Irish Rugby Legend Jack Kyle dies, aged 88

Sad news that Jack Kyle has died aged 88. For a long time he was regarded as the greatest rugby player Ireland have ever produced- he was to Irish Rugby in the 40s and 50s what O'Driscoll has been in the professional era and is remembered most of all for inspiring Ireland to their first grand slam in 1948. It's extremely fitting that he was in Cardiff in 2009 to congratulate O'Driscoll and his teammates when they delivered the second slam. He's also remembered for his pivotal role on the Lions Tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1950 in which he played in all six tests and was one of star performers of the tour.

His legacy in rugby is great, but his legacy in life is so much greater. After retiring from rugby he moved to Chingola, Zambia where he worked as a doctor for 30 years, and was responsible for saving god knows how many lives. He was a humanitarian and a healer, and he'll be remembered by rugby fans for being a true gentleman as well. Humble, modest, warm, selfless and generous with his time.

Rest in peace Jackie Kyle.

May he rest in piece. The word legend is thrown around a lot in the modern day media but this man really was a legend.

Not a lot you can say, and it gets harder everytime to concoct something.

You'd like to connect his death in some way to an allusion about Rugby.  You could wonder about whether he was well enough over the last few weeks to have watched Ireland perform?  You might speculate that he was well pleased by what he saw had he seen it.

But the truth is, neither he nor his family would probably have had rugby much on their minds at all.  And perhaps, if he did have time to reflect on a life well lived, the jewels might have simply been family and perhaps even that career as a doctor in Zambia.

So there is always a danger of ascribing too important a role for Rugby in these reflections on ex-players who have died.  I'll resist and simply say, goodbye Jack Kyle.  Rugby played a part in his life but only a part.  Hope the rest of that life, the biggest part and the hidden part, pleased him well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UsX5WEQnlE

Very sad but if ever a man could look back at a life well lived it would be Jack Kyle.

To have qualified as a consultant surgeon and decide to devote your life to improving the lives of people in one of the poorest and parts of the world which was also one of the worst affected areas for AIDS says it all about the man.

No doubt his passing will be suitably marked tonight at Thomond.

Jack was a lovely gentleman, I felt very privileged to have tea with him and Willie John McBride a few years back and he had no airs and graces about him, just a really lovely man. He's had such a long and fulfilling life the like of which the vast majority dream of.
RIP Jack.

I didn't know about his time in the third world. Half his adult life was spent there, fair play to him. A hero on and off the pitch!

RIP Jackie Kyle.

Certainly a name I got to know from the past as I started to learn the game in NZ and his involvement in one of the Lions tours.

RIP. I grew up listening to stories from my grandad about his favourite player, the great Jackie Kyle.

Great player and captain for Ireland and for the Lions too.

Hope he enjoyed his long life.

RIP

Very few people achieve what he did in even one sphere of accomplishment.

Shows it is possible to do and that and still be a nice guy.

I met with him once and he was indeed a true gentleman.

He was one of those humble unassuming sorts who was more interested in asking me about my life than talking about his. Rugby was simply a vehicle to meet and have congress with what was far more important to him - humanity.

He will be fondly remembered as an all-time great - rugby player, surgeon and gentleman.