This article numerically studies for multi-physical transport of an optically-dense, free convective incompressible non-Newtonian second grade fluid past an isothermal, impermeable horizontal circular cylinder. The governing boundary layer equations for momentum and energy transport, which are parabolic in nature, have been reduced to non-similarity non-linear conservation equations using appropriate transformations and then solved numerically by employing with most validated, efficient implicit finite difference method with Keller box scheme. The numerical code is validated with previously existing results and found to be very good agreement. Numerical results have been carried out for various values of the physical parameters; Deborah number (0 ≤ De ≤ 1.5), Prandtl number (0 ≤ Pr ≤ 100) and thermal radiation (0 ≤R ≤ 5) on flow velocity and temperature profiles. Furthermore, the effects of these parameters on non-dimensional wall shear stress (skin friction) and surface heat transfer rate (Nusselt number) are also investigated. Increasing the Deborah number reduces velocity profile, skin friction where as it enhances the temperature profile. Increasing Prandtl number decelerates the flow velocity, temperature and skin friction. Increase in radiation parameter retards the flow velocity, temperature profiles and skin friction. The rate of heat transfer (Nusselt number) enhances markedly with increase in radiation parameter and Prandtl number but depreciated for larger values of Deborah number. Increasing stream wise coordinate retards the velocity gradient whereas enhances rate of heat transfer. Applications of the model arise in polymer processing in chemical engineering, metallurgical material processing. © 2016 ANAME Publication. All rights reserved.