RCSI alumnus and former Leinster rugby team doctor, Dr Jim McShane.
DOCS AND
RUCKS
Former captain of Ireland, RCSI alumnus Niall Hogan, in action against England.
The Rugby Club at RCSI is one of the oldest in the country and the College’s links with rugby involve not just the members, teams, supporters and alumni but also research into rugby-related injuries. Brian Lowry reports
M
edicine has been intertwined with rugby since the 1800s. A survey carried out at the turn of the millennium revealed that 201 of the 980 Irish international players up to the year 2000 were medical doctors, with RCSI claiming more than its fair share, dating back to Sir William Watson Pike in 1897. The Rugby Club at RCSI, established in 1881, is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the country, standing the test of time thanks to the many great alumni and staff who played their part over the years. One of the great stalwarts of the Rugby Club is Professor Alan Johnson. Throughout the years, Professor Johnson held a number of positions of distinction in the College including Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Vice Dean, Academic Director of Admissions and RCSI representative to the HRB and the Medical Council. In 2007, Professor Johnson was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of RCSI, receiving the honour in recognition of the substantial contribution he made to the College. The affection and esteem in which he is
14
held by students was not confined to his great teaching ability (he is described by former students as “charismatic”, “inspirational, kind, an all-round nice guy,” “encouraging, lectures crystal clear”) or his valuable research (mainly in cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism in diabetes) but also for his indefatigable support of the rugby teams. Professor Johnson was President of the Rugby Club for 31 of the 35 years that he lectured at RCSI. “Over the many years of playing rugby at RCSI, I would look over to the sidelines in the freezing rain and see Professor Johnson and his dog,” says Donnie McGrath (Class of 1990). And his involvement was not just confined to the Leinster League and Dublin Hospitals Cup matches here, but also to the overseas tours to the United States, South Africa, New Zealand and France. He has fond memories of the overseas trips.“The first one was to America in the nineties. It was an amazing trip – great fun and very social. We also travelled to France where we had an annual fixture with Saint Antoine, a medical School in Paris, now known as Université Pierre and Marie Curie (UPMC).” He credits former Director of Estate and Support Services at RCSI, Barry O’Brien, for his role in arranging the tours.
