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James Barry-Murphy (; born 22 August 1954) is an Irish hurling manager and former hurler and
Gaelic football Gaelic football (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...
er. He was the manager of the senior Cork county hurling team from 2011 to 2015, returning a decade after his first tenure as manager. Barry-Murphy is regarded as one of the best-known players in the history of
Gaelic games Gaelic games () are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the most popular of the s ...
. He established himself as a
dual player Dual player or dual star is a term used in Hiberno-English to describe someone who competes in multiple sports — for example, in Victorian Ireland, cricket and hurling. The term today in Gaelic games typically describes a male player who plays ...
with the St Finbarr's club. A dual four-time All-Ireland medallist with the St Finbarr's senior teams, Barry-Murphy also won a combined total of five Munster medals and ten championship medals. Barry-Murphy made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Cork minor teams as a dual player. An All-Ireland medallist in both codes, he later won a combined total of three All-Ireland medals with the under-21 teams. Barry-Murphy made his senior football debut during the 1973 championship. He went on to play a key role for Cork in attack and won one
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
medal, four
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
medals and one
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
medal. Barry-Murphy's eleven-year career with the Cork senior hurlers saw him win five
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
medals, a record-equalling ten
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
medals and two
National Hurling League The National Hurling League is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition featuring teams from Ireland and England. Founded in 1925 by the Gaelic Athletic Association, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the l ...
medals. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions. As a member of the
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
inter-provincial team in both codes, Barry-Murphy won a combined total of five
Railway Cup The GAA Interprovincial Championship () or Railway Cup (''Corn an Iarnróid'') is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster GAA teams are co ...
medals. Throughout his inter-county career he made 57 championship appearances. Barry-Murphy retired from inter-county activity on 2 April 1987. Following a successful tenure as manager of the Cork minor team, culminating in the winning of the
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
title, Barry-Murphy was appointed manager of the Cork senior team in October 1995. His first tenure saw a return to success, with Cork winning one All-Ireland Championship, two Munster Championships and one National League, before stepping down as manager on 8 November 2000. Barry-Murphy subsequently had unsuccessful tenures as coach with the St Finbarr's and Cloughduv club teams. Over a decade after stepping down as Cork manager, Barry-Murphy was appointed for a second stint as Cork manager on 7 September 2011. Once again his managerial reign saw a return to success, with Cork winning one Munster Championship. On the 26 August 2015 Barry Murphy was inducted into the GAA Hall of Fame.


Early life

Coming from a family of six – including brothers John, Denis, Barry and sisters Miriam and Frances – Barry-Murphy was born into a family steeped in hurling tradition. His granduncle, Dinny Barry-Murphy, was the most successful of the family. He captained
Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...
and won four All-Ireland titles in the 1920s and 1930s. His grandfather, Finbarr Barry-Murphy, also played with Cork while his father, John Barry-Murphy, won an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
title in the junior grade with Cork in 1940. He was educated at Colaiste an Spiorad Naoimh in
Bishopstown Bishopstown () is a suburb of Cork, located in the south west of the city. It is made-up of the townlands of Ballineaspigbeg and Ballineaspigmore (sometimes spelled Ballinaspigmore), and is located in the civil parish of St. Finbar's in the hi ...
.


Club career

Barry-Murphy played his club hurling and football with the famous St Finbarr's club on the south-side of Cork city. In a hugely successful career spanning two decades, he won every honour in the game.


Hurling

After playing at underage level with 'the Barr's', Barry-Murphy joined the club's senior team by 1972. His career got off to an inauspicious start that year when he was sent off in a club game and received a two-month suspension. In 1974 Barry-Murphy won his first county club championship winners' medal following a 2–17 to 2–14 defeat of arch-rivals
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. He later collected a
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
winners' medal before making a clean sweep by adding an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
winners' medal to his collection following a 3–8 to 1–6 defeat of the
Fenians The word ''Fenian'' () served as an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and their affiliate in the United States, the Fenian Brotherhood. They were secret political organisations in the late 19th and early 20th centurie ...
. Another clean sweep of hurling titles followed for Barry-Murphy in the 1977–78 club championship season. A 1–17 to 1–5 trouncing of north-side rivals Glen Rovers was followed by a Munster final victory over
Sixmilebridge Sixmilebridge () is a large village in County Clare, Ireland. Located midway between Ennis and Limerick city, the village is a short distance away from the main N18 road (Ireland), N18 roads in Ireland, road. Locally, it is commonly called 'the ...
after a replay. He subsequently added a second All-Ireland winners' medal to his collection. His goal from a rebound in that game was the deciding factor in sealing the victory over Wexford's Rathnure. After a brief hiatus St Finbarr's were back in the big time again in 1980. Barry-Murphy won a third county club championship winners' medal as Glen Rovers fell in the final. A third Munster title was later annexed before facing
Ballyhale Shamrocks Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic games club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is a member of the Kilkenny branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Founded in 1972, the club was a amalgamation of three team ...
in the All-Ireland final. Not even a late goal from Barry-Murphy, however, could seal a victory over the Kilkenny outfit and 'the Barr's' lost by 1–15 to 1–11. The 1980 county club championship title was the first set of three consecutive victories for Barry-Murphy and St Finbarr's. He won his final county championship in 1988 following a 3–18 to 2–14 defeat of old rivals Glen Rovers.


Gaelic football

Barry-Murphy's club football career began at under-age level in 1971 when he won a Cork Minor Football Championship winners' medal following a defeat of St Colman's. Two years later in 1973 he added a club football under-21 championship winners' medal to his collection when 'the Barr's' defeated Bandon by 4–6 to 2–6. At senior level Barry-Murphy won his first county club championship winners' medal in 1976 following a 1–10 to 1–7 defeat of St Michael's. Three years later in 1979 St Finbarr's made a clean sweep of football titles. Barry-Murphy collected a second club football championship winners' medal before securing a
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
winners' medal following a defeat of Kilrush Shamrocks. A subsequent 3–9 to 0–8 defeat of St Grellan's gave Barry-Murphy an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
winners' medal. That victory gave him the distinction of being a dual All-Ireland club medalist. The 1980–81 club championship season saw St Finbarr's make another clean sweep of county, provincial and All-Ireland titles. They were his last major victories as a member of 'the Barr's' senior football team.


Inter-county career

Barry-Murphy had a hugely successful dual career with
Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...
. From his debut with the senior football team in 1973 to his retirement from the senior hurling team in 1986, he won every honour in the game.


Gaelic football

He first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor football team in 1971. He won his first
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
winner' medal that year before later lining out in the All-Ireland decider. Mayo provided the opposition and defeated Cork by 2–15 to 2–7. Barry-Murphy was still eligible for the minor grade again in 1972. He added a second Munster winners' medal to his collection that year before later playing in his second consecutive All-Ireland final. Tyrone were the opponents, however, Cork claimed the
title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...
by 3–11 to 2–11. After joining the Cork under-21 football team, Barry-Murphy enjoyed further success. After back-to-back defeats in the provincial deciders of 1972 and 1973, he finally secured a
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
winners' medal in 1974 following a defeat of Kerry. By this stage Barry-Murphy had joined the Cork senior football team. He was just eighteen years old when he made his senior championship debut in 1973. It was a successful year for the young player as he won his first
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
winners' medal following a 5–12 to 1–15 thrashing of arch-rivals Kerry. Barry-Murphy later lined out with Cork in an All-Ireland final against
Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
and proved to be one of the stars of the game, scoring the first of his two goals after just two minutes. One of these goals, where he receives a pass, cheekily solos the ball and waits to pick a spot in the net was chosen as one of
RTÉ (; ; RTÉThe É in RTÉ is pronounced as an English E () and not an Irish É ()) is an Irish public service broadcaster. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, ...
's Top 20 GAA Moments in 2005. Cork eventually defeated Galway by 3–17 to 2–13 and Barry-Murphy collected an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
winners' medal. Barry-Murphy won a second consecutive Munster winners' medal in 1974 and it appeared that Cork footballers were about to become a dominant force. Their championship ambitions came to an end in the All-Ireland semi-final with a defeat by eventual All-Ireland champions
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
. Cork's footballers lost the next six Munster finals against a resurgent Kerry team. In spite of this lack of championship success Barry-Murphy added a
National League National League often refers to: *National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada *National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
winners' medal to his collection in 1980. He retired from inter-county football later that same year.


Hurling

Barry-Murphy's inter-county hurling career began as a member of the Cork minor hurling team in 1971. He won a
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
winners' medal in that grade that year before later playing in the All-Ireland final. A 2–11 to 1–11 defeat of
Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
gave Barry-Murphy an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
winners' medal. 1972 saw Cork make it three-in-a-row in Munster, with Barry-Murphy winning his second consecutive provincial winners' medal. He later lined out in a second consecutive All-Ireland decider. Kilkenny gained their revenge for the previous year's defeat by winning the game by 8–7 to 3–9. After joining the Cork under-21 hurling team, Barry-Murphy enjoyed further success. He won a
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
winners' medal in this grade in 1973 before playing in his first All-Ireland final in that grade.
Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...
provided the opposition, however, Cork won by 2–10 to 4–2 and Barry-Murphy secured an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
winners' medal in that grade. Two years later in 1975 Barry-Murphy added a second Munster under-21 winners' medal to his collection before playing in his second All-Ireland final. Kilkenny, however, won the game by 5–13 to 2–19 in what was Barry-Murphy's last game in the under-21 grade. 1975 also saw Barry-Murphy make his championship debut for the Cork senior hurling team. He won his first
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
senior winners' medal that year following a 3–15 to 0–12 defeat of
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
. Cork later looked set for an All-Ireland appearance; however, Galway secured a shock victory. The following year Barry-Murphy secured a second Munster winners' medal with another huge 4–14 to 3–5 win over Limerick. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where Wexford provided the opposition. Cork got off to the worst possible start in an All-Ireland final and trailed by 2–2 after six minutes. Cork battled back, however, the game hung in the balance for much of the seventy minutes. With ten minutes left Wexford were two points to the good, however, three points by Barry-Murphy, two by Pat Moylan and a kicked effort from captain
Ray Cummins Maurice Raymond "Ray" Cummins (born 9 November 1948) is an Irish former hurler and Gaelic footballer whose dual league and championship career with the Cork senior teams spanned fifteen years from 1967 to 1982. Born in Ballinlough on the so ...
gave Cork a 2–21 to 4–11 victory. It was Barry-Murphy's first
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
winners' medal. In 1977 Barry-Murphy won a third consecutive Munster winners' medal before lining out in a second All-Ireland final. Wexford were the opponents once again and, like the previous year, the game turned into a close, exciting affair. A
Seánie O'Leary Seán O'Leary (25 February 1952 – 1 December 2021) was an Irish Hurling, hurler who played as a left corner-forward at senior level for the Cork county hurling team, Cork county team. Career Born in Youghal, County Cork, Munster, O'Leary fir ...
goal, together with some brilliant saves by goalkeeper
Martin Coleman Martin Coleman (born 1 August 1950) was an Irish hurling, hurler and selector. His career included All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, All-Ireland Championship victories as goalkeeper with Cork GAA#Another three-in-a-row, Cork's three-in-a ...
helped Cork to a 1–17 to 3–8 victory and a second All-Ireland winners' medal for Barry-Murphy. Cork dominated the championship again in 1978 with Barry-Murphy winning a fourth consecutive Munster winners' medal. This victory paved the way for Cork to take on Kilkenny in the subsequent All-Ireland final. The stakes were high as Cork were attempting to capture another three set championship titles since 1954. Cork were never really troubled over the course of the seventy minutes and a Barry-Murphy goal helped the team to a 1–15 to 2–8 victory over their age-old rivals. It was his third All-Ireland winners' medal. In 1979 Cork were invincible in the provincial championship once again with Barry-Murphy winning a fifth successive Munster title following a 2–15 to 0–9 defeat of Limerick. Cork's quest for a record-equalling four-in-a-row came to an end with a defeat by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. Cork lost their provincial crown in 1980, however, Barry-Murphy continued with his winning ways by capturing a
National Hurling League The National Hurling League is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition featuring teams from Ireland and England. Founded in 1925 by the Gaelic Athletic Association, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the l ...
winners' medal. He won a second National Hurling League title in 1981, however, Cork were defeated in the provincial championship once again. In 1982 Cork were back and Barry-Murphy, who was now captain of the team, won his sixth Munster winners' medal following a 5–31 to 3–6 trouncing of
Waterford Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Kilkenny and in spite of being underdogs Kilkenny won courtesy of two Christy Heffernan goals in a forty-second spell. In 1983 Cork's run of provincial success continued. Barry-Murphy won a seventh Munster winners' medal before leading his team in a second All-Ireland final against Kilkenny. Kilkenny dominated the opening half while Cork came storming back with goals by Tomás Mulcahy and
Seánie O'Leary Seán O'Leary (25 February 1952 – 1 December 2021) was an Irish Hurling, hurler who played as a left corner-forward at senior level for the Cork county hurling team, Cork county team. Career Born in Youghal, County Cork, Munster, O'Leary fir ...
. 'The Cats' eventually won by two points. 1984 was a special year in the annals of
Gaelic games Gaelic games () are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the most popular of the s ...
as it was the
centenary A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century. Notable events Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include: * Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...
year of the
Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports o ...
. The year began well with Barry-Murphy helping his team to victory in the special Centenary Cup competition. An eight Munster winners' medal soon followed for him as Cork defeated Tipperary by 4–15 to 3–14 in a memorable Munster final. The subsequent All-Ireland final, played at
Semple Stadium FBD Semple Stadium is the home of hurling and Gaelic football for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. Located in Thurles, County Tipperary, it is the second largest GAA stadium in Ireland (after Croke Park), with a capacity of 45,690 ...
in
Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles. The cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Arch ...
, saw Cork take on
Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in honour of Philip II of Spain ...
for the first time ever in championship history. The centenary-year final failed to live up to expectations and Cork recorded a relatively easy 3–16 to 1–12 victory with Barry-Murphy winning his fourth All-Ireland winners' medal. Barry-Murphy added a ninth Munster winners' medal to his collection in 1985, however, Galway shocked Cork once again in an All-Ireland semi-final. By 1986 Barry-Murphy was entering the twilight of his career. That year a defeat of Clare by Cork made it five-in-a-row in Munster, with Barry-Murphy collecting a tenth provincial winners' medal. An All-Ireland final against Galway with the men from the west being regarded as the red-hot favourites against an ageing Cork team, however, on the day a different story unfolded. Four Cork goals, one from John Fenton, two from Tomás Mulcahy and one from Kevin Hennessy, stymied the Galway attack and helped 'the Rebels' to a 4–13 to 2–15 victory. It was Barry-Murphy's fifth and final All-Ireland winners' medal. On 2 April 1987, Barry-Murphy announced his retirement from inter-county hurling. The announcement, edged in black, was spread across page one of the national newspapers in a style more familiar to the death of world leaders. The first modern Gaelic games superstar had finally retired.


Inter-provincial career

Barry-Murphy was a regular with the
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
inter-provincial football team between 1974 and 1979. After losing out at the semi-final stage in his debut year, he went on to win four
Railway Cup The GAA Interprovincial Championship () or Railway Cup (''Corn an Iarnróid'') is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster GAA teams are co ...
winners' medals in-a-row over the next four seasons. The quest for a fifth successive title ended with a defeat in the final. After leaving the inter-provincial football team Barry-Murphy was picked for three successive seasons as a member of the inter-provincial hurling team. He won a Railway Cup winners' medal in that code in his final year on the team in 1981.


Association football

Barry-Murphy played
association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
with his local club, Wilton. He also lined out with Cork Celtic, the losing
FAI Cup The Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup (FAI Cup), known as the Sports Direct FAI Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland (as well as D ...
finalists of 1969, and had a successful few months. Barry-Murphy is a
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...
supporter. His son Brian is now the manager of Cardiff City AFC


Managerial career

In retirement from inter-county activity Barry-Murphy became a popular analyst on ''
The Sunday Game ''The Sunday Game'' is RTÉ's main Gaelic games television programme. It is shown on RTÉ2 every Sunday during the Football Championship and Hurling Championship seasons. It is one of RTÉ2's longest-running shows, having been on air since 1 ...
'' in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the mid-1990s he took charge of the
Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...
minor hurling team. Barry-Murphy oversaw an upturn in success for the county in this grade. In his first year in charge in 1994 he guided the county to a
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
title, however, his side were later defeated by
Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
in the All-Ireland final. In 1995 Barry-Murphy's side retained their Munster title. The subsequent championship decider saw Cork take on old rivals
Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
. On this occasion the
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
title went to Barry-Murphy's team.


Cork

Barry-Murphy's success at minor level led him to being appointed
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
of the Cork senior team in late 1995. The appointment of Tom Cashman and Johnny Crowley as selectors led to the managerial team being referred to as the 'dream team.' Barry-Murphy's tenure in charge of his county's senior team got off to a less than successful start. In their opening game of the Munster Championship Cork were defeated by
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
at
Páirc Uí Chaoimh Páirc Uí Chaoimh ( ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Cork, Ireland. Often referred to simply as "The Park", it is the home of Cork GAA and is located in Ballintemple, near the site of the original Cork Athletic Grounds. In February 2024, follo ...
. Even more humiliating was the fact that it was the first time in 75 years that Cork had been beaten at home in the championship. Things improved slightly in 1997. In the Munster semi-final Cork were trailing Clare by a single point and looked capable of winning or at least securing a draw. With just a few second remaining Clare scored a goal and ended Cork's championship hopes for another year. In 1998, the defeats of the previous two seasons put Barry-Murphy and his selectors under pressure to deliver. A successful
National Hurling League The National Hurling League is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition featuring teams from Ireland and England. Founded in 1925 by the Gaelic Athletic Association, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the l ...
campaign saw Cork reach the final of that competition and defeat
Waterford Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...
in the final. This success meant that the team went into the championship with great expectations, however, the Munster semi-final saw Clare defeat Cork on a score line of 0–21 to 0–14. For the sixth year in-a-row Cork had failed to make it to the All-Ireland series. 1999 was make-or-break year for Barry-Murphy. He introduced a host of new players and one of the youngest Cork teams ever took to the field in the championship. The Munster final saw Cork take on Clare, a team that had defeated them at the semi-final stage in 1997 and 1998. Clare entered the game as the red-hot favourites and as possible All-Ireland contenders, however, a younger Cork team finally triumphed and Barry-Murphy finally led his team to a senior
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
title. Cork defeated reigning All-Ireland champions
Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in honour of Philip II of Spain ...
by three points in the All-Ireland semi-final before reaching the championship decider with
Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
. The game, played in atrocious conditions, proved to be an anti-climax. Cork were victorious by a single point and Barry-Murphy had finally led his county back to the
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
title. In 2000 Barry-Murphy's Cork retained their Munster title. In spite of Tipperary scoring three goals Cork outscored Tipp by 0–23 to 3–12. Once again, the experts predicted a Cork-Kilkenny final, however, Offaly were waiting in the All-Ireland semi-final and duly defeated Cork. This was Barry-Murphy's last game in charge as he resigned as manager shortly afterwards. On 6 September 2011, Barry-Murphy was re-appointed as Cork senior hurling team manager with a contract until the end of the 2014 campaign. In 2012 Barry Murphy led Cork to a National Hurling League Final appearance where Cork were beaten by Kilkenny. In the Championship Cork lost to Tipperary in Munster, but beat Offaly and Wexford in the qualifiers, Waterford in a Quarter Final before eventually losing to Galway in the All Ireland Semi Finals. In 2013 Barry Murphy led Cork to a Munster Final appearance with Cork losing to Limerick. Cork went on to beat Kilkenny and Dublin to reach the All Ireland Final. Cork were seconds away from a remarkable all Ireland triumph however Clare scored a late point to force a replay, with Cork eventually losing out to Clare in the replay. Cork won their first Munster hurling title since
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
in
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
but lost out to Tipperary in the All-Ireland Semi-final. In October 2014, it was confirmed that Barry-Murphy would be staying on until the end of the 2016 season. In 2015 Cork reached another National League Final under Barry Murphy losing to Waterford. In the Munster Championship Cork also lost to Waterford before beating Wexford and Clare to reach an all Ireland Quarter Final where Cork were comfortably beaten by Galway. In August 2015, Barry-Murphy announced that he had stepped down as manager of the Cork senior hurling team. Tributes flowed in from GAA figures in Cork and nationwide. His four seasons in charge had seen Cork win one Munster title, reach two Allianz Hurling League Finals, two All Ireland Semi-Finals and the 2013 All Ireland Hurling Final.


Personal life

He worked as a director for Southern Business Finance, where his colleagues included All-Ireland winners Dinny Allen and Brian Murphy. Barry-Murphy was married to Jean Kennefick, daughter of All-Ireland-winning captain Mick Kennefick, and they had four children –
Brian Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan (given name), Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish language, Irish and Breton language, Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan language, Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. ...
, Deirdre, Ann and Orla. Apart from Gaelic games he had a major interest in
greyhound racing Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around an oval track. The sport originates from Hare coursing, coursing. Track racing uses an artificial lure (usually a form of windsock) that travels ahead of th ...
and was a director of Cork Greyhound Stadium. In May 2021 he received a Hall of Fame award for services to greyhound racing.


Honours


Club

;St Finbarr's *
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Club Championship, is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-coun ...
(2): 1974-75, 1977-78 *
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament which began in season 1970–71. It is the top-tier competition for the senior football clubs of Ireland and London. The current champions are Cuala of D ...
(2): 1978–79, 1979–80 *
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship The Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster GAA, Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Associatio ...
(3): 1974, 1977, 1980 *
Munster Senior Club Football Championship The Munster Senior Club Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Munster GAA Football Senior Club Championship) is an annual Gaelic football competition for the champion clubs of each county. It has been organised by the ...
(2): 1979, 1980 * Cork Senior Club Hurling Championship (6)'The GAA Social. Jimmy Barry Murphy. An icon, in Cork & beyond.'
BBC Sport, 29 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025
* Cork Senior Club Football Championship (5)


Inter-county

;Cork (senior) *
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Championship, is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest-tier competition for ...
(5):
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
,
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
,
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
,
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...
,
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...
*
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) () is the premier inter-county competition in Gaelic football. County (Gaelic games), County teams compete against each other and the winner is declared All-Ireland Champions. Organised by the ...
(1):
1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
*
Munster Senior Hurling Championship The Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship, known simply as the Munster Championship, is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Munster GAA, Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the h ...
(10):
1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
,
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
,
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
,
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
,
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
,
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
(c),
1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
(c),
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...
,
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
,
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...
*
Munster Senior Football Championship The Munster Senior Football Championship, known simply as the Munster Championship and shortened to Munster SFC, is an annual inter-county Gaelic football competition organised by the Munster GAA, Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Associatio ...
(2):
1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
,
1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...
*
National Hurling League The National Hurling League is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition featuring teams from Ireland and England. Founded in 1925 by the Gaelic Athletic Association, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the l ...
(2): 1979–80, 1980–81 *
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(1): 1979–80 ;Cork (under-21) * All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship (1):
1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
*
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship The Munster GAA Hurling Under-20 Championship, known simply as the Munster Under-20 Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-c ...
(2): 1973, 1975 *
Munster Under-21 Football Championship The Munster GAA Football Under-20 Championship, known simply as the Munster Under-20 Championship, is an annual inter-county Gaelic football competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest ...
(2): 1974 (c) ;Cork (minor) *
All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Electric Ireland GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship) is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Associ ...
(1):
1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
*
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship The Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier under-17 "knockout" competition in Gaelic football played in Ireland. 2017 was the final year of the minor under 18 football championship as it was replaced by an under ...
(1):
1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
*
Munster Minor Hurling Championship The Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Electric Ireland Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship) is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Munster GAA, Munster Council of ...
(2): 1971, 1972 *
Munster Minor Football Championship The Munster Minor Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors (under-18) in the province of Munster in Ireland. It is ...
(2): 1971, 1972


Inter-provincial

;Munster (hurling) *
Railway Cup The GAA Interprovincial Championship () or Railway Cup (''Corn an Iarnróid'') is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster GAA teams are co ...
(1): 1981 ;Munster (football) *
Railway Cup The GAA Interprovincial Championship () or Railway Cup (''Corn an Iarnróid'') is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster GAA teams are co ...
(1): 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 ;Other awards * GAA All-Star Awards: football 2, hurling 5 * GAA Hall of Fame Inductee: 2015


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Barry-Murphy, Jimmy 1954 births Living people All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winners Men's association football players not categorized by position
Jimmy Jimmy may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy * ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma * ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...
Cork Celtic F.C. players Cork inter-county Gaelic footballers Cork inter-county hurlers Dual players Gaelic footballers who switched code Gaelic games journalists Hurling managers League of Ireland players Munster inter-provincial hurlers People in greyhound racing Republic of Ireland men's association footballers St Finbarr's hurlers St Finbarr's Gaelic footballers Association footballers from County Cork 20th-century Irish sportsmen