Trevor Ringland
Encyclopedia
Trevor Maxwell Ringland, MBE
(born 13 November 1959 in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
) is a solicitor, former rugby union
winger and Unionist politician
. After attending Larne Grammar School
Ringland studied law at Queen's University Belfast.
, with the remainder coming in the 1987 Rugby World Cup
. He also represented Ulster
and Ballymena
.
In 1983 he toured New Zealand
with the British and Irish Lions
. Since retirement, he has coached at Ballymena and been a committee member of the Irish Rugby Football Union
.
. His Policing Board profile states he is a director of Independent News & Media
, Mediation Northern Ireland and The Ireland Funds
.
Ringland is also active with Peace Players International, an organization devoted to promote inter-religious unity in Belfast through sport. Ringland and David Cullen
won the 2007 ESPY
Arthur Ashe for Courage Award.
Ringland was awarded an MBE for services to the community in Northern Ireland in the New Year Honours 2009
.
's East Belfast Branch. On 24 February 2010 Ringland was adopted by the Ulster Unionist Party
and Conservative Party
as their joint candidate in East Belfast for the 2010 General Election.
In September 2010, Ringland became involved in a controversy over the new leader of Ulster Unionist Party
, Tom Elliott
. Upon Elliott's election as party leader, Ringland publicly asked the new leader if he would be prepared to attend a Gaelic Football
All-Ireland Final in Dublin if an Ulster
team were to take part; Elliott refused. On 4 October 2010, Ringland resigned from the Ulster Unionist Party
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 13 November 1959 in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
) is a solicitor, former rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
winger and Unionist politician
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
. After attending Larne Grammar School
Larne Grammar School
Larne Grammar School is a co-education voluntary grammar school located in Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1886 by Sir Edward Coey and John Crawford, it has around 760 pupils and 50 teaching staff.-Past Headmasters:R.M Jones...
Ringland studied law at Queen's University Belfast.
Rugby career
Ringland made 31 competitive appearances for , scoring nine tries. The majority of his appearance came in the Five NationsSix Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
, with the remainder coming in the 1987 Rugby World Cup
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
. He also represented Ulster
Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
and Ballymena
Ballymena RFC
Ballymena Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland. It is affiliated to the Ulster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. The club fields six adult teams and an under-20 team. In youth rugby there are under-18, under-16 and under-14 teams...
.
In 1983 he toured New Zealand
1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand
In 1983 the British and Irish Lions toured New Zealand for the first time since 1977. The Lions went down to a 4-0 whitewash for only the second time in history - the previous was also inflicted by the All Blacks on the 1966 Lions. Overall the Lions played eighteen matches, winning twelve and...
with the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
. Since retirement, he has coached at Ballymena and been a committee member of the Irish Rugby Football Union
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
.
Career outside sport
As rugby was an amateur sport during his career, Ringland is also a full-time solicitor for Macaulay and Ritchie. In 2006 he was appointed as a member of the new Northern Ireland Policing BoardNorthern Ireland Policing Board
The Northern Ireland Policing Board is the police authority for Northern Ireland, charged with supervising the activities of the Police Service of Northern Ireland...
. His Policing Board profile states he is a director of Independent News & Media
Independent News & Media
Independent News & Media plc , is a media organisation based in Dublin, Ireland, with interests in 22 countries on 4 continents worldwide. The company owns over 200 print titles, more than 130 radio stations, over 100 commercial websites and many billboard locations, and is a leading press player...
, Mediation Northern Ireland and The Ireland Funds
The Ireland Funds
The Ireland Funds are a global fundraising network for people of Irish ancestry and friends of Ireland, dedicated to raising funds to support programs of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development throughout the island of Ireland...
.
Ringland is also active with Peace Players International, an organization devoted to promote inter-religious unity in Belfast through sport. Ringland and David Cullen
David Cullen
David Cullen is a former basketball player who currently assists the organisation Crossover Basketball with its work in Northern Ireland...
won the 2007 ESPY
Espy
-People:* Cecil Espy , American baseball player* Duane Espy, American baseball figure* James Pollard Espy , American meteorologist.* Mike Espy , American politician* William Gray Espy , American actor...
Arthur Ashe for Courage Award.
Ringland was awarded an MBE for services to the community in Northern Ireland in the New Year Honours 2009
New Year Honours 2009
The New Year Honours 2009 principally for the United Kingdom as well as the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 31 December 2008, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2009....
.
Political career
Ringland was Vice Chairman of the Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
's East Belfast Branch. On 24 February 2010 Ringland was adopted by the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
and Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
as their joint candidate in East Belfast for the 2010 General Election.
In September 2010, Ringland became involved in a controversy over the new leader of Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
, Tom Elliott
Tom Elliott
Tom Elliott MLA is a Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist MLA and the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and former UDR member...
. Upon Elliott's election as party leader, Ringland publicly asked the new leader if he would be prepared to attend a Gaelic Football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
All-Ireland Final in Dublin if an Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
team were to take part; Elliott refused. On 4 October 2010, Ringland resigned from the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
.