Murphy, Tom
January 14, 2010An All-Round Sportsman Who Led a Full Life
The late Tom Murphy, 9 Saint Brendan's Terrace, Killarney, who passed away on Thursday, October 31st, at Killarney Community Hospital, was as all-round sportsman who had led a full and productive life in his home town.
Tom, who was aged 89, was laid to rest at Aghadoe Graveyard on Saturday, January 2nd, following Requiem Mass in Saint Mary's Cathedral. The scale of his involvement in town life was evident in the guard of honour provided by Workmen Rowing Club, Legion GAA and the Order of Malta.
Tom was president of Workmen's RC, of which his father, Michael, was a founder member. A true and loyal clubman, he attended 65 AGMs in the club's history.
Along with Tom Bambury, he was a founder member of the Order of Malta which celebrated its 70th anniversary last year. He was also president of Killarney Regatta and vice-president of Legion GAA Club.
Born on October 31st, 1920, Tom was the eldest of five children of Michael and Delia Murphy, who lived in High Street. His brothers and sister were Sean, Michael, Donal and Bridie.
He started work in Hilliard's and Palmer boot and shoe factory at the age of 14 years, a job he held for 40 years. His family lived in High Street at first but later moved to O'Kelly's Villas.
He married Mary (Molly) in 1950. One of the couple's happiest family celebrations was that of their golden jubilee in 2000. They had been married 57 years when Molly died in 2007.
After he retired from Hilliard's in 1974, Tom went to work as caretaker at Saint Brendan's Collage for another 10 years.
An all-round sportsman, he played basketball with High Street Tigers as a youth. In Athletics, he was a member of the NACAI and was a county champion in the 440yd sprint. He coached the Presentation Monastery pupils in athletics in the 1960s.
Snooker was Tom's lifelong passion, beginning at Temperance Hall in High Street and continuing at the Gleneagle Hotel. He won his first tournament when he was 17 and celebrated with a glass of orange in Ahern's Bar - now Hussey's of High Street - where he enjoyed his last pint about a month before he died.
Tom's tournament prize was a cue with which he played up to two years ago. That cue was placed in the coffin with him for his final journey.
He was a member of the Killarney Brass and Reed Band, the Sea Scouts, the Aghadoe Graves Committee and the local residents association.
Tom worked hard through his life. He was a very punctual man. At home in Saint Brendan's Terrace, Tom and Molly enjoyed the comings and goings of their nine grandchildren.
Tom is survived by his sons and daughter-in-law, Michael and Joan, Denis and Breda, Donal and Marie, his daughter and son-in-law, Breda and Maurice O'Mahony, Dublin, and his grandchildren.
Courtesy of Kerry's Eye
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