Kenneth William Kennedy (10 May 1941 – 14 July 2022)"Lions and Ireland hooker Ken Kennedy dies aged 81"
Lions Rugby, 16 July 2022 was an Irish

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player who played hooker for

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

and the

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ...

. He was born in

Rochester, Kent Rochester ( ) is a town in the unitary authority of Medway, in Kent, England. It is at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway, about from London. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Chatham, Rainham, Strood and Gillin ...

, England, the son of a Royal Navy doctor from

Holywood, County Down Holywood ( ) (Irish: ''Ard Mhic Nasca'', meaning 'Height of the Son of Nasca'. Latin: ''Sanctus Boscus'', meaning 'Holy Wood') is a town in the metropolitan area of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a civil parish and townland of 7 ...

. The family returned to Holywood, where he grew up. He attended

Campbell College Campbell College located in Belfast, Northern Ireland and founded in 1894 comprises a preparatory school department (junior age) and a senior Northern Ireland 'Voluntary Grammar' school, the latter meaning, in terms of provision of education, a ...

in Belfast, where he started playing rugby. He studied medicine at

Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

, and played rugby for

Queen's University RFC Queen's University Belfast Rugby Football Club is the rugby union team of Queen's University Belfast, currently playing in Division 2A of the All-Ireland League. Founded in 1869, it is the most successful and oldest continuous rugby union clu ...

and Belfast club CIYMS."Dr. Ken Kennedy – Rest in Peace"
London Irish Amateur RFC, 19 July 2022 He won his first cap for Ireland in 1965, and went on to win 45 caps over the next decade. He was selected for the

1966 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand In 1966 the British Lions toured Australia and New Zealand. The Lions won the two test matches against but lost all four internationals against the All Blacks. Overall the tourists played thirty-five matches, winning twenty-three, losing nin ...

, and won four test caps.Ruaidhri O'Connor
"Irish rugby legend Ken Kennedy dies, aged 81"
''Irish Independent'', 16 July 2022 He undertook post-graduate study in geriatric medicine at

Guy's Hospital Guy's Hospital is an NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in central London. It is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and one of the institutions that comprise the King's Health Partners, an academic health science centre. ...

, which led to him joining

London Irish London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club which competes in the Premiership, the top division of English rugby union. The club has also competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup. While ...

in 1968, where he played his club rugby until 1980, captaining the side from 1976 to 1979. He was a squad player on the

1974 British Lions tour to South Africa In 1974, the British & Irish Lions toured South Africa, with matches in South West Africa and Rhodesia. Under the leadership of Willie John McBride, the Lions went through the tour undefeated, winning 21 of their 22 matches and being held to a ...

, acting as the team's unofficial medical officer. Outside of rugby, he worked as an orthopaedic physician at St. Stephen's Hospital and

St Mary Abbots Hospital St Mary Abbots Hospital was a hospital that operated from 1871 to 1992 at a site on Marloes Road in Kensington, London. History The hospital building, which was designed by Alfred Williams as a workhouse infirmary and built by John T. Chappell, ...

, and was Medical Director of Rehabilitation at the Royal Star and Garter Hospital until 2003, after which he set up a sports injury clinic.

References

1941 births 2022 deaths British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland Ireland international rugby union players Irish Exiles non-playing staff Irish rugby union players Ulster Rugby players London Irish players Irish geriatricians Medical doctors from County Down Rugby union hookers {{Ireland-rugbyunion-bio-stub