Denis Cussen

Denis Cussen
Personal information
Born	19 July 1901; Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland
Died	15 December 1980 (aged 79); Richmond, London, England
Education	Blackrock College; Trinity College Dublin;
Sport
Sport	Athletics and rugby union
Event	100 metres
Rugby union career
Position
Position	Wing
International career
Years	Team
1921–1927	Ireland
	Correct as of 17 January 2022

Denis Cussen (19 July 1901 – 15 December 1980) was an Irish sprinter, rugby union player and doctor.^[2] He competed in the men's 100 metres at the 1928 Summer Olympics.^[3]

Early life and education

Born in Newcastle West, County Limerick in Ireland,^[3] Cussen was educated locally before attending Blackrock College in Dublin.^[4] He played rugby union while at Blackrock College and won several Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cups with the school.^[4] He entered Trinity College Dublin in 1919 and, after studying medicine, qualified as a doctor in 1925.^[4]

Rugby

Playing as a winger, Cussen made his debut for Ireland in 1921.^[4] He won fifteen caps for the country between 1921 and 1927, scoring five tries, including two in victory over England in 1926.^[4] After moving to London, he represented the Barbarians and St Mary's Hospital, London.^[4]

Athletics

As a sprinter and jumper, Cussen won Irish titles in the 100 yards, 220 yards and long jump.^[4] His 1928 Irish record of 9.8 seconds for 100 yards equalled the world record on grass.^[5] He represented Ireland at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.^[3]

Later life and death

Denis Cussen practised medicine in London and was later a medical adviser to Shell Oil.^[4] According to his biography in the Dictionary of Irish Biography, he was a "pioneer in the new speciality of physical medicine" and was one of the founders of the British Association of Sport and Medicine.^[4] Based in London in later life, Denis Cussen died at his home in Richmond on 15 December 1980.^[4]^[6]

References

↑ "DENIS CUSSEN Ireland". espnscrum. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
↑ "The august history of the Dublin Hospitals Cup". The Medical Independent. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
1 2 3 Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Denis Cussen Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Shanahan, Jim; Rouse, John, "Cussen, Denis John", Dictionary of Irish Biography, Royal Irish Academy, doi:10.3318/dib.002351.v2, retrieved 17 October 2025
↑ "Glory days of a true Olympian". Irish Independent. 15 July 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
↑ Owen, J. Raymond (1981). "Obituaries - Dr. D. J. CUSSEN". British Journal of Sports Medicine. 15 (5). doi:10.1136/bjsm.15.1.5.