Ray McLoughlin
Encyclopedia
Raymond John "Ray" McLoughlin (born 21 August 1939) is a former Ireland
international rugby union
prop. McLoughlin had a long and successful career playing for several clubs at club level, and played for Connacht
at province level. He was selected for two tests with the British Lions, and played for invitational tourists the Barbarians
.
, and received his secondary school education at Garbally College
. His father was Tadhg Mac Lochlainn
, a local historian and welfare officer.
Outside rugby, McLoughlin was a successful business man, and in 1973 he was the chief executive of James Crean, an industrial holdings company. As of 2006 he was the chairman of Oakhill printing group.
and played for the university club UCD RFC
.
He toured twice with the British Lions
, in 1966
to Australia
and New Zealand
and again in 1971
to New Zealand. Both tours saw McLoughlin injured, though in the 1966 tour he managed to play in three Tests before being forced to retire, while in 1971 he managed just five provincial games before he broke his thumb in a rough game against Canterbury
.
Wales international rugby player John Taylor
, who toured with McLoughlin with the British Lions in 1971, described him as 'one of the best technicians the game has ever known'. While Sports columnist Bill Bridge in 2008 named him as Ireland's best open side prop of the last 40 years.
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
prop. McLoughlin had a long and successful career playing for several clubs at club level, and played for Connacht
Connacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Connacht that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 comprising teams from the Celtic nations plus Italy. Normally, it also competes in the second-tier pan-European club competition, the European Challenge Cup...
at province level. He was selected for two tests with the British Lions, and played for invitational tourists the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
.
Personal history
He was born in Ahascragh, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and received his secondary school education at Garbally College
Garbally College
Garbally College is a Catholic, boys-only, secondary school based in Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland. It is officially known as St Joseph's College .-History:...
. His father was Tadhg Mac Lochlainn
Tadhg Mac Lochlainn
Tadhg Mac Lochlainn was an Irish local historian.Mac Loughlin was a native of Killure, near Ballinasloe, and an innovator in the promotion of local studies, been the author of half-a-dozen books on the subject, as well a number of articles...
, a local historian and welfare officer.
Outside rugby, McLoughlin was a successful business man, and in 1973 he was the chief executive of James Crean, an industrial holdings company. As of 2006 he was the chairman of Oakhill printing group.
Rugby career
He studied at University College DublinUniversity College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
and played for the university club UCD RFC
University College Dublin R.F.C.
University College Dublin Rugby Football Club is the rugby club of University College Dublin, based in Dublin, Ireland. They play their home games at UCD Bowl. The club was founded in 1910 and they won their first trophy, the Leinster Junior Challenge Cup, in 1914. In 1924 they won their first...
.
He toured twice with the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
, in 1966
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....
to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and again in 1971
1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand
In 1971 the British Lions toured New Zealand, also playing two matches in Australia. Despite losing the first match to Queensland the tour was a great success, the Lions winning the test series against the All Blacks. They are still the only Lions side to have won a test series in New Zealand...
to New Zealand. Both tours saw McLoughlin injured, though in the 1966 tour he managed to play in three Tests before being forced to retire, while in 1971 he managed just five provincial games before he broke his thumb in a rough game against Canterbury
Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region, in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand...
.
Wales international rugby player John Taylor
John Taylor (rugby player)
John Taylor is a Welsh former rugby union player and current commentator. Nicknamed "Basil Brush" thanks to his wild hair and beard, he played as a flanker for London Welsh , and represented Wales 26 times between 1967 and 1973.-Rugby career:Perhaps his most famous moment was in the Five Nations...
, who toured with McLoughlin with the British Lions in 1971, described him as 'one of the best technicians the game has ever known'. While Sports columnist Bill Bridge in 2008 named him as Ireland's best open side prop of the last 40 years.