The Late Mickey Murphy The recent death of Mickey 'the Dasher' Murphy removed from the townscape of Cashel a larger than life character and a man whose achievements on the hurling field were greater than any of his contemporaries. Born in Moore Lane, Cashel in 1914, the son of Jack and Elizabeth Murphy, he was one of seven siblings who included Jenie, Alice, Tommy, Timmy, John and Matthew. He was the last to die. He married Elizabeth O'Brien, sister of Paddy O'Brien, and the couple had seven children, Johnny, who lives in New York, Dinny who was killed in an accident on the Camas Road in 1955, when he was eighteen years of age, Michael who lives in England, Lizzie Walsh, who lives in Carrick-on-Shannon, Catherine (Barrett), who died in 1986, and Mary Burgess. Elizabeth Murphy died in 1982. Mickey worked for Fahy and Callaghy and later the Board of Works. He spent three years in England during World War II. He returned to Cashel in 1944 and lived in the Tank House until 1966, when the family emigrated to England. They came back in 1980 to live in his father's house in Moore Lane. Hurling was Mickey Murphy's life and he was good at it. A career that was to last twenty-five years commenced in 1930, and a West Minor medal was won the following year. This medal was finally presented to Mickey in 2003, as the West Board didn't have the money to pay for them when they were won. Mickey played junior in 1932 and further success came in 1933, when Cashel won the West championship against Hollyford. At the other end of his hurling life, he won West and county junior hurling titles in 1953, the county final not being played until 1954. During the twenty years between 1933 and 1953 Mickey Murphy played senior hurling with distinction. He won West senior hurling medals in 1934, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1945, 1948. Unfortunately county final appearances in 1937, 1939 and 1940 ended in defeat. During his three years in England in the early forties, he won an All-England championsihip with Lancashire. He was selected on the West divisional team on a number of occasions during the thirties, and was on and off the county team for league games during the same period. Hurling meant a huge amount to the Mickey Murphy. He once said; 'Hurling was my whole life. When I came back from work I went to the field before I had my tea. On the Sunday morning of a match you'd be as proud as a peacock getting ready to go off and hurl. You'd cry if you weren't picked to play.' Because of that love, Mickey gave a great part of his life to the game. The Cashel King Cormac's recognised his contribution when they made him a Life President of the club in the early nineties. The club recognised him as one of their greatest players. His achievements may have been overshadowed by the great successes of the club in the nineties, and the many fine players that wore the jersey proudly, but they will never be forgotten. As well as his immediate family Mickey Murphy is survived by fourteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Courtesy of the Tipperary Star, November 2004. Tweet

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