Seán Murphy (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Seán Murphy is a retired Irish
sportsperson. He played Gaelic football
with his local club Dingle
and was a member of the Kerry
senior inter-county team from 1953 until 1961. Murphy is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.
, Murphy played for the Kerry County football team
. He played club football for Dingle
and UCD, where he qualified as a medical doctor. His greatest footballing performance was in the All-Ireland Senior Football Final
of 1959, when Kerry
defeated Galway
in what has become known as "the Seán Murphy All-Ireland". Murphy's performance in that game has been described as the "definitive classical exhibition of halfback play". He was rewarded with the Texaco Footballer of the Year
title for that year. Murphy's brothers Pádraig, Seamus & Tomas also played for Kerry.
Gaelic football Team of the Millennium. He has been described as the best wing-back in football history.
Dr. Murphy now lives between Tralee and England.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He played Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with his local club Dingle
Dingle GAA
Dingle GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry, Ireland.The club competes in the Kerry Senior Football Championship. The club play hurling but only up to the under 14 age group.-Kerry Senior Football Championship:...
and was a member of the Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
senior inter-county team from 1953 until 1961. Murphy is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.
Football career
Born in County KerryCounty Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Murphy played for the Kerry County football team
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
. He played club football for Dingle
Dingle
Dingle is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about 49 kilometres southwest of Tralee and 71 kilometres northwest of Killarney....
and UCD, where he qualified as a medical doctor. His greatest footballing performance was in the All-Ireland Senior Football Final
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
of 1959, when Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
defeated Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in what has become known as "the Seán Murphy All-Ireland". Murphy's performance in that game has been described as the "definitive classical exhibition of halfback play". He was rewarded with the Texaco Footballer of the Year
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
title for that year. Murphy's brothers Pádraig, Seamus & Tomas also played for Kerry.
Later life
Seán Murphy was named right half-back on the Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
Gaelic football Team of the Millennium. He has been described as the best wing-back in football history.
Dr. Murphy now lives between Tralee and England.