Education
Queen"s University Belfast.
Queen"s University Belfast.
From June 2013 to July 2014, he served as Company-Chairman of the Northen Ireland Conservatives. After attending Larne Grammar School, he read law at Queen"s University Belfast. Ringland made 31 competitive appearances for Ireland, scoring nine tries.
The majority of his appearances came in the Five Nations, 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.
As rugby was an amateur sport during his career, Ringland is also a full-time solicitor for Macaulay and Ritchie. 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 organisation devoted to promote inter-religious unity in Belfast through sport.
Ringland was awarded an Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to the community in Northern Ireland in the New Year Honours 2009. Ringland was Vice-Chairman of the Ulster Unionist Party"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.
On 4 October 2010, Ringland resigned from the Ulster Unionist Party, he later joined the Northen Ireland Conservatives. Northen Ireland Conservatives
At the Party"s AGM in Belfast on 28 June 2013, it was confirmed he was appointed as Company-Chairman of the Northen Ireland Conservatives, serving alongside Irwin Armstrong, and primarily responsible for the Party"s political brief.
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. In 2012 he was appointed vice-chairman (Political) of the Northen Ireland Conservatives, and as the Party"s spokesperson for social development, culture and leisure.
Since retirement, he has coached at Ballymena and been a committee member of the Irish Rugby Football Union. In 2006 he was appointed as a member of the new Northern Ireland Policing Board.