Lawrence 'Larry' Quinlivan Bulger (5 February 1870 – 17 March 1928)[1] was an Irish rugby union player, athlete and doctor. Bulger played international rugby for Ireland and in 1896 was chosen to represent a British Isles XV in their tour of South Africa. Bulger, who was nicknamed "Fat Cupid",[2] was described as an elusive runner and a devastating tackler, one of Ireland's outstanding players.[2]
Lawrence Bulger was born in County Clare in 1870.[3] The Bulger family lived in Moore Street, Kilrush, where his father, Daniel Scanlan Bulger, was a woollen merchant and draper and ran a loan office.[4] His mother Anne, née Delany, was from Limerick.[5] Later the Bulgers moved to Dublin, where Daniel was a stockbroker and city councillor. Lawrence and his brother Michael were educated at Blackrock College.[6]
Personal lifeedit
Both of Lawrence's older brothers, Michael Joseph Bulger and Daniel Delany Bulger, were notable athletes: Michael also played rugby for Ireland and was one of the umpires whose aid disqualified Italian marathon runner Dorando Pietri at the 1908 Olympics; while Daniel was a five time British AAA athletics champion.[7] Lawrence Bulger was an Irish 220-yard sprint champion, and through his connection with athletics was a representative at the Sorbonne in Paris when Pierre de Coubertin suggested the creation of a modern Olympic Games.[8] Bulger was taken ill at Twickenham on Saint Patrick's Day, 1928 and died shortly after leaving the ground.[9] He was 58.
Rugby careeredit
Blackrockedit
Lawrence Bulger was a member of the Blackrock College side which won the first Leinster Schools Cup in 1887.[10]
Irelandedit
After Bulger left Blackrock, he gained entry to Trinity College Dublin where he studied medicine. While at Trinity he represented Dublin University Football Club and showed a flair for athletics. He served as treasurer and secretary for the Dublin Hospitals Rugby Cup 1890–1897. He led Richmond Hospital to their first victory in the 1896 Cup, scoring the winning try. He organised the first game against the London United Hospitals in 1894.[11] Bulger was first chosen to represent Ireland while still playing for Dublin University, when he was selected to face England as part of the 1896 Home Nations Championship. Played at Meanwood Road in Leeds, Bulger was part of a victorious Irish team, and managed to appear on the score sheet when he converted both of the Irish tries. He was reselected for the next two games of the tournament, both played at Lansdowne Road, a draw against Scotland and a win over Wales, Bulger scoring another conversion in the later match. Ireland finished the Championship at the top of the table, making Bulger a Home Nations winning player, though he could have been a Triple Crown winner if he had scored from a penalty kick in the Scottish game.[12] Bulger was reselected for the 1897 Championship which was played against only two opponents after Wales withdrew from the IRB due to the Gould Affair. Bulger scored in both games, with a try against Scotland and in the game played at home to England, he became the first Irish player to score a goal from a mark in an international[13] as well as the highest scoring Irishman in the competition to date when another try took his tally for that game to seven points.[14] Bulger's last campaign for Ireland was during the 1898 Home Nations Championship; now playing for Lansdowne.[15] His penalty goal was decisive in the win over England,[16] but he was part of a losing Ireland team in the last two games of the tournament. The match against Wales, at Limerick on 18 March, was his final game for his country.
After his Irish career came to an end, Bulger continued playing rugby in England. He set up a medical practice in London with his brother Michael, and Michael became a founding member of the exiles team London Irish.[7] Both brothers turned out regularly for the club.
British Isles XVedit
In 1896, while still a student, Bulger was selected to tour with Jonny Hammond's British Isles team on their trip to South Africa. The team contained nine Irishmen, the first time an overseas tour had contained such a large contingent of players from Ireland. Bulger played in all four tests, the tourists winning three. Bulger scored a try in the first test at Port Elizabeth, and set a tour record of 19 tries across the full 21 matches played.[7][17]
^"Students of Blackrock College who have been awarded International Caps". Blackrock College. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
^ abcCyril M. White. . athleticsireland. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
^Seán Diffley (14 July 2007). "Tailteann Games' place in history going for a song". Retrieved 5 March 2009.
^The Times, Tuesday, 20 March 1928; p. 7; Issue 44846; col C.
^Seán Diffley (21 January 2002). "Cupid's arrow starts love-in". Retrieved 26 November 2011.
^Dr Morgan Crowe (14 October 2019). The Hospital Pass: 140 years of Dublin Hospitals Rugby (YouTube video). Dublin, Ireland: Royal College of Physicians in Ireland.
Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883–1983. London: Willows Books. ISBN0-00-218060-X.
Griffiths, John (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: Phoenix House. ISBN0-460-07003-7.
March 14, 2024
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Lawrence Larry Quinlivan Bulger 5 February 1870 17 March 1928 1 was an Irish rugby union player athlete and doctor Bulger played international rugby for Ireland and in 1896 was chosen to represent a British Isles XV in their tour of South Africa Bulger who was nicknamed Fat Cupid 2 was described as an elusive runner and a devastating tackler one of Ireland s outstanding players 2 Lawrence BulgerBirth nameLawrence Quinlivan BulgerDate of birth 1870 02 05 5 February 1870Place of birthCounty Clare IrelandDate of death17 March 1928 1928 03 17 aged 58 Place of deathTwickenham EnglandSchoolBlackrock CollegeUniversityTrinity College DublinRugby union careerPosition s WingSenior careerYearsTeamApps Points Dublin UniversityRichmond hospitalLansdowneLondon Irish International careerYearsTeamApps Points 1896 18981896IrelandBritish Isles XV84 22 3 Contents 1 Early life 2 Personal life 3 Rugby career 3 1 Blackrock 3 2 Ireland 3 3 British Isles XV 4 Notes 5 ReferencesEarly life editLawrence Bulger was born in County Clare in 1870 3 The Bulger family lived in Moore Street Kilrush where his father Daniel Scanlan Bulger was a woollen merchant and draper and ran a loan office 4 His mother Anne nee Delany was from Limerick 5 Later the Bulgers moved to Dublin where Daniel was a stockbroker and city councillor Lawrence and his brother Michael were educated at Blackrock College 6 Personal life editBoth of Lawrence s older brothers Michael Joseph Bulger and Daniel Delany Bulger were notable athletes Michael also played rugby for Ireland and was one of the umpires whose aid disqualified Italian marathon runner Dorando Pietri at the 1908 Olympics while Daniel was a five time British AAA athletics champion 7 Lawrence Bulger was an Irish 220 yard sprint champion and through his connection with athletics was a representative at the Sorbonne in Paris when Pierre de Coubertin suggested the creation of a modern Olympic Games 8 Bulger was taken ill at Twickenham on Saint Patrick s Day 1928 and died shortly after leaving the ground 9 He was 58 Rugby career editBlackrock edit Lawrence Bulger was a member of the Blackrock College side which won the first Leinster Schools Cup in 1887 10 Ireland edit After Bulger left Blackrock he gained entry to Trinity College Dublin where he studied medicine While at Trinity he represented Dublin University Football Club and showed a flair for athletics He served as treasurer and secretary for the Dublin Hospitals Rugby Cup 1890 1897 He led Richmond Hospital to their first victory in the 1896 Cup scoring the winning try He organised the first game against the London United Hospitals in 1894 11 Bulger was first chosen to represent Ireland while still playing for Dublin University when he was selected to face England as part of the 1896 Home Nations Championship Played at Meanwood Road in Leeds Bulger was part of a victorious Irish team and managed to appear on the score sheet when he converted both of the Irish tries He was reselected for the next two games of the tournament both played at Lansdowne Road a draw against Scotland and a win over Wales Bulger scoring another conversion in the later match Ireland finished the Championship at the top of the table making Bulger a Home Nations winning player though he could have been a Triple Crown winner if he had scored from a penalty kick in the Scottish game 12 Bulger was reselected for the 1897 Championship which was played against only two opponents after Wales withdrew from the IRB due to the Gould Affair Bulger scored in both games with a try against Scotland and in the game played at home to England he became the first Irish player to score a goal from a mark in an international 13 as well as the highest scoring Irishman in the competition to date when another try took his tally for that game to seven points 14 Bulger s last campaign for Ireland was during the 1898 Home Nations Championship now playing for Lansdowne 15 His penalty goal was decisive in the win over England 16 but he was part of a losing Ireland team in the last two games of the tournament The match against Wales at Limerick on 18 March was his final game for his country After his Irish career came to an end Bulger continued playing rugby in England He set up a medical practice in London with his brother Michael and Michael became a founding member of the exiles team London Irish 7 Both brothers turned out regularly for the club British Isles XV edit In 1896 while still a student Bulger was selected to tour with Jonny Hammond s British Isles team on their trip to South Africa The team contained nine Irishmen the first time an overseas tour had contained such a large contingent of players from Ireland Bulger played in all four tests the tourists winning three Bulger scored a try in the first test at Port Elizabeth and set a tour record of 19 tries across the full 21 matches played 7 17 Notes edit Lawrence Bulger player profile ESPNScrum com a b Godwin 1984 pg 48 Ireland Births and Baptisms 1620 1881 Laurence Bulger 1870 FamilySearch Retrieved 27 May 2012 Bassett s Directory 1880 1 1901 census Students of Blackrock College who have been awarded International Caps Blackrock College Retrieved 27 May 2012 a b c Cyril M White University Athletics in Ireland 1857 2000 athleticsireland Archived from the original on 17 March 2013 Retrieved 3 September 2015 Sean Diffley 14 July 2007 Tailteann Games place in history going for a song Retrieved 5 March 2009 The Times Tuesday 20 March 1928 p 7 Issue 44846 col C Sean Diffley 21 January 2002 Cupid s arrow starts love in Retrieved 26 November 2011 Dr Morgan Crowe 14 October 2019 The Hospital Pass 140 years of Dublin Hospitals Rugby YouTube video Dublin Ireland Royal College of Physicians in Ireland Godwin 1984 p 47 Griffiths 1987 p 3 9 Godwin 1984 pg 50 Lansdowne Football Club Hall of Fame See team photograph Lawrence Bulger player profile Lionsrugby comReferences editGodwin Terry 1984 The International Rugby Championship 1883 1983 London Willows Books ISBN 0 00 218060 X Griffiths John 1987 The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records London Phoenix House ISBN 0 460 07003 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lawrence Bulger amp oldid 1211557277, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
