Saturday January 19 was a dull dark day, the atmospheric conditions rhyming with the sombre mood on the ground as news filtered through in the early afternoon that a pillar of the local community and GAA devotee, Seamus Murphy had passed to Iris eternal reward.

While 'Sham' had a long battle with illness, his passing was still a huge shock especially to those in the Ballylanders and Glenroe areas who were united in grief for a man, who for over four
decades had been such an integral part of the community and for us all someone that seemed almost indestructible.

It was a lucky day for Gaelic Games in Glenroe, Ballylanders and Limerick when Seamus Murphy and his brother Michael arrived in the area to do some well drilling for local
householders in the early 1970s. What was meant to be a fleeting acquaintance with the area quickly became a love affair before blossoming into a full blown romance. After a number of years Michael returned to his native south east but not Sham - for him it was to be a lifetime commitment to the area.

The chemistry between the brothers and the area was a perfect match and they quickly imbedded into the local GAA clubs to whom they were to give extraordinary service. Sham's dedication to
the Association for over four decades was unflinching, so much so that he could rightly be called a legend.

He had a long playing career in the green and black of Glenroe and was goalkeeper, on the side that brought the first county junior hurling championship to the club in 1974 and that unsuccessfully contested the county intermediate hurling finals of 1975, 1976 and 1977.

On hanging up his boots, Sham took up refereeing and was one of the most sought after referees in the south and county for almost two decades. He had a unique style as a
referee that endeared him to players, mentors and supporters in equal measure. Not for him gesticulating or finger wagging at offenders, just a gentle word and a reminder "you cannot
do that" and he was widely respected for that approach. He combined the role of the man in the middle with that of being a Board officer and served for over quarter of a century on the South Bord na nOg and senior boards.

A well-known mentor, he was involved with many Glenroe and Ballylanders underage and adult teams over the years and was manager of the Limerick minor football team that made a rare Munster final appearance in 1997. Sham was to manage what was to become the backbone of the Bally team that won the senior county in 1999 when he brought county minor and under
21 county titles back to the village in 1995 and 1996 respectively. One of Sham's proudest moments with Ballylanders came when in 2007 Bally were crowned Limerick senior football champions. Sham's three sons, Danny, Johnny and Jimmy Barry were key to the success on the field and there was a proud twinkle in Sham's eye to see Danny as captain of the team lift the Fr Casey cup for the third time in the history of Bally.

All the time he never lost contact with his native Carlow and it gave him great satisfaction less than twelve months ago when Mount Leinster Rangers, a team that was made up of half of his close relatives, won the All-Ireland Intermediate Club championship at Croke Park.

Seamus Murphy was a man of selfless humanity, a good husband, father and friend to so many, a man who iespoused everything Christian and Irish. Sham's life gave dally expression to the virtues of honour, dignity, respect, reliability and decency. His endearing nature, kind word and good humour greatly enriched the lives of all of us who had known him and had the pleasure of working with him. It is difficult to imagine Sham not being around; he never sought the limelight but stood tall as a human being of unique qualities.

The respect that Sham and the Murphy family are held in Limerick was very evident by the huge crowds that turned up at both his removal and burial in his adopted home of Ballylanders. His
remains were carried by shoulder by the three clubs that he was involved with during his life and the members of these clubs lined the street of Ballylanders in a guard of honor to pay their final respect to Sham. Indeed Sham would have been proud as punch to have been present to witness the outstanding speech his son Danny gave from the altar at his funeral mass to a packed
church.

To wife Mary, sons Danny, Johnny, Jimmy Barry, daughters Michelle, Maria, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and to Sham's brothers and sisters and extended family, our heartfelt
sympathy.

Courtesy of The Limerick Leader Tweet

Most Read Stories