Barbarians

Sean Lynch — John Francis Lynch — was born in Dublin in September 1942 and educated at Presentation College. A licensee by trade, he played prop for St Mary’s College and captained Leinster against New Zealand in 1972, later turning out for the province again against the touring All Blacks in 1974. He won 17 caps for Ireland between 1971 and 1974, and toured Australia and New Zealand with the Lions in 1971, playing 15 matches including all four Tests.

Johnny Moloney — John Joseph Moloney — was born in Limerick in August 1949 and educated at St Mary’s College, where he played scrum-half. A company director by profession, he represented Leinster against New Zealand in both 1972 and 1974, and captained the province against Argentina in 1978. He won 27 caps for Ireland between 1972 and 1978, captaining the side four times, and had the unusual distinction of playing in three separate combined Scotland-and-Ireland versus England-and-Wales fixtures — at Twickenham in 1970, Murrayfield in 1972, and Lansdowne Road in 1975. Moloney toured South Africa with the Lions in 1974, scoring three tries in eight matches.

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

Hickie and Sean Lynch were the first St Mary’s RFC players capped for Ireland, on the same day — 30th January — when Ireland drew 9-9 with France at Lansdowne Road. He won 23 caps for Leinster and one cap for the Barbarians, in 1972. He remained in the Ireland team for the 1971 and 1972 championships, the side that famously beat both France (at Stade Colombes, Paris) and England (at Twickenham) and nearly completed a Grand Slam, only for Wales and Scotland to refuse to play in Ireland due to the Troubles. The England game proved to be his last cap.

Tom Grace — Thomas Oliver Grace — was born in Dublin in October 1948, educated at Newbridge College and UCD, and qualified as an accountant. A winger for St Mary’s College, he represented Leinster against New Zealand in both 1972 and 1974, and won 25 caps for Ireland between 1972 and 1978, eight of them as captain, scoring six international tries. He also featured in the combined Scotland-and-Ireland celebration fixtures at Murrayfield in 1972 and Lansdowne Road in 1975. On the Lions’ 1974 tour of South Africa he scored a remarkable 13 tries in 11 matches, including four against Griqualand West and a hat-trick against the Leopards. Grace later served as Treasurer of the IRFU.

Tony Ward — Anthony Joseph Patrick Ward — was born in Dublin in October 1954 and educated at St Mary’s College. A PE teacher and company director, he played fly-half for Garryowen and Greystones, and famously kicked two drop goals in Munster’s legendary 12-0 win over the All Blacks in 1978, adding another drop goal in the province’s win over the Wallabies three years later. He won 19 caps for Ireland between 1978 and 1987, scoring 113 points, and toured South Africa with the Lions in 1980, contributing 48 points in five appearances including the first Test. Later that year he played in the combined Scotland-and-Ireland fixture against England-and-Wales marking the WRU’s centenary.

Shay Deering played for Leinster 13 times, for Munster 18 times, and for Ireland 8 times, and captained Ireland in 1979 against the All Blacks.

Ciaran Fitzgerald was born in Galway in June 1952 and educated at St Joseph’s College Ballinasloe, Garbally College, and UCG. A hooker for St Mary’s College and Connacht, he captained Ireland in 19 of his 25 caps between 1979 and 1986, and led the Lions in New Zealand in 1983, playing 11 matches including all four Tests. An army captain by profession, Fitzgerald also captained the Barbarians themselves in a match against Cardiff in 1986.

Paul Dean — Paul Michael Dean — was born in Dublin in June 1960 and educated at St Mary’s College. A sales representative by trade, he played fly-half for St Mary’s and captained Leinster at provincial level. He scored four tries in 32 caps for Ireland between 1981 and 1989, and toured Australia with the Lions in 1989, though injury limited him to a single appearance.

Vinnie Cunningham — Vincent John Gerald Cunningham — was born in Dublin in March 1967 and educated at St Mary’s College. A bank official, he played centre and wing for St Mary’s and represented Leinster at provincial level, including as a replacement against New Zealand in 1989 and in the 1992 match against Australia. He won 16 caps for Ireland between 1988 and 1994, scoring three tries and a conversion, and toured New Zealand with the Lions in 1993, playing three matches and scoring two tries against Taranaki.

Malcolm O’Kelly — Malcolm Eamonn O’Kelly — was born in Chelmsford in July 1974 and educated at Templeogue College and Trinity College Dublin. A lock for St Mary’s College, Leinster, and London Irish, he won 92 caps for Ireland between 1997 and 2008, scoring eight tries, and toured Australia with the Lions in 2001, playing four matches. After retiring from international rugby, O’Kelly turned out for the Barbarians themselves against Ireland in 2010.

Flanker Shane Jennings was born in Dublin in 1981 and won 13 caps for Ireland. He captained the Barbarians to victory over Ireland in May 2015.

A versatile back-row player with the all-round skills to excel in both attack and defence, Paula Fitzpatrick won 40 caps for Ireland and showed those qualities in full on her Barbarians debut against the USA Women’s Eagles in 2019.