Former Irish international Niall Brophy has passed away at the age of 87. Niall Henry Brophy was an accomplished Irish rugby union player who represented Leinster, Ireland, the British and Irish Lions, University College Dublin RFC, Blackrock College RFC, London Irish RFC, and Barbarian F.C. Brophy played the position of winger for these teams as well as Leinster, Leinster, Ireland, and the British and Irish Lions.
Brophy took part in athletics as well and competed on behalf of IUAA and UCD in a number of events.
Brophy was up in Clontarf, where he first showed a strong passion for sports. He attended O’Connell School, where he was a talented athlete and part of Ronnie Delaney’s relay team. Brophy kept improving his athletic skills while he was a student at Blackrock College.
In 1954, Brophy won the 100- and 220-yard sprints at the Leinster Schools Athletic Championship and the Irish Schools Athletics Championship.
With Tony O’Reilly, who would later play for the Irish rugby team, Brophy led Blackrock College to a victory over Belvedere on St. Patrick’s Day in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup.
No cause of death has been revealed at the time of this publication.