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Robert Blair "Paddy"Mayne was born in Newtownards, County Down
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Robert Blair "Paddy"Mayne was born in Newtownards, County Down
Robert Blair " Paddy" Mayne was born in Newtownards, County Down, the second youngest of seven children. The Mayne family were prominent landowners who owned several retail businesses in the town. He was named Robert Blair after a second cousin, who at the time of his birth was a British Army officer serving in World War I. The family home, Mount Pleasant, is situated on the hills above Newtownards. A paternal ancestor was Gordon Turnbull, who led the famous Scotland Forever Charge at Waterloo.
He attended Regent House Grammar School. It was there that his talent for rugby union became evident, and he played for the school 1st XV and also the local Ards RFC team from the age of 16. While at school he also played cricket and golf, and showed aptitude as a marksman in the rifle club. On leaving school he studied law at Queens University of Belfast, studying to become a solicitor. While at university he took up boxing, becoming Irish Universities Heavyweight Champion in August 1936. He followed this by reaching the final of the British Universities Heavyweight Championship, but was beaten on points. With a handicap of 8, he won the Scrabo Golf Club Presidents Cup the next year.[citation needed]
Maynes first full Ireland cap also came in 1937, in a match against Wales. After gaining five more caps for Ireland as a lock forward, Mayne was selected for the 1938 British Lions tour to South Africa. While the Lions lost the first test, a South African newspaper stated Mayne was " outstanding in a pack which gamely and untiringly stood up to the tremendous task". He played in seventeen of the twenty provincial matches and in all three tests.[1] On returning from South Africa, he joined Malone RFC in Belfast.
In early 1939 he graduated from Queens and joined George Maclaine & Co in Belfast, having been articled to TCG Mackintosh for the five previous years. Mayne won praise during the three Ireland matches he played in 1939, with one report stating " Mayne, whose quiet almost ruthless efficiency is in direct contrast to O Loughlins exuberance, appears on the slow side, but he covers the ground at an extraordinary speed for a man of his build, as many a three quarter and full back have discovered." [2] His legal and sporting careers were cut short by the outbreak of World War II.
Circa 1945
Daily Mirror
Mirrorpix
England
Media ID 21650084
© Mirrorpix
Amateur Boxer Rugby Union Solicitor Solider
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Robert Blair 'Paddy' Mayne - A Remarkable Life of Sporting Excellence and Courage
EDITORS COMMENTS
. This print captures a defining moment in the life of Robert Blair "Paddy". Mayne, an extraordinary individual born in Newtownards, County Down. Paddy was the second youngest among seven children from the prominent Mayne family, who were well-known landowners and successful retailers. From an early age, Paddy's exceptional talent for rugby union shone through as he played for both his school's 1st XV and the local Ards RFC team. His sporting prowess extended beyond rugby to cricket, golf, and even marksman skills in the rifle club. Alongside his athletic pursuits, Paddy pursued higher education at Queens University of Belfast to study law with aspirations of becoming a solicitor. Not only did Paddy excel on the sports field and academically but also represented Ireland as a lock forward in international matches. He even earned a place on the prestigious 1938 British Lions tour to South Africa where he showcased his outstanding abilities against formidable opponents. Despite promising legal and sporting careers ahead of him, World War II interrupted Paddy's path to success. Nevertheless, this photograph immortalizes his indomitable spirit that propelled him towards greatness both on and off the field. As we gaze upon this image captured by Mirrorpix from Memory Lane Prints circa 1945 (not intended for commercial use), let us remember Robert Blair "Paddy". Mayne as an icon of resilience whose legacy continues to inspire generations today.
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