Robin Roe
Robin Roe (born October 11, 1928) is an Irish clergyman known both for his work as an army chaplain and as a rugby player.
Early life and education
Roe was born in a Sheirke, Borris-in-Ossory, County Laois. He started playing rugby at Kings Hospital School, Dublin when he was ten years old. After six years of study at Trinity College, he was ordained a Church of Ireland clergyman before joining Lansdowne rugby football club in 1953-54.
Rugby career
Roe was first selected to play for the Barbarians while studying at Trinity College in 1951. He played in a total of eleven matches for the Barbarians and scored two tries. From 1952 to 1957 Roe played in twenty-one matches for Ireland's national rugby team as hooker.
In 1955 Roe toured with the British and Irish Lions in South Africa, where he played approximately a dozen games (two as prop) and scored a try against Griqualand West. After injuring his ribs early in the tour, his appearances were limited but he still played when required. The tour lasted four months, and Roe's roommates where the 19-year old Tony O'Reilly, Bill Williams and Bryn Meredith. Roe found the rugby in South Africa more demanding than he was accustomed to in Ireland, and he admired the consistent play of O'Reilly. He disliked South Africa's apartheid system as opposed to his beliefs as a priest. Roe's twenty-inch neck brought some ribbing from his teammates. The Catholics on the team joked that he had a great neck for a Roman collar.
In 1955 as a military chaplain based near London, he played about fifteen games for London Irish. Roe thought that Sunbury, the home base of the London Irish, was enjoyable; while the training at London Irish was rigorous, Roe believed that the team at Lansdowne was more settled. Roe regarded fellow hooker Karl Daniel Mullen, the man he replaced in the Ireland number 2 jersey and the captain of Ireland and the 1950 British and Irish Lions, as his toughest opponent.
In the summer of 1957 Roe was a member of the first Barbarians side to tour outside the British Isles. The team's tour of Canada was a success, with a 6-0 won-lost record and a 227-23 points for-against ratio.
Military chaplaincy
Roe distinguished himself for bravery while serving as an Army chaplain in Aden in 1967. During the Arab police mutiny, Roe heard gunfire and left Radfan Camp to investigate. He found a British Army lorry on fire with a number of British soldiers lying wounded. Under heavy fire Roe helped the wounded soldiers to safety in Radfan Camp. Roe was unarmed, as is the custom for military chaplains. He was awarded the Military Cross for his courage under fire. In 1982 he was awarded a CBE for his work as a chaplain.