years of rugby with limited edition kit

Canterbury have unveiled a limited edition Ireland kit, celebrating 150 years of rugby in Ireland.

Across the history of rugby in Ireland, the country has had 1,159 players pull on the green jersey to represent the island; the most recent newly capped player was Jamie Osborne. 

The Leinster man earned his first and second caps for ‘The Boys in Green’ in the summer tour of South Africa, as Andy Farrell’s men secured a famous 25-24 victory in Durban. 

Osborne is a Kildare native, a county that has produced many Irish talents, including Tadhg Beirne, Devin Toner, and Jamie Heaslip. 

Whereas County Derry have only ever had four men represent the Irish international side. 

Andrew Trimble

(Andrew Trimble : Credit: Stefano Delfrate - Wikicommons)

The Coleraine native is the most recent County Derryman to play for Ireland and arguably the most successful, as he claimed a Six Nations in 2014 and two Triple Crowns (2006 and 2007). 

The winger scored 17 tries for his nation across the 70 caps he earned. 

The 39-year-old made his debut in the 2005 Autumn international series when he was a replacement for Brian O’Driscoll, and he would score his first two tries in the next fixture against Romania. 

Trimble would be an important part of the squad under Eddie O’Sullivan in the 2000’s as the country came close to winning their first Six Nations since 1985 and first Grand Slam since 1948.

However, Ireland did get over the line in 2009 to win the Grand Slam under Declan Kidney; Trimble was absent due to injury. 

The Coleraine man retired from rugby in 2018, hanging up the boots for both Ireland and Ulster.

Since retirement, Trimble has moved into punditry with a keen interest in the fortunes of his former sides, Ulster and Ireland.

Trimble recently announced that he had sold the sports software company (Kairos) he co-founded with Gareth Quinn to a US firm (Teamworks) for an undisclosed sum.

Alexander Roulston Foster 

(Ireland v England 1921: Credit: Get Archive)

From the most recent Derryman to represent Ireland to the first ever, Alexander Foster.

Born in 1890, Foster represented City of Derry rugby and also played for Queens University, captaining the side during his period with the Russell Group university. 

The centre earned his debut for his country in 1910 at the home of rugby, Twickenham, against England, where the game finished scoreless. 

Foster would play the following games against Scotland and France in that inaugural Five Nations competition as Ireland finished fourth in the Championship.

In total, he played 17 times for Ireland and would lift the Five Nations Championship once in 1912; however, this victory was shared with England. 

His international career was seriously hampered by the First World War and would only feature in one more championship, as it only restarted in 1921. 

Foster also made history as he featured in the first ever official British Isles side that toured South Africa in 1910. 

Outside of rugby, he taught at Foyle College and coached its rugby side during what has been termed its great rugby era, as the school lifted the School's Cup in 1900, reached consecutive finals in 1913, 1914, and 1915, and was successful only in 1915. 

Foster soon left Foyle, moving first to the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and later becoming headmaster of the Belfast Royal Academy, a position he held until 1942.

The Derryman died at the age of 82 in 1972. 

Ken Goodall

Arguably the best player Derry ever produced that played for Ireland. 

Goodall was born in Derry in 1947 and found a love for the sport as he learned his trade at the City of Derry Rugby Club. 

By the age of 19, he had risen through the ranks and made his debut for Ireland against Australia in 1967. 

In 1968, he would earn the honour of becoming a British and Irish Lion as he, like Foster, toured in South Africa.

The number eight would play 19 consecutive games for Ireland, with his last game against Wales before switching codes, from rugby union to league, joining Workington.

League became a professional sport in 1895, a full 100 years before Union did the same.

Goodall would earn a living in rugby until 1974, when he was forced to retire through injury and he would move into teaching, eventually becoming vice principal of Faughan Valley School, which is now part of Lisneal College.

Goodall passed away in 2006 at the age of 59, with many reminiscing about the passing of the former Irish international, with many speaking about his solo try from his own half that denied a world-class Welsh side the honour of lifting the Triple Crown in 1970, beating them 14-0. 

Derek McAleese

The last Derryman to feature on this list of internationals from the county to feature for Ireland. 

McAleese would only feature once for Ireland in his career. 

The fly half made his debut in 1992 at the Parc des Princes against France, a game Ireland were soundly beaten in as ‘Les Bleus’ won 44-12. McAleese scored every point for the Irish that day.

While McAleese would never cross the chalk for Ireland again, he was involved in the 1992 Irish tour of New Zealand.

The Limavady man would play his club rugby at both Ballymena and Ulster. 

McAleese now owns his own properties and mortgage company called DMC Properties & Mortgages.