Paul Murray (rugby union)

Paul Murray
Full namePaul Finbarr Murray
Date of birth(1905-06-29)29 June 1905
Place of birthSandycove, Dublin, Ireland
Date of death1 June 1981(1981-06-01) (aged 75)
Place of deathBallsbridge, Dublin, Ireland
SchoolBlackrock College
Occupation(s)Medical practitioner
Rugby union career
Position(s) Half-back / Centre
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1927–33 Ireland 19 (33)
1930 British Lions 4 (0)

Paul Finbarr Murray (29 June 1905 — 1 June 1981) was an Irish rugby union international.

One of nine siblings, Murray was born in Dublin and attended Blackrock College.

Murray, who captained Dublin club Wanderers, played provincial rugby for Leinster and was capped 19 times for Ireland, debuting in 1927. He was a versatile back, making his Ireland appearances as a centre, out-half and scrum-half. In 1930, Murray made the British Lions squad for the tour of New Zealand and Australia, featuring in four of the five Tests. He was picked as a three-quarter, but ended up as the team's scrum-half, after Wilf Sobey got injured.

A medical practitioner, Murray became an Ireland selector after retiring from rugby in 1934. He remained active in sport as a golfer and won the 1940 South of Ireland Championship. In 1965 and 1966, Murray served as IRFU president. He had a son John who was capped for Ireland in 1963 and his daughter Oonagh played hockey for Ireland.