Bertie Smith Honoured West Cork Sports Star Hall Of Fame Award

Munster Rugby President Bertie Smith has been honoured the Celtic Ross Hotel West Cork Sports Star Hall of Fame award for his lifetime contribution to sport.

He will be presented with his award at the Celtic Ross Hotel on Saturday night, 9th January, in the presence of approximately 300 guests at the Celtic Ross Hotel West Cork Sports Star Annual Awards banquet in association with the Southern Star and C103 in Roscarbery.

Smith, a native of Timoleague, Co. Cork will receive the award for his dedication to many sports and the influence and impact he has made during his involvement over the years.

Born in April 1951, in his playing days Smith excelled at a number of sporting pursuits, namely rugby, athletics, hockey and Gaelic football.

Competing for Bandon AC, as a triple-jumper his accolades included the Irish U16 title in 1967 and the Inter Schools triple jump record of 13.38 metres in 1969. Winning representation with Munster Schools in hockey, he was also a member of the Carbery team that won the 1971 Cork Senior Football Championship.

Smith was first introduced to rugby while attending Bandon Grammar School, later joining Bandon RFC and playing in the 1973 Junior Cup Final against what would be his next club – Cork Constitution.

Following his move to Con, Smith won representation on the Munster Junior team and by 1975 was a member of the Munster Senior side, playing in the province's 13-15 loss to Australia in 1976 having also represented the first Ireland B team (now Ireland Wolfhounds) against France the previous year.

After retiring as a player Smith joined the Munster Association of Referees in 1982, taking charge of his first Senior interprovincial – Ulster v Leinster – in 1986 and running the lines as a touch judge in the first Heineken Cup Final in 1996 before refereeing his first International – Scotland v Wales – a number of months later.

Upon his retirement from refereeing in 2002, Smith was invited to join the Irish Referee Committee, part of a new coaching structure for referee development and was later appointed to the performance review panel for those officiating in International and Heineken Cup games.

Joining the Munster Branch as Junior Vice President in 2013 and as the outgoing Senior Vice President, Smith this season became the 118th Senior President of Munster Rugby IRFU.

For more information on the Celtic Ross Hotel West Cork Sports Star Annual Awards please click here