Jack Kyle played for Ireland during the 1940s and 50s and later became a doctor.

He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Doctor Awards in Dublin last night correctwhen he was honoured for his sporting and humanitarian contributions.

Dr Kyle, the most capped Irish fly-half, spent 34 years in the developing world when his sporting career was over. He worked as a consultant surgeon from 1966 to 2000 in Chingola, in the Central African state of Zambia. He also embarked in humanitarian work in Sumatra and Indonesia.

Dr Kyle has been fondly remembered for his contribution to the so-called 'Kyle era' of Irish rugby, which produced the Ireland's most successful side. With him at the helm, Ireland captured their first and only Grand Slam title in 1948. They followed this historic achievement by taking the Triple Crown in 1949.

The elusive out-half, nicknamed 'Ghost', made his first of 46 appearances for Ireland in 1947. The British and Irish Lions also selected him for their 1950 tour of New Zealand and Australia, where he won six caps and was hailed an all-time great.

Jack Kyle and his team-mates won the Five Nations Championship in 1951 before he ended his international career in 1958.

This is the seventh year of the Doctor Awards which honour groundbreaking Irish research. They were presented by Ireland's oldest international research publication The Irish Journal of Medical Science, in conjunction with the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.

Also honoured was the country's leading authority on viruses. Professor William Hall was named 'Doctor of the Year' for his pioneering work on cancer.