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Mr Dawson McConkey - 1st XV Coach 1961-1974
An unprecedented achievement in the history of rugby at the Rainey to say the least. The squad, however, secured victories in no less than TWO of those four finals, sharing the trophy with B.R.A. in 1963 and beating Methody in 1967!
Dawson, an ex-Methody pupil and Collegians tight head prop, recalls that there wasn't as big an emphasis on rugby at the Rainey when he was a schoolboy at Methody and remembers coming up to Magherafelt with the Methody 3rds to play the Rainey 1sts!
Having taken up his post at the Rainey in January 1961, Dawson took over from the current Headmaster at the time, Mr Todd, as the school's main rugby coach.
On winning the Schools Cup for the first time in 1963, Dawson remarked at the "tremendous support from staff and the wider community", both in the run up to the Final and after. Indeed, he mentions that the team, when they came back to Magherafelt from Ravenhill, received what could be described nowadays as a civic reception. People were out on the streets of the town, to catch a glimpse of the team on their victory parade on the back of a lorry! The same happened in 1967.
After leaving the school in 1974, Dawson was heavily involved with coaching at Rainey Old Boys, although he describes his role there as merely being a "fitness trainer". At that time, he was playing for Collegians, so wasn't able to see the Old Boys play each Saturday as he was playing for Collegians himself!
Describing the standard of school's rugby nowadays compared with the 60's and early 70's, Dawson sees the schoolboy game as having become more professional, with more discipline and determination shown from today's players, as well as higher levels of fitness and organisation.
What stands out from talking to Dawson is his genuine love of the game. His motto while at the Rainey was to make rugby as enjoyable as possible for all those taking part. He maintains that if the enjoyment is not there, a coach is likely to loose potentially good players.
In recent years, Dawson has been heavily involved with the Irish Colleges Rugby Union body, www.studentrugby.com, which oversee the development of student rugby in the various universities and further education establishments throughout Ireland. He was elected President of the ICRU in 2003, and served in this position for three years.
It has been a real pleasure for me to have the opportunity to meet Dawson and I would like to thank him for taking the time to talk to me. He is a superb ambassador for rugby and a very genuine a well thought of man in the Magherafelt area. Although not involved directly with any rugby club or body at present (he has "finally retired!"), he still likes to watch his beloved Old Boys on a regular basis and can also be seen cheering on the Rainey 1st XV each year in their Schools Cup campaign.
JDW