Niall Brophy – Rest In Peace
Niall Brophy - IRFU President 1997/98 - Mandatory Credit Inpho.ie
The committee and staff of the Irish Rugby Football Union are saddened to hear of the passing of Niall Brophy and offer our deepest condolences to his wife Mary Rachel and his children David, Cara, Harry, Marie-Elena, Niamh and Rachel.
Niall was truly one of the greats of Blackrock, UCD, Leinster and Irish Rugby.
A noted athlete Brophy was a Leinster and Irish Schools Athletic Champion in both the 100 yards and 220 yards and went on to win Irish gold for UCD over the same distance in 1956 and 1960.
He showed his rugby prowess at a young age captaining both the Junior and Senior Cup Teams at Blackrock College and leading them to the Leinster Schools Senior Cup in 1954.
Just three years later he won the first of his 20 International caps in 1957 against France, scoring on his debut. He was named on the 1959 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand but injury denied him a cap. In 1962 he won two Lions caps on the tour to South Africa.
Leinster Rugby Awards Ball, Burlington Hotel, Dublin 7/5/2011 – Niall Brophy is presented with the Gunniess hall of Fame award by Rory Sheridan
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Brohpy also represented UCD, Blackrock College RFC, London Irish, Leinster and the Barbarians during his illustrious rugby career
He subsequently served as as Leinster Branch President in 1981/82, Club President in ‘Rock in the 1985/86 season, and IRFU President in the 1997/98 season.
He will be sadly missed on the sidelines in Stradbrook where he was a regular supporter of teams at every level in the club.
He was inducted into the Rugby Writers Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Leinster Hall of Fame in 2011 and named in UCD’s ‘Team of the Century’.
Niall Brophy in the 1959 Ireland team to play Scotland – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/IRFU Collection