One of the greatest English Rugby Teams ever to come out of Nova Scotia before the 2nd World War were the Caledonia Miners from the Isle of Cape Breton. Their exploits are legendary and include winning an unprecedented ten consecutive McCurdy Cups, emblematic of Maritime English Rugby supremacy, and winning the McTier Cup, emblematic of the Eastern Canadian Championship several times, during the period from 1931 to 1946.

John MacCarthy served as coach for the Caledonia Miners from 1927 to 1931 and with his rugby knowledge, skills, and intensive training programs, moulded the miners into the powerhouse they were destined to become.

John MacCarthy had played English Rugby for the Halifax Wanderers before turning to coaching at Dalhousie University and Mount Allison University as well as at Caledonia.

John MacCarthy is being inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Heritage Hall of Fame because he was considered one of the best English Rugby coaches in Canada and was a man ahead of his time in his coaching technique. The old timers who gather together and discuss the good ol’ days all agree he was a man ahead of his time.