Gary Halpin

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Gary Halpin
Birth nameGarett Francis Halpin
Date of birth(1966-02-14)14 February 1966
Place of birthDublin, Ireland
Date of death23 February 2021(2021-02-23) (aged 55)
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight111 kg (245 lb)
SchoolRockwell College
UniversityManhattan College
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Prop
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1991–1998
1998–1999
Harlequins[2]
 122
23
(10)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1998–2001 Leinster[3] ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990–1995 Ireland[2] 11 (5)

Gary Halpin (14 February 1966 – 23 February 2021)[4][5] was an Irish rugby union international player and champion hammer thrower. He played as a prop for Wanderers F.C., Leinster, London Irish, Harlequins and Ireland. He scored a try against New Zealand at the 1995 Rugby World Cup and subsequently celebrated with an obscene gesture directed at the All Blacks.[6][7]

Early life

Halpin was born in

Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America.[8] He won the 35lb weight hammer throw at the 1988 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships and received All-American honors four times for throwing.[6] He also represented Ireland in the hammer throw at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome.[9]

Career

After graduating from Manhattan College in 1988, Halpin went back to Ireland the following year and began his club rugby career at Wanderers F.C.[1] He was part of the team that won the Leinster Senior Cup in 1990.[10] He signed for London Irish in 1991, and made 122 first team appearances for them over the next seven years.[1] During his final season with the team, Halpin appeared in 18 matches but did not score any points.[2] He also played provincial rugby for the Irish Exiles during this time.[11][12] He proceeded to play for Harlequins from 1998 to 1999; in his only season with them, he scored 10 points in 23 games.[2] He moved back to Ireland and played for Leinster from 1998 until 2001.[3]

Halpin played for the Ireland team from 1990 to 1995, winning 11 caps.[9] He made his debut in January 1990 against England in a 23–0 defeat at Twickenham.[2][6] He was part of the Ireland squad at the 1991 Rugby World Cup and the 1995 Rugby World Cup.[2] He notably scored one try against New Zealand during the pool stage of the latter tournament and celebrated by jogging backwards and flashing both middle fingers at the All Blacks.[6][7] He later expressed regret for doing this in 2019,[13][14] adding how he did this in retaliation to Sean Fitzpatrick – who set the All Blacks appearance record that same game[15] – provoking the Irish side by calling them Paddies.[6][15] Halpin played his final game with the national team on 10 June 1995,[2] when Ireland lost to France in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.[6]

Later life

After retiring from rugby, Halpin became a teacher and taught for two decades at St George's College, Weybridge, Christ College, Brecon, and The Oratory School near Reading.[6] He was enshrined into the London Irish Hall of Fame in 2012.[1] He later returned to Ireland in 2015 and coached Kilkenny RFC (who were previously coached by his father Tom).[16] He served as head of boarding at Cistercian College, Roscrea.[6][17] He resided at the school with his wife, Carol, who was also employed there. Together, they had three children.[18][19] Halpin died suddenly on 23 February 2021, at the age of 55.[6][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Gary Halpin 1966–2021 RIP". London Irish. 24 February 2021. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Gary Halpin – Rugby Union: Players and Officials". ESPN Scrum. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b Healy, Martin (24 February 2021). "Tributes pour in after former Ireland international Gary Halpin dies aged 55". Extra.ie. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  4. ^ Ball, Off The. "Former Irish rugby international Gary Halpin has died aged 55". Off The Ball. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Former Ireland international Gary Halpin has died". Irish Examiner. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j O'Sullivan, John (24 February 2021). "Former Ireland prop Gary Halpin dies aged 55". The Irish Times. Dublin. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Former Ireland rugby prop Gary Halpin dies at 55". Associated Press News. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  8. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  9. ^ a b c "Gary Halpin: Former Ireland prop dies aged 55". BBC News. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Gary Halpin R.I.P." Wanderers Football Club. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  11. ^ Alexander, Stuart (13 September 1992). "Rugby Union: Corcoran helps Exiles to relax". The Independent. London. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Exiles History". Irish Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  13. ^ O'Sullivan, John. "RWC moments: Gary Halpin's try-scoring salute". The Irish Times. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  14. ISSN 0140-0460
    . Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  15. ^ a b Jackson, Peter (24 February 2021). "Gary Halpin obituary: Ireland have produced no player more widely loved on both sides of the Irish Sea". Irish Examiner. Cork. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  16. ^ "Gary Halpin RIP (1966–2021)". Irish Rugby Football Union. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Former Ireland prop Gary Halpin dies aged 55". RTÉ. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  18. ^ Scully, Michael (24 February 2021). "Former Ireland international Gary Halpin dies aged 55". Irish Mirror.
  19. ^ Reporter, LaoisToday (24 February 2021). "Shock and sadness at sudden death of local school head and former Irish rugby international".

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gary_Halpin&oldid=1220039943"