Story of Our IRFU Service to Rugby recipient Ger Staunton

Meet the Kit Man

So you know rugby do you,

Can you tell me the connection between a tiny red fruit that goes nice with Turkey, a beetle and Thomond r.f.c.

Don’t know then let me explain it’s our very own Ger Staunton, the fruit of course is the cranberry the beetle (beatle) is Pete Best, who? Pete Best never heard of him, well Pete Best was the guy who is often inferred to as “the fifth beatle” the guy who started out on the road to stellar stardom only to be replaced by Ringo Starr and always left to wonder what might have been the connection well when the cranberries formed in 1989 long before their first album sold five million copies in the U.5. alone they had Dolores on vocals Noel Hogan on guitar Mike Hogan on base and Ger Staunton on drums before he was controversially replaced by Fergal Lawler.

The cranberries lost Ger to his premature rock and roll lifestyle jamming with the band, rugby with the lads and partying through the night was just a typical Saturday for Ger in fact the early fissures in the band first appeared with Ger’s insistence that they change the name of the band to Rock and Maul his passion to rugby and Thomond in particular was prevalent from the start.

However Ger’s lifestyle in the naughties was to paraphrase Dolores O Riordan” somewhat of a paradox, when Ger walked into rehearsal that Sunday morning I knew he had a typical Saturday and I thought to myself Zombie Zombie you think you got us wrapped around your finger that was 1993 and early ’94 Zombie was an international best selling single and Ger had left the band.

However when Ger chose his passion for Thomond over his love of music when he opted for lugging gear to launderettes instead of advertising underwear in them, for cleaning dressing rooms instead of destroying them the gain was ours and we are very grateful when you wondered throughout the vears who could ever carry on the work of Brommell and Fitz well hold that thought or if you will let it linger.

PS

After a six year hiatus the cranberries recently began a tour of Latin America and eager to assemble all former members requested Ger join them, all in Thomond held their breath, thankfully Ger declined quoting his inability to speak Latin as the main stumbling block.