About Des McKee
Lived 1923 – 1982 (aged 58–59). Des McKee was a rugby union player.
William Desmond McKee CBE (27 August 1923 — 28 January 1982) was an Irish international rugby union player.
A native of Belfast, McKee was educated at Mourne Grange School in Kilkeel and St Columba's College outside Dublin.
McKee, a speedy three-quarter, was Irish 440 yards champion in 1946 and played his rugby for Belfast-based club North of Ireland. He made his Ireland debut on the wing against Australia at Lansdowne Road in 1947, but won most of his 12 international caps as a centre, including all four matches of the grand slam-winning 1948 Five Nations campaign. His second-half try against England at Twickenham proved decisive in a 11–10 win.
Post rugby, McKee became chairman of F. B. McKee and Co., Belfast, succeeding his father. He was president of the Federation of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, Northern Ireland from 1976 to 1978.
McKee was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1979 New Year Honours.
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Important facts
People in Des McKee's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Des McKee's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Des McKee?
rugby player
When was Des McKee born?
Des McKee was born in 1923.
When did Des McKee die?
Des McKee died in 1982.
What was Des McKee's occupation?
Des McKee was a rugby union player.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Des McKee. https://biography.guide/des-mckee/
MLA: "Des McKee." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/des-mckee/.
Chicago: "Des McKee." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/des-mckee/.
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