Ham Lambert: Ham Lambert, the Dublin vet and sporting enthusiast, has died aged 96 at the Dargle Nursing Home after a short illness.
Noel Hamilton Lambert, to give him his full name - though everyone who knew him always called him Ham - was born in Dublin in 1910. His father Bob Lambert ran a veterinary practice on the corner of Richmond Street, between Camden Street and the Grand Canal.
The practice was there for more than 150 years and Bob had inherited it from his father. In due course, Ham took it over.
While still at Rossall School in Lancashire, Ham, aged just 17, played rugby for Lansdowne in the Leinster cup final deputising for an injured Eugene Davy. At 20, he had won the first of his Leinster caps.
In 1934 aged 24 he won two caps for Ireland. He was then injured so badly he was told he would barely walk again, let alone play any sport, but he made one of his many miraculous recoveries and went on to win 11 international referee caps for Ireland.
At the same time, Ham was playing cricket for Ireland. He won 21 caps, scoring an impressive 577 runs. His first match was at Lords, the central London home of the game, against the famed MCC. He put on a partnership of 85 with Jimmy Boucher to win Ireland the match but it was his sharpness at cover point that won him most accolades. He was also an international Badminton trialist as well as a Barton Cup-winning golfer.
At the age of 92, he retired as referee assessor for the Leinster Referees Association managing to keep up with the Laws and maintaining excellent sight till he died.
Qualifying as a vet in 1931, his work was initially with cattle and draught horses. He was veterinary inspector for 18 years at the RDS Bull Show and Spring Show, and for 50 years at the St Patrick's Day dog show.
He was vet to the Dublin Zoo for 25 years and became its president.
As Dublin expanded from its early 20th-century borders and farms receded as land was taken over for housing, he worked more, eventually exclusively, with dogs and cats.
For generations of children travelling from places such as Rathmines, Rathgar and Terenure into city centre schools than located in Harcourt Street and on St Stephen's Green, the Richmond Street practice was a landmark on their route and a place to which they brought their pets.
Ham's practice was the largest in Ireland with three associate vets, a trimming department and two branch practices.
His lifelong work with vitamin E and animal osteopathy was years ahead of its time and his methods were often based on instinct and common sense which he believed were essential qualities for any vet or referee.
Ham was not only president of Lansdowne Rugby Club but maintained a huge interest in and loyalty to the club all his life. He was also president of the Referees Association, president of the Veterinary Medical Association of Ireland and president of the Irish Badminton Association.
Ham was married to Jean for more than 54 years and is survived by his children Bruce, Jeanette and Mark and six grandchildren.
His curiosity for things concerning sport and medicine and his determination to keep fit meant he enjoyed a full life up until his last few months.
He was much loved and admired by a huge range of people. His many friends and family will miss his fantastic sense of humour and humanity.
Ham Lambert: born June 6th, 1910, died October 10th, 2006