The Bateman Cup was presented to the IRFU by Dr. Godfrey Bateman, a member of a well-known west Cork family, in memory of his sons Reginald and Arthur who were killed during the First World War.
Reginald and Arthur were both keen rugby players and both featured in a newspaper record of a Trinity First Year Medicals ‘A’ team against a Wanderers 3rd ‘B’ team in November 1910 at Lansdowne Road.
The inscription on the cup reads:
Presented by Godfrey Bateman to the Irish Rugby Football Union in ever-fresh and loving memory of his darling sons:
Major Reginald John Godfrey Bateman, Canadian Infantry, killed in action 3 September, 1918,Captain Arthur Cyril Bateman, who, on 28 March 1918 gave his life for his wounded Comrades.
The competition was played annually between the four provincial cup winners on the last weekend of the season, with the exception of 1933 and 1934 when a number of the provincial cup campaigns had not been completed on …
