It is with regret that we inform you of the passing of Denis J. Hickie, class of 1962, father of Gavin (1998), brother of Tony (also 1962) and uncle of Denis A. (1994).
HICKIE Denis, Joseph (Ranelagh and Wexford) – 26th December 2021, peacefully in the wonderful care of the Staff of Belmont Nursing Home, Stillorgan.
Loving father of Brigitte (Paris), Gavin (Maryland), and Leanne, and their respective partners Davide, Jessica and David, together with all his adored grandchildren Eva and Ugo, Fionn and Cian, Alicia, Aoibhinn and Cillian, and the late Darren, together with their mothers Rosemary (deceased), Monique and Irene. Very sadly missed by his brother Tony, sister Mary (Boston), by sisters-in-law, Grace and Esther and his nephew Denis, nieces Clodagh and Bairbre and all his very many friends, former teammates and colleagues at St. Marys College RFC.
Requiem Mass will take place in the Church of Mary Immaculate Refuge of Sinners, Rathmines Road Lower on Friday, 31st December next at 10.00am followed by removal to Deansgrange Cemetery.
At the request of the family, this Mass will take place in keeping with Government advice and HSE Guidelines on public gatherings. The Mass can also be viewed on the Parish Webcam
Bio:
Denis was vice captain of the victorious 1961 SCT, the first ever St Mary’s team, which also included brother Tony, to win the senior cup. After school, Denis went on to play for St Mary’s RFC, captaining the club for three seasons (’65-’66, ’66-67 & ’75-’76) and was part of a hugely successful era of St Mary’s teams that also included Tony, who won Leinster Senior Cups (’69, ‘71’,’75) and the inaugural Leinster Senior League (’71-’72), as well as being part of the 1975 team that won the Club Championship of Ireland, a forerunner to the All-Ireland League that was played to mark the centenary of the IRFU.
Denis, alongside Sean Lynch on the same occasion, were the first St. Mary’s RFC players capped for Ireland (1971 vs France), and he would go on to win 6 caps for Ireland. Playing alongside other St Mary’s men, Johnny Moloney and Lynch, Denis featured in the 1972 Ireland team that famously beat both France (in Stade Colombes, Paris) and England (Twickenham) and were seemingly destined for Grand Slam triumph only for Wales and Scotland to refuse to travel to Ireland that year due to the Troubles in the North.