Rohan had the ability to get people to work with him and for him which, in a large part, accounted for his success. There was also a streak of deviousness about him, as illustrated by the following story.

In 1954 a successor to J. J. O'Hanlon as president of the ICU was on the agenda. O'Hanlon was showing no signs of stepping down and that presented difficulties. However the fates took a hand and O'Hanlon, unintentionally aided by Rohan, brought about his own downfall. This arose out of the 1955 Irish Women's Championship played in Dublin Chess Club. During the game between Kay Doolan and Helen Chater, Ms Doolan had taken ill and I, as arbiter, adjourned the game so that she could receive medical attention. It was resumed two days later and Ms Doolan went on to win it and the title. Some weeks later O'Hanlon (supported by Rohan) decided that the decision to halt the game had been in breach of FIDE laws and that Ms Chater should be declared the winner. I stood by my decision and the dispute was referred to a two-man FIDE committee consisting of Harry Golombek and Alberic O'Kelly. They dismissed O'Hanlon's argumant in a bluntly worded letter and vindicated my original ruling. This pleased Rohan, not because I was proved right, but because it left O'Hanlon with egg on his face. Indeed, the incident eased the way out for him and in 1956 he was replaced.