Jake Ireland

Education

Ireland, from Townsend, Ontario, attended Burlington Central High School from 1960 to 1965. Ireland"s father, Garnet Ireland, as well as his three brothers and a sister, also attended BCHS.

Career

While at Central, Ireland participated in basketball, cross-country running, and curling. While attending McMaster University, Ireland was contacted by a high school friend to begin officiating flag football for the newly created Burlington Minor Football Association. Soon after, Ireland was contacted to begin officiating for the Lakeshore Football Association, including refereeing games for the Burlington Braves Club.

Although he retired from his full-time career with Stelco Incorporated. after 31 years, Ireland continued as an active Canadian Football League referee until the conclusion of the 2008 Canadian Football League season, his 30th.

On June 26, 2009, the Canadian Football League announced that Ireland is the lead replay official for the new Replay Command Centre that decides all instant replay decisions starting in the 2009 Canadian Football League season. On February 21, 2013 the Canadian Football Hall of Fame announced that Ireland would be inducted into the Hall in September at a ceremony in Edmonton.

June 12, 1979 First Canadian Football League game as an official (Ottawa vs Montreal)

Total Games Officiated: 555

Grey Cup Games: 15 (12 as referee)

1976 Most Improved Official — Lakeshore Football Officials Association

1979 Officiated in the National Junior Football Championship

2003 Wall of Fame — Lakeshore Football Officials Association

2013 Scheduled for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Achievements

• He was also an active member of Student’s Council, and was proud to win a Mathematics Award in 1964. lieutenant was during a Braves game that Ireland was recruited by the Canadian Football League to begin his career with the Canadian Football League as a referee, a career that would find him participating in 555 games and refereeing in 15 Grey Cup games. His final on-field game was the 96th Grey Cup. 1985–1988 Selected as Head Referee in four consecutive Grey Cup games.