FORMER Irish internationals David Corkery and Ronnie Carey have arrived on the island to take part in Bahrain Rugby Football Club's (RFC) 40th Anniversary celebrations.

Cork Constitution clubman Corkery made his debut for Ireland as a 21-year-old on the tour of Australia in the summer of 1994 and went on to establish himself as a mainstay of the back-row over the next five years, winning 27 caps along the way.

Although appearing in all three positions during his international career, it was as an imposing blindside flanker that Corkery excelled.

After a brief stint with Bristol in 1997-98, Corkery moved back to play with his native Munster but his return coincided with a dreadful run of injuries that ultimately saw him retire from the professional game at the age of 27, with the province just starting out on their European odyssey.

After retirement, Corkery worked as a development officer for Munster Rugby and has since gone on to become a respected pundit on the game.

Carey on the other hand, made his name as the original Shane Williams-style winger in the early 1990s.

A stalwart of the famous Dungannon club in Ulster for over a decade, he came to prominence as part of his all-conquering native provincial side at a time when they also had established internationals such as Trevor Ringland, Keith Crossan and Kenny Hooks in their ranks.

Honours

It was that form that saw him rise to international honours himself and he was capped by Ireland on the tour of New Zealand in 1992.

Injury and the emergence of the likes of Richard Wallace and Simon Geoghegan transpired to hinder Carey's chances of returning to the international fold thereafter but he continued to play for Dungannon and has since gone on to become a regular for the Irish Legends team.

Both Carey and Corkery will line-out in the annual DHL Memorial Match tomorrow afternoon, having also appeared in Bahrain RFC's Festival of Rugby Weekend back in 2010.

The traditional end-of-season fixture between Bahrain and the DHL Barbarians is this year forming part of a week-long celebration of the club's 40 years in establishment.

Having kicked off with a welcome reception on Monday evening, the celebrations also took in a rugby match, a Gaelic football/AFL compromise rules match and a SchŸtzenfest at the club last night and continues with the annual End-of-season Ball at the Crowne Plaza tonight.

The festivities conclude with a Caribbean-themed pool party, alongside coverage of the Champions League and Heineken Cup finals on Saturday afternoon.

For more information on the 40th Anniversary Party or any other activities at Bahrain RFC, please check out the club's new website, www.bahrainrfc.net.