Niall Brophy, a two-time British & Irish Lions tourist and former IRFU president, has died at the age of 87.
A rapid winger, Brophy won 20 caps for Ireland and made nine appearances for the Lions including two Test matches against South Africa in 1962.
It was his second Tour with the Lions but injury cut short his trip to Australia & New Zealand in 1959 after just one appearance.
Profile: British & Irish Lions #398 Niall Brophy
Brophy and UCD team-mate William ‘Bill’ Mulcahy were the first in an illustrious line of University College Dublin players to star for the Lions, including Fergus Slattery, Brian O’Driscoll and Sean O’Brien.
He made his international debut for Ireland against France in January 1957 and scored his first try, while he was picked for his first Lions Tour two years later. He also went on to score five tries in eight matches in South Africa in 1962
Brophy represented UCD, Blackrock College RFC, London Irish, Leinster and the Barbarians, while he subsequently served as Leinster Branch President in 1981/82, Blackrock Club President in the 1985/86 season, and IRFU President in the 1997/98 season.
Blackrock College RFC released a statement saying: “Niall was without a doubt one of our club’s greatest ever members and will be sadly missed.”
He is survived by wife Mary Rachel and his children David, Cara, Harry, Marie-Elena, Niamh and Rachel.
All those at The British & Irish Lions offer their condolences to Niall’s family and friends.
