Michael McCarthy (born 27 November 1981) is an English-born retired Irish professional rugby union.

He made a single substitute appearance for the team in that year's Premiership against Sale Sharks, and did not play in any European games.

The following season he made an increased number of appearances, playing three times in the 2002–03 Premiership as Wasps won the title.

He made his debut from the bench in a Celtic League match away against Welsh side Cardiff Blues on 13 September.

[1] That season he helped the team reach the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup, starting all of the group games and scoring a try against the Newport Gwent Dragons.

He also played in the quarter-final itself against Stade Français at Parc des Princes, as Newcastle were beaten 48–8 by the eventual runners-up.

Newcastle went through to the semi-finals, where McCarthy played in a narrow defeat to London Irish, by a final score of 27–22.

McCarthy also started in all 6 of Connacht's group games in the 2007–08 European Challenge Cup, which included two matches against his former side Newcastle.

The 2008–09 saw him make fewer appearances in both competitions, playing in just nine of Connacht's 2008–09 Celtic League matches and four of their Challenge Cup games.

[9] He made his European debut for the side in October that year against the Ospreys, and went on to start all six of Leinster's pool games in the 2013–14 Heineken Cup.

[2] On 6 March 2017, McCarthy signed a two-year contract with French club RC Narbonne in the Pro D2 ahead of the 2017–18 season.

[12][13] In August that year, however, McCarthy made his Ireland debut in a Rugby World Cup warm-up game against Scotland at Murrayfield.