Paul Deering (NUIM Barnhall RFC) was elected the 94th President of the Leinster Branch IRFU at the Annual General Meeting held on Thursday, 30th May in the RDS…
His Club Barnhall RFC was founded in 1969 in Leixlip Co. Kildare and amalgamated with NUI Maynooth in 2010 and changed the Club name to Barnhall NUIM RFC.
Born in Sligo Paul moved to Dublin in the 1990’s and attended school in De La Salle College, Churchstown.
In his own words he started playing rugby in 4th Class aged 10 years of age, and despite his own best efforts and his coaches to create a star – it was not to be. However he loved playing the game and got great enjoyment from it which is still the case today.
He played Club Rugby after finishing school for Palmerston FC in Milltown for a number of years on the Junior sides and apart from getting his fingers broken, a few teeth knocked out, a couple of damaged ribs, one or two fractures, he thoroughly enjoyed his Club playing career. During this time he was also playing drums in a small band and realised that broken fingers and strained wrists and other joints did not help his music career- so he quit playing rugby!
He had a very successful business career working with Rank Xerox who organised a rugby team from time to time playing against other branches of the company in the UK and France.
His only claim to fame was that he played against Sir Clive Woodward in a game against Rank Xerox UK in the late 70’s in Richmond – the Irish Company were narrowly beaten by about 40 points. Clive worked with Xerox UK at that time but Paul doesn’t think he actually got near enough even to touch him during the game!
In 1980 he joined Barnhall RFC and immediately started coaching at Mini Rugby for 6 years, and spent the following 8 years coaching at under 14 and under 16 levels.
He met a certain young Trevor Brennan and some of his pals in Leixlip and brought them up to Barnhall to play rugby when he was 8 and coached him until he was16.
He became involved in the Metropolitan Area for Youths Rugby and was Honorary Secretary of the Area for about 12 years.
He served on the Leinster Youth Section of the Branch, representing the Metro Area for a period of 5 years.
He also served on the Executive of Barnhall for a number of years before becoming President for a two year period from 1995 to 1997. He was invited to join the Leinster Branch Disciplinary Committee in season 1996/97 and when Barnhall became a senior club in 1999/2000 he was elected to represent the club on the Leinster Branch Executive Committee.
This season is his 14th year on the Leinster Branch Executive Committee and for the last four years has also served on the Management Committee.
He was warmly applauded at the AGM on his election as President and was referred to as someone who has always kept in close touch with his Club and grassroots rugby.
Everyone in Leinster Rugby extends best wishes to him for an enjoyable and successful year in office.
