Rugby

Former Ireland player Denis J Hickie passes away

Uncle of former Lions player won 23 caps for Leinster during his career

Gerry Thornley's face
Gerry Thornley
Thu Dec 30 2021 - 21:14

The former Irish rugby international Denis J Hickie, who won six caps in the 1970s, has passed away peacefully after a period of illness.

Hickie, along with his brother Tony, played on the first team from St Mary’s College to win the Leinster School Senior Cup in 1961 and they were also part of a hugely successful era for St Mary’s RFC teams during the 70’s.

Hickie, a number 8 who was captain of St Mary’s for three seasons (‘65-‘66, ‘66-67 & ‘75-‘76), played on three Leinster Senior Cup-winning teams (‘69, ‘71,’ 72) as well as the inaugural Leinster Senior League-winning side of 1971-‘72. He was also part of the 1975 team that won the Club Championship of Ireland, to celebrate the IRFU’s 100th anniversary and was a forerunner to the All Ireland League.

A career which featured 23 caps for Leinster and one cap for the Barbarians (1972) was also notable for its landmarks. Hickie and Seán Lynch were the first St Mary’s RFC players capped for Ireland, on the same day on January 30th, when Ireland drew 9-9 with France at Lansdowne Road.

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He retained his place for the remainder of the 1971 championship and again in 1972 when he played in the Ireland team that famously beat both France (in Stade Colombes, Paris) and England in Twickenham, and were seemingly destined for Grand Slam triumph only for Wales and Scotland to refuse to travel to Ireland that year due to the Troubles in the North, as featured in the recent TV documentary The Team that Turned Up.

The win over England would prove his last cap.

His son Gavin Hickie played with St Mary’s and 43 times for Leinster during the Matt Williams era as well as Ireland ‘A’, before moving to the UK where he enjoyed successful stints with London Irish, Worcester Warriors and Leicester Tigers.

His nephew Denis played with Leinster for 12 seasons, scoring 56 tries in 126 games, and Ireland (29 tries in 62 Tests), as well as the Lions.