Gerry Murphy (rugby union, born 1926)

Canon John Gervase Maurice Walker Murphy LVO (20 August 1926 — 7 January 2014) was an army chaplain and international rugby union player from Northern Ireland.^[1]

Gerry Murphy

Full name	John Gervase Maurice Walker Murphy
Date of birth	(1926-08-20)20 August 1926
Place of birth	Bangor, Northern Ireland
Date of death	7 January 2014(2014-01-07) (aged 87)
Place of death	Norfolk, England
School	Methodist College Belfast
University	Trinity College Dublin
Occupation(s)	Clergy
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1951–58 Ireland 6 (5)

Born in Bangor, County Down, Murphy attended Methodist College Belfast and Trinity College Dublin, in between serving in the Royal Ulster Rifles. He played rugby as a fullback for Ireland while a curate in Lurgan, with appearances against the Springboks and All Blacks amongst his six caps.^[2]

Murphy became a Royal Army chaplain in 1955. After 22 years as a chaplain, Murphy was appointed rector of the Norfolk parish of Ranworth and Rural Dean of Blofield. He was later Domestic chaplain to the Queen.^[3]

In the 1987 New Year Honours, Murphy was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order.^[4]

See also

• List of Ireland national rugby union players