Two men, who have rendered outstanding service to Irish rugby and both former presidents of the IRFU, Paddy Madigan and Ken Reid, were yesterday honoured at a luncheon in Dublin to mark their entry into The Rugby Writers of Ireland - Guinness Hall of Fame.
The awards were presented by Karl Johnston, chairman elect of the Rugby Writers of Ireland, and Clive Brownlee, Assistant Managing Director of Guinness.
A host of former internationals, including seven survivors from the Ireland Grand Slam team of 1948 were present, together with the current IRFU president Billy Lavery and several other former holders of that office.
Paddy Madigan played for Leinster in 15 occasions. He was on the Ireland team that toured Argentina in 1970. He was president of the Leinster Branch in 1976-77, and of the IRFU in 1987-88. He is a former chairman of both the Leinster and Ireland selection committees. He was manager of the Ireland team that toured South Africa in 1981.
Ken Reid played for Collegians and Old Wesley. He was president of the Ulster Branch in 1980-81 and then served nine years as honorary secretary of the Branch. He was an Ireland selector from 1975 to 1979 and again from 1990 to 1992. He was manager of the Ireland teams that toured France in 1988 and United States and Canada in 1989. He was also manager of the 1991 Ireland World Cup team. He was president of the IRFU in 1994-95 and is a former manager of the Ulster provincial team. He was also a central figure in the administration of the inaugural Europen Cup.