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Mary Fyfe
Director of Ladies RugbyBiography
Mary Fyfe – Founder, London Irish Emeralds and Chair of Women’s RugbyA lifelong rugby supporter originally from Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland, Mary has been a proud member of London Irish ARFC since 2009. A dedicated Leinster fan at heart, there has only ever been one club for her in the UK – London Irish ARFC.
A qualified RFU Level 2 Coach and mum to two boys who have grown through the London Irish pathway from U5S to adult rugby, Mary’s roots in the club run deep, as a parent, volunteer, and passionate advocate for inclusive, community-led rugby.
In 2015, Mary became the architect and founding force behind the establishment of London Irish Ladies – now proudly known as the London Irish Emeralds. What began as a vision to create a women’s rugby team from scratch has grown into a centre of excellence in the women’s game, with 2025 marking the Emeralds' 10-year anniversary in the National Leagues.
Under Mary’s stewardship, the team has moved through the leagues with momentum and purpose, earning successive promotions in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Their undefeated 16-from-16 league season in 2021/22 saw the Emeralds named England Rugby’s “Team of the Season” and promoted to the Championship 1 South.
A key focus of Mary’s has always been integration – embedding the women’s section into the heart of the club and deepening the “One Club” ethos across London Irish Amateur Rugby. Thanks to that drive, the Emeralds today are home to players from across the armed services, student athletes, and rising stars with elite and international aspirations.
But it’s not only about high performance. The Emeralds also serve as a platform to inspire and engage girls’ rugby more broadly – supporting student physios and coaches, creating safe and inclusive pathways into adult rugby, and opening the game up to a wider community.
Mary is proud of what the team, players, and volunteers have built at Hazelwood – a culture, pipeline, and opportunity for women and girls in rugby that is, in many ways, unrivalled. The Emeralds stand today as a vital and vibrant part of the London Irish family – and their future is as exciting as their first decade has been.
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