Ronan O’Gara far from the first Corkman to make his mark in Parisian rugby

Ronan O’Gara isn’t the first Corkman to make waves in Parisian rugby.

The Munster and Ireland icon’s Racing 92 club now face amalgamation with the other powerhouse in the French capital, Stade Francais — who featured a Leesider in their playing ranks before the First World War broke out.

John James Kelly pops up in team photographs with Stade Francais going back as far as 1913, but how did a Leesider end up playing rugby in Paris over a century ago?