TWR Roly MEATES

My sincere condolences to Heather. I was sad to learn of Roly’s passing but have good memories of playing rugby with him for TCD in 1959 – 60 when we became friends. I learnt a lot about the dark arts of scrummaging from Roly, not least because as a lock forward I was in very close contact with Roly, a prop forward. In 1960 we shared the celebration of the famous victory over St. Mary’s College to win the Leinster Senior Cup, the first time in many years Trinity had won the trophy. Roly went on to play an important role as a coach in Irish rugby. He will be missed.

To Heather and the Meates family,
Sincere condolences on Roly's passing. I, like so many others in DUFC, owe this great man a huge debt of gratitude.

Sincere condolences to Heather and Family. I was referred to Roly when he was a recently qualified Dentist by a mutual friend and subsequently sat in his chair for many years until his retirement. A lovely engaging man. As a keen rugby supporter we had many great conversations over the years interspersed with dental treatment that was technically constantly evolving and patiently explained by Roly. His ambitions for Leinster and Irish rugby were constant and his frustration with the archaic structures and barriers always evident. He was ahead of his time. A great man and a true legend of Irish rugby.

My sincere condolences to Heather on your sad loss. I worked with Roly in the Guinness Medical for many years. Roly would always put a smile on your face with his smile and stories. Roly was such a gentleman.

Really sorry to hear about the passing of Roly. Such a lovely person. Sincere condolences to his family and all friends. I am sure he will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace

Heather, so sorry to hear of Roly's passing! I had a privilege of working for a short time as a dental hygienist many moons ago. I will remember Roly fondly. Thinking of you at this sad time.

Sincere sympathies to Heather and Roly’s extended family. I had the pleasure of been coached by Roly in DUFC for 6 years, as well as with the Irish Universities and Leinster. He was a not only a fantastic coach, way ahead of this time, but a wonderful human being that not only developed me as a rugby player but also as a person. His interest, empathy and concern for the whole person was exceptional independent of background, club or position; what a joy to have known and been a friend of Roly, an absolute legend. RIP Roly

What a gentleman. We used meet in Belfield jogging. Deepest sympathy to Heather. May Roly rest in peace.
Pat and Deirdre Coakley x

I am writing on behalf of the school community to offer my sincere condolences to Heather following the death of her beloved husband. I should also like to extend our deepest sympathies to other members of the immediate and extended family.

We recall with pride and affection that Roly was a distinguished past pupil of The High School (HSD, 1943-54) who was awarded the Old Boys’ Cup in recognition of his commitment to the institution in 1953-54. He went on to make a significant contribution to the life of the school as President of the Old Boys’ Union in 1977-78 before being appointed a Governor of the Schools founded by Erasmus Smith Esquire in 1984-85. It was in this capacity that he served on the Board at The High School as well as acting as Chairman of the Sports Committee for many years.

The High School will always have reason to be thankful for the fact that Roly chose to dedicate a proportion of his wide-ranging expertise to this institution where he is fondly remembered to this day. We remain grateful for his kind, thoughtful, generous, and supportive example in engaging with the generations of staff, parents, and past pupils who will mourn his loss to the school community both now and in the future.

Sincere sympathy Heather and family on the very sad passing of the amazing Roly. What a legacy he has left not just for Irish rugby and in particular his beloved DUFC, but for everyone he influenced throughout his life. I was fortunate to have come into his orbit for 4 years in Trinity and later in Wanderers - he was the best coach I ever met. He was so committed to imparting his expertise to anyone eager to listen but he was also always hungry to learn new things. He was a such gentleman and a gentle man, yet also capable of great bravery and determination. He was a loyal friend, honest and such great fun - his scrummaging sessions in the pav! His energy and enthusiasm were immense. And always with Heather close by - the evenings in Clonskeagh and Shepherd's Pie will be a fond memory for many. To quote Roly himself "fellows there are no absolutes…". I know of one absolute, Roly was a great man who left his mark on the lives of so many. He will long be remembered and missed.

A great friend for over 70 years - sadly missed.

My sincere sympathies to Heather and all the Meates family on Roly’s passing. A true gentleman, and a great rugby coach who so many of us were very lucky to have as our guide in our years in Trinity. May he rest in peace.

Such a lovely man, a real gentleman and always gave generously of his time. RIP Roly. My sincere condolences to Heather and family.

On behalf of Carrickmines Golf Club I wish to express our deepest sympathy to his family and many friends on the passing of our dear colleague and friend Roly. May he rest in peace.

Sincere sympathies to you Heather and family . I was fortunate to know Roly through rugby , the brewery and as my dentist . He was excellent in everything he did but above all he was a wonderful person who I always felt better from meeting him.

My deepest condolences to Heather and family. It is so sad to hear of the passing of such a great man. He was a mentor to so many, such an insightful coach, a legend of his time. He was a true gentleman who always put his players first. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.

Sincere condolences to Heather and the extended family. Thank you Heather for sharing this wonderful gentleman with us for so many years. It was a privilege to be coached by Roly but it was an even greater joy to spend time with him. May he rest in peace.

My sincerest condolences to Heather and to Roly’s extended Family. I was privileged to be coached by him for 4 years at Trinity 84-88. He was an outstanding human being, rugby coach and mentor. Roly’s rugby intellect, humour, loyalty, smile, twinkle and energy will never be forgotten. RIP Roly.

My sincere sympathy to you Heather. Roly was a great leader, and a development major force for good in Irish rugby. He always had time to chat, and had never ending courtesy. May he rest in peace.

Deepest sympathies to Heather and extended family on the passing of Roly. A true gentleman, dentist, coach and good friend. In our thoughts and prayers at this very sad time.

To all the Meates family,

My sincere condolences on the death of Roly. You will all be in my thoughts and prayers. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis,

Josepha

My deepest sympathy to Heather and family on the passing of Roly. He was a great coach and a gentleman. He always offered advice in the most enthusiastic and unique fashion. May he rest in peace.

Deepest sympathies to Heather and family on the passing of Roly.
A true gentleman,excellent dentist and a rugby coach with unrivalled knowledge and passion for the game which he was always willing to share.
Rest in Peace my friend 🙏

Very sorry to hear that Roly has passed away. He was a great coach and a great friend. My sincere condolences to Heather and extended family

Very sorry to hear of Rolys passing. His Presidency of the Strollers was simply superb. After Dinner speaking at its finest. A wonderful Gentleman whose trademark was both decency and kindness .
Heatley Tector

Heather, my deepest sympathy on your bereavement.Roly,yourself and the white dog were a great team that I had the pleasure of travelling down to Carlow on a couple of occasions for one of his coaching clinics.And this was after our usual Sunday morning "torterous" training session in College Park.
Roly was a true gentleman that I and my deceased father were lucky to befriend when we came to Ireland over 50 years ago.
Roly boa viajem!
My deepest sympathy to Heather and extended family.
Pedro Ribeiro

Deepest sympathy to Heather and extended family on Roly’s death. Such a true gentleman. He will be forever remembered. Rest in Peace Roly.

DUFC is saddened at Roly’s passing; one of its true legends and a rugby legend further afield. Roly’s contribution to our club cannot be measured. Sincerest of condolences to Heather and extended family.

Heather my deepest sympathy to you. We have great memories of partys and dinners and of course the rugby. Rest in peace Roly. Thanks for the memories.

Roly’s name will forever be synonymous with all that is good about sport,especially of course his lifetime interest in every aspect of rugby football.Those of us fortunate to have shared time with him will always recall his immense knowledge , enthusiasm , generosity and genuine camaraderie .His capacity to inspire young players is legendary.Rugby has lost a true apostle.
Heather, you are uppermost in all of our thoughts at this sad time.
Rest in Peace Roly.

Sincere sympathy on the sad passing of Roly. Very fondly remembered.

Sincere condolences to Heather and family on the sad loss of Roly. A true friend. May he rest in peace.

Sincere condolences Heather and family. Roly is an icon of our game and was a wonderful, kind and generous human being. Rest In Peace.

I was saddened to hear the news of Roly's death. He was a great rugby man, who had boundless energy and enthusiasm for the game. Some years ago, while seating in his dentists chair in Ballsbridge, in conversation about rugby, Roly offered to come down to Co Cavan RFC to coach our Under 17s for a session. So generous of him to give his time and share his knowledge with our lads.
Sending deepest condolences to Heather and Rolys wide circle of friends.

My deepest sympathy to Heather and family. What a lovely man. Rest in peace Roly.

We are so sorry for your loss Heather. Roly was a great lifelong friend to John. All our thoughts are with you at this time. Linda, Harry, Louise, Leonie and Jane.

I had the honour of being one of Roly's carers for a few weeks in the summer of 2022. He was always most courteous and kind to me despite his illness. Heather was devoted to him and they were a lovely pair. My heartfelt condolences to Heather, Justin and the rest of his family and many friends who I am sure will miss him very much.

Sincere Sympathy to Heather on the sadpassing of Roly may he rest in peace Thinking of you Heather at this very sad time

As a 14 year old Terenure College rugby player I did not realise we were in the presence of greatness when Roly took us for training at Butlins in the early 1970s. He made a great impression then and only subsequently did I discover how lucky we were to share time with him as must have hundreds of other young rugby players. Always watched for his name after that and noted his rise to coaching legend over the decades. A great guy. Many thanks Roly. RIP

Dear Heather, please accept my deepest sympathy on Roly’s passing. He was a true gentleman and a wonderful coach. Those of us who were privileged to tour Japan with Roly in 1981 will forever remember his inspirational leadership of our tour party both on and off the pitch. May he rest in peace.

So sad to read of Roly's death.
One of his greatest achievements was to take the fear out of dentistry. He did not believe any patient should feel pain. So one could almost look forward to appointments with him and "the girls" and
of course, there was always a match to discuss before the drill came out!
Whenever you met Roly he was always great company and he will be sorely missed most of all by Heather to whom we extend our sympathy.

Deepest sympathies to Heather, the entire family & Roly’s wide circle of friends on his sad passing. A true gentleman who always had time for everyone.

I’m so sorry to hear this sad news. My deepest condolences to the family of Roly Meates. He was my dentist for many years and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations about books and life and his thoughtful comments. He was unfailingly good humoured, relaxed, kind and professional as were the people who worked with him.

Sincere condolences to Heather and Roly's Family on His death. In the Year of Our Lord 1969 I was part of a group of students in the College of Marketing who started a Rugby team, with the aid of Lecturer, Donal O'Shea. In my innocence, I called into the Leinster Branch in D'Olier St. His Honor, Judge Conroy, R.I.P. suggested I ask Roly to do a training session with us. Half of us hadn't played Rugby before and Judge Conroy was concerned about putting students who hadn't played Rugby into the Scrum. He gave me Roly's no. Roly came out to the Vocational Schools Grounds in Drumcondra/Whitehall and did a 2 hour session with us. I cringe now when I think of bringing a genius like Roly out. His infectious enthusiasm motivated us all, especially those students who weren't sure if Rugby was our game. The ground was still hard and Roly did it in his bare feet, to harden them up. I met Roly years later at a Wanderers Dinner and apologized but Roly was so gracious, a true gentleman. I likened Him to St. Paul, bringing the Rugby religion to the Gentiles. Roly I'm sure you will be welcomed in Heaven, rest in peace.

My deepest condolences to Heather & family on the passing of Roly.
It was a privilege to have known Roly for nearly 60 years. Met him at a Leinster Mosney Rugby Camp. He was very generous with his advice on all things rugby and his support while I was involved with the Leinster U19, U20, Development and Senior sides. Thank you Roly may you rest in peace.
Tom Morrissey
Terenure College RFC

RIP Roly .. thank you for your kindness and compassion as my dentist for many years .
Deepest sympathy to Heather and your wider family .

Heather - our sincere sympathies on the passing of Roly - a true gentleman & sportsman .

Roly's contribution to Irish rugby was immense. Even though he will always be closely associated with Trinity his cv was wide embracing. It was always a pleasure to meet him as he was invariably in genial form and ready to have a chat about the game we both love. Some of my fondest memories of him are of the first Irish tour to New Zealand when he was coach. His enthusiasm and dedication were enormous.

Roly will be a great loss to Irish rugby. My condolences to Heather and his extended family. May he rest in peace.

I would like to express my deepest sympathy to Heather and the family circle on the death of Roly. He was a gentleman and gave a lifetime of service to rugby football in Ireland through his dedication to his club, province and country. May he rest in peace,

Our sincere condolences on the passing of Roly. Our thoughts are with you in this trying time.

Saddened to hear of Roly's death. His Sunday morning training sessions in College Parks will never be forgotten. Deepest sympathy to Heather.

Sincere condolences to Roly's family at this time.
He was one of the greatest if not the greatest contributor to Irish Rugby over the last 50 years.
I got to know him very well on the Universities tour to NZ in 78.
Under his stewardship and with John Robbie as Captain we beat the NZU, who had beaten the Lions in 77.It was a pity that Roly and Johnny didn't stay at the helm of Irish rugby for a more protracted period.
During his time as an Irish selector I always knew Roly had my back and for that I am eternally grateful.
He was a man of absolute integrity and will be sadly missed.
Good luck to you Roly our dear and affectionate friend.
RIP.

Deepest sympathy to all.

I thank Roly for his immense kindness, wisdom and human decency.
And I thank Heather for her patience whenever I met with Roly at their home in Clonskeagh. Thank you both, indeed.

Consider myself to be extremely lucky to have been coached by Roly, as Leinster captain. Brilliant rugby brain, innovative coach and a joy to be in his company both on and off the pitch. Deepest sympathies to Heather.

Our deepest condolences to Heather and all the family. We wish we could be with you at this sad time. We fondly remember Roly and think of you both often. I will personally always remember and am thankful for your kindness to my brother and I over many years - the world is losing a very special person but one who leaves a long and amazing legacy.

Sincere condolences on the passing of Roly. I have memories from the 70's as a kid being introduced in Cork, and the privilege of playing with the coaching guru in Trinity in the 80's. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm dílis.

Roly will be remembered by all who came across him, great man great life and great rugby coach.
RIP Roly - I promise to practise my throwing into the lineout.

Sincere condolences to Heather and family on the passing of Roly. May he rest in peace.

Our deepest sympathy to Heather on her loss. Roly was an expert, caring and sensitive
dentist - especially with children. He had a passion for coaching and player development. He was someone unafraid to stand up and be counted and was a key driver of the Leinster Development Plan which became the successful template for Irish Provincial Rugby.
Roly will be long remembered and sadly missed.