Tom Gavin:MSGR TOM Gavin, who has died aged 87, was the only ordained Catholic priest to play international rugby. Twice capped for Ireland in 1949, he turned out as centre when the team lost 6-9 to France. The team then secured a convincing 14-5 victory over England before going on to win the Triple Crown.
Some of his fellow clerics had misgivings as to whether playing international rugby was compatible with being a priest, but he enjoyed the support of the then archbishop of Westminster cardinal Bernard Griffin.
He recalled that his teammates were unfazed by his Roman collar. “Ireland changing rooms are pretty eclectic places and priests are very much part of everyday life in Ireland. They certainly didn’t tone the language down on my account.”
A former player with Moseley RFC and London Irish, he never lost his enthusiasm for rugby. Last season he was present to support London Irish in person for the first time in many years, and was delighted when his old team trounced the then league leaders Sale Sharks 28-6. He loved the modern game, which he considered to be exciting and very athletic. He said that his generation tended to see the past through rose-tinted glasses, but while rugby was always a great game to play, he wondered just how good a game it was to watch.
“Having said that, my fly-half in my two tests, Jack Kyle, was an absolute rugby genius, a star in any era,” he said. “He was worth the admission price alone.” He and his Irish teammates were reunited in 1999 for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of their Triple Crown triumph.
The son of Jim Gavin from Westport, Co Mayo, and his wife Bridie (née Finn) from Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, he was born in Coventry in 1922. Having attended St Mary’s and Sacred Heart primary schools, he continued his education at Cotton College, North Staffordshire, where he later became headmaster. At Cotton, his passion for classics and sport, especially rugby and cricket, began to develop.
He studied for the priesthood at St Mary’s College, Oscott, and was ordained in 1946. He then read classics at Christ’s College, Cambridge, graduating in 1949. There followed a year’s teaching at Ampleforth College, where he met the future cardinal Basil Hume, who became a lifelong friend. In 1950 he was appointed prefect of studies at Cotton, becoming headmaster in 1967. He made great strides in developing the curriculum, while keeping rugby and athletics to the fore.
Appointed parish priest of St Thomas More, Coventry, in 1978, he ministered there for 26 years.
Arranging the papal visit to Coventry in 1982 and Mass for 350,000 people at Badington airfield, was the undoubted highlight of his career.
Thomas Joseph Gavin: born March 28th, 1922; died December 25th, 2009