Niall Henry Brophy (19 September 1935 – 10 March 2023) was an Irish

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player. He represented

University College Dublin R.F.C. University College Dublin Rugby Football Club is based in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and plays in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League (rugby union), All-Ireland League. They play their home games at UCD Bowl. The club was founded in ...

, Blackrock College R.F.C., London Irish R.F.C.,

Barbarian F.C. The Barbarian Football Club, known as the Barbarians is a British-based invitational rugby union club. The Barbarians play in black and white hoops, though players wear socks from their own club strip. Membership is by invitation. As of 2011, p ...

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

and the

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ...

. He played as a Winger. He also represented UCD and IUAA in athletics.

Early life in sports

Brophy grew up in Clontarf with a keen interest in several sports and attended school in

O'Connell O'Connell may refer to: People *O'Connell (name), people with O'Connell as a last name or given name Schools * Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School, a high school in Arlington, Virginia Places * Mount O'Connell National Park in Queensland ...

School, where he was a keen athlete and member of

Ronnie Delaney Ronald Michael Delany (born 6 March 1935) is an Irish former athlete who specialised in middle-distance running. He won a gold medal in the 1500 metres event at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. He later earned a bronze medal in the 1500 m ...

's relay team there. He subsequently attended Blackrock College. In 1954, he was Leinster Schools Athletic champion in both 100 yards and 220 yards and also took the same titles in the Irish Schools Athletics Championship. That same year, on St. Patrick's Day, Brophy captained

Blackrock College Blackrock College ( ga, Coláiste na Carraige Duibhe) is a voluntary secondary school, voluntary day school, day and boarding school, boarding Catholicism, Catholic secondary school for boys aged 13–18, in Williamstown, Blackrock, Dublin, Bl ...

to victory over

Belvedere Belvedere (from Italian, meaning "beautiful sight") may refer to: Places Australia *Belvedere, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region Africa * Belvedere (Casablanca), a neighborhood in Casablanca, Morocco *Belvedere, Harare, Zi ...

, captained by future Irish rugby teammate

Tony O'Reilly Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly (born 7 May 1936) is an Irish former businessman and international rugby union player. He is known for his involvement in the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009,Dublin, Ireland, ...

, in the

Leinster Schools Senior Cup The Leinster Schools Senior Challenge Cup is the premier rugby union competition for secondary schools affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the IRFU. First held in 1887, the competition celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2007. Attendances are h ...

(11-3).

UCD rugby and athletics

Brophy graduated with a B.Comm from UCD. In athletics, Brophy had five appearances for UCD in Track & Field Championships in Ireland, taking gold in both the 100 yards and 220 yards in 1956 and again in 1960. In rugby, Brophy, along with teammate

Bill Mulcahy William Albert Mulcahy (born 7 January 1935 in Rathkeale, County Limerick, Ireland) is a retired Irish rugby union player. He represented UL Bohemians R.F.C. University College Dublin R.F.C., Bective Rangers, Skerries RFC, Leinster, Ireland and ...

, became the first UCD players to represent the

(then known as the British Lions), during their tour to Australia and New Zealand.

Ireland

Brophy made his Ireland debut against

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

on 26 January 1957, during the 1957 Five Nations Championship. He scored his first try for Ireland in this game. His last test for Ireland was against

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

during Ireland's tour there in May 1967. Ireland won the match 5-11.

British and Irish Lions

Brophy received his first Lions call-up in 1959 for the tour to Australia and New Zealand, but was not capped on this tour because of injury. He was called up again for the 1962 tour to South Africa, and this time won 2 Lions caps.

After rugby

Brophy was President of the Leinster Branch in 1981-82, Blackrock College RFC in 1985-86 and the IRFU in 1997-98. He was inducted into the Rugby Writers of Ireland Hall of Fame in 2003, and into the Guinness Hall of Fame in 2011. Brophy was also named in UCD's 'Team of the Century'. Brophy was a regular golfer, playing in Portmarnock, Foxrock and Royal Porthcawl. He died on 10 March 2023, at the age of 87.

References

External links

IRFU profileLions profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brophy, Niall 1935 births 2023 deaths Rugby union players from Dublin (city) Irish rugby union players Ireland international rugby union players British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland Rugby union wings University College Dublin R.F.C. players Blackrock College RFC players People educated at Blackrock College People from Clontarf, Dublin Irish sports executives and administrators Rugby union executives Alumni of University College Dublin