Ian McKinley’s remarkable rugby journey epitomises extraordinary resilience and determination. Born in Dublin, McKinley’s sporting passion emerged early, playing Gaelic football and taking up rugby in St. Columba’s College, before going on to the Leinster Rugby Academy and making 6 appearences for Leinster’s first team. However while playing for UCD Ian got a devastating eye injury threatened to end his career. In January 2010, a teammate’s boot accidentally perforated his left eye, initially blinding him, but surgeons saved his sight. Despite a subsequent retinal detachment that left him permanently blind in that eye. With the support of his family and innovative Raleri goggles, he made an unprecedented comeback, before eventually going on to play internationally for Italy. Becoming the first visually impaired, goggle-wearing international rugby player, McKinley transformed his personal challenge into a powerful narrative of hope. His autobiography “Second Sight” and ongoing work with Vision Sports Ireland continue to inspire, demonstrating that physical limitations need not define one’s potential.

1. Can you tell me about your background before your injury?

I was born and raised in Dublin. My interest in sport started from a very early age. In National school, I would have played a lot of hockey and extra curricular activities like swimming and basketball but it was playing Gaelic football with Kilmacud Crokes where I first got the sense of competitive sport. I then went onto secondary school at St Columba’s College where I started playing rugby. The day after my leaving certificate, I entered the Leinster Rugby Academy where I was going to be training like a professional. I gained my first senior cap for Leinster aged 19 as well as other underage games for Ireland. 

2. Can you describe the incident that led to the loss of sight in your left eye and how it initially impacted your rugby career?

January 2010 is when my life changed both professionally and personally. I was studying in UCD and playing for their senior team. It was a normal league game and a couple of minutes into the game, I found myself at the bottom of a ruck when unfortunately a teammate had made contact with my left eye via his boot, which resulted in a perforated eyeball. I was left initially blind but miraculously the surgeons managed to save the eye and I was able to start the recovery process. There was a big question mark as to the future of my playing career but all I wanted to do was get back on the pitch so all my attention was going to go into my recovery. Six months later with 50% vision in that eye, I was back playing at a professional level. The season was a very successful one until unfortunately my retina detached some 18 months later which left me permanently blind in my left eye. I made the very difficult decision to retire from playing aged 21. 

3. What did you do after your initial retirement?

I went back to university where I was sitting some exams in Sports Management. I also got involved in coaching rugby with various schools and clubs. Through that I got a call via Leinster Rugby from a club in Udine, northern Italy, to come and coach. I moved over in 2012 aged 22. 

4. How did your association with Raleri come about? How did Raleri specially manufactured goggles enable your return to the sport?

My brother realised that there was a possibility of rugby goggles potentially becoming available in the game. Previous to this there was nothing for adults. After many engagements with World Rugby, we discovered that there was a manufacturing company in Bologna called Raleri who were going to be distributing this new product. I received my first pair of goggles in 2014. The goggles meant safety and protection for me as I was on the receiving end of some unsavory incidents involving my eye on the field post my initial injury. 

5. What challenges from World Rugby did you face in getting them approved for use in professional matches?

When the goggles arrived, it was on a trial basis therefore every union had the choice to sign up or not. Italy was the first nation to do so but unfortunately Ireland, England and France did not sign up which meant I could not play matches in those countries. Thankfully though after many hours of negotiations these decisions were reversed and not just me but other goggle wearing players were now able to play. 

6. When did you make your comeback? How did you end up making the transition to play for Italy?

I played my first game back after a 3 year absence, in Italy‘s Serie C which was slightly different to my last rugby playing memory with Leinster. However, I enjoyed every minute and gradually began climbing the rugby ladder and ended up signing for Benetton Treviso. At this stage, I had become eligible for Italy through the residency rule (3 years at the time) and made my international debut for my adopted country of Italy in 2017. Thus becoming the very first ever visually impaired goggle wearing international rugby player. 

7. Post retirement can you tell us about your involvement with Vision Sports Ireland and the IRFU Vision Impaired Rugby Coaching Guide?

I’ve been involved in various mixed ability/visually impaired projects over recent years. The one that probably stands out is the Visually Impaired rugby format. It began with the Change Foundation in England who founded the game and it is now growing thankfully in Ireland, France, Wales, Japan and New Zealand. A real target is to have a VI Six Nations tournament in the not too distant future. 

8. What message do you hope to convey through your autobiography, “Second Sight”?

I hope the messages that stand out would be resilience, family and giving people hope. All of this though would not have been achieved without a caring group of people around me. 

9. What advancements would you like to see in rugby to make it more inclusive in general and specifically for visually impaired players?

I believe better strides are being made and long may that continue. Rugby is in such a unique position as many different shapes and sizes are needed for the game and with that brings many different formats. If we can keep people involved in rugby than rugby will be in a better place. 

10. Are there any people, companies or initiatives that you are a big fan of?

I believe it’s the people who don’t get the spotlight as being the real heroes. The volunteers/players that are so heavily involved in their community/team that keeps the heartbeat of that place going and indeed provides oxygen to rugby.