Liam Mooney

Liam Mooney
Birth nameLiam Thomas Mooney
Date of birth (1972-05-18) 18 May 1972 (age 52)
Place of birthGosport, Hampshire, England
Notable relative(s)Fred Tiedt
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1992–1996 London Irish ()
1994–1995 Cambridge University ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1996–1998 London Irish 39 (0)
1998–1999 Blackheath 20 (0)
1999–2001 Exeter Chiefs 55 (70)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
199x–199x Ireland Students
1996–2000 Ireland XV
Barbarians
England Counties XV

Liam Thomas Mooney (born 18 May 1972) is a former professional rugby union footballer who played at prop. He is now an entrepreneur living in Guernsey with his wife and son.

Education

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Mooney was educated at St Boniface's Catholic College, Plymouth[1] and graduated from the University of Cambridge (Hughes Hall) in 1996.[2][3]

Rugby career

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Mooney began his rugby career with London Irish in 1992, making his debut as a prop against Bath aged 20 years old.[4][5] He represented London Irish in both premiership and European competitions.[6] Mooney played in the club's biggest premiership win, beating Harlequin F.C. 62–14 in April 1998.[7] He was a member of the promotion winning team that took London Irish to the English Premiership in 1996,[8] as well as the semi-final of the Pilkington Cup, under the leadership of Sir Clive Woodward. He moved on to play for Blackheath (1998–1999)[9] and Exeter Chiefs (1999–2001).[10] From 1996 in the professional era, Mooney scored 14 tries and made over 100 appearances for his clubs.[11] While at Exeter, he played for the English National Divisions and scored the winning try against the Springboks on their 2000 tour of the UK.[12] During his career, Mooney represented Ireland XV (vs Leinster 1996), Ireland A, Ireland U21, Ireland Students, the Barbarians[13] and won two Cambridge Blues representing Cambridge University in the winning 1994 and 1995 Varsity matches.[14][15] He finished his rugby career at Bristol and Caerphilly where he retired with a chronic knee injury.[16]

Business career

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Mooney qualified as a solicitor of England & Wales in November 2000, having trained and worked at international law firm Kennedys and regional legal 500 law firm, Michelmores. In 2002, Mooney founded Blue Pencil, an international legal executive search and recruitment company, where he is currently the managing director.[17] Blue Pencil is mentioned in Sidney Korshak's book "How to Land a Legal Job Overseas".[18]

In November 2014, he was named by Arabian Business as 'Business Mentor of the Year'[19][20][21] and was a finalist at the SME Stars of Business Awards in December 2014.[22][23]

In August 2015, Mooney was named as a finalist in the Gulf Capital SME Awards, as the “Business Leader of the Year”.[24]

Donations and Scholarships

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A lifetime member of Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC), and a donor of the CURUFC's Red Lion Foundation, set up to support rugby players through their studies at the university, Mooney made a charitable donation to fund the Lion's Room in 2013.[25]

Mooney has also a law scholarship for talented students looking to do an LLM at Hughes Hall, Cambridge University,[26]

References

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  1. ^ "St Boniface's Catholic College, Old Boys, 1983–1989". Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  2. ^ "University of Cambridge graduation list, 1996"
  3. ^ Hughes Hall website list of Notable Alumni
  4. ^ The Independent, Club Guide
  5. ^ London Irish Old Boys Database
  6. ^ European Professional Club Rugby Player Archive
  7. ^ Talk Rugby Union, London Irish Rugby Union Club Records
  8. ^ 1995–96 Courage League National Division Two
  9. ^ The Independent, Rugby Union Division 2 Teams
  10. ^ Rugby Statbunker, RFU Championship Exeter Chiefs All time leading scorers
  11. ^ StatBunker, Rugby Stats – Liam Mooney, 1996–2001
  12. ^ The Telegraph, Divisions make point
  13. ^ Official Home of the Barbarians, Player Archive
  14. ^ Media Store House, Liam Mooney on the charge for Cambridge – Varsity Match
  15. ^ EPCRugby, Match Report, Oct
  16. ^ BBC Sport, Tough task for Caerphilly, Dec 2001
  17. ^ Blue Pencil Legal, an international legal executive search and recruitment consultancy, Founded 2002
  18. ^ Amazon.com – How to Land a Legal Job Overseas by Sidney Korshak
  19. ^ Arabian Business, Winners of 2nd Arabian Business StartUp Awards, Nov 2014
  20. ^ Arabian Business, 2014's richest, most powerful and those destined to be the stars of the future, Dec 2014
  21. ^ Winners of Arabian Business StartUp Awards, Nov 2014
  22. ^ Stars of Business Awards
  23. ^ Arabian Business Startup and Rising Stars of Business Awards
  24. ^ 2015 Gulf Capital SME Awards finalists announced
  25. ^ CURUFC, Donations
  26. ^ "Hughes Hall PhD Scholarships". Hughes Hall University of Cambridge.