Friends hail Grand Slam hero Jim McCarthy

Former teammates of Jim McCarthy, the Grand Slam-winning Irish rugby international, have paid tribute to their colleague’s dedication to the game, after his death this week at the age of 90.

A slight back-row forward, McCarthy was one of ‘Jack Kyle’s outriders’, providing protection for the prodigious out-half alongside Bill McKay and Des O’Brien. However McCarthy also supplied a considerable try-threat, with his eight tries in a green jersey a record for a forward at the time.

As Dolphin stalwart Brendan Murphy recounts, ‘Jim Mac’ fondly remembered gathering a Kyle garryowen for a try in the Five Nations. The press dubbed it a pre-planned move, such was the precision on show but McCarthy admitted it was nothing of the sort; rather the try came from his knowledge that Kyle would sooner kick the ball away than be caught by the looming gang of forwards.