Murphy, Seamus
January 31, 2013While 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 and one may be excused for thinking that the term 'legend in his time' was invented for Seamus Murphy.
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. His career as the man in the middle predated the introduction of yellow and red cards and one can only imagine how he would have coped with such a manner of imposing discipline. 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 Limerick Bord na Og 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 back bone 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 espoused everything Christian and Irish. Sham's life gave daily 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 the removal and burial of Sham in his adopted home of Ballylanders. His remains were carried by shoulder by members from 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 honour to pay their final respects 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.
The GAA family will greatly miss Sham and ache at his passing, we are proud to say that he was our president at the time of his death. Some say the Lord works in strange ways and we in
Ballylanders GAA Club have lost two of our greatest soldiers in the last number of months, but we are happy in our mind that if he wants any advice on hurling or football, our Lord will have two of the best on either side of him in Sham and Ann.
Most of all he will be missed by his family whose sorrow, tribulation and great sense of loss, we share at this difficult time. This has been a very difficult parting as we bid a very sad and tearful farewell to somebody special to us all. May the green sward of your adopted county Limerick rest lightly on your gentle breast.
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.
Sham, we hoid you close within our hearts,
And there you shali remain,
To walk with us
throughout our lives,
Until we meet again.
Courtesy of The Avondhu. Tweet
