Professor Thomas Murphy died on Sunday, June 1st, following three years of intermittent ill-health which, for such a vibrant man, he bore with stoic resignation. He was born near Bunclody, Co Wexford, in 1915 and received his early secondary education at Presentation College, Tullow, and later at Clongowes Wood. He entered University College Dublin in 1934 and after a brilliant undergraduate career graduated in medicine with first class honours in 1939.
War precluded the possibility of study abroad and, following the customary junior hospital appointments, he obtained a postgraduate qualification in Public Health. Subsequently, he became Medical Officer for Bord na Mona (1943-48), Assistant Medical Officer of Health, Co Kildare (194851) and then moved to the Department of Health (1951). In 1955, he was appointed to the new Chair of Social and Preventative Medicine in UCD and immediately became known as a stimulating teacher, an able director of research and an excellent administrator; and his research earned him the degree of MD on published work. Within seven years of his professional appointment he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (1962); in 1964 he was appointed by the governing body of UCD as Registrar and in 1972 the Senate of the National University of Ireland (NUI) appointed him President of UCD.
Dr Murphy was the first President to administer UCD from its new campus at Belfield and one important feature of his presidency was the increased democratisation of decision-making and greater participation by the academic staff in the administration of the university. He was not a remote, presiding figure; he kept in touch with staff at all levels and thereby maintained a good knowledge of the work of the university, including its strengths and weaknesses. Among significant developments accomplished during his presidency was the crucial role he played in the entry as recognised colleges within the NUI system of the principal teacher-training Colleges in 1975 and the Royal College of Surgeons in 1977, thus enabling their students to gain the degrees of the NUI. These events confirmed him as an able and adroit negotiator.
On his many travels abroad on behalf of UCD, he displayed a vitality and enthusiasm which were the envy of many of his younger colleagues. He frequently represented the university at meetings of the Conference of European Rectors and at other gatherings such as the International Association of Universities.
Among numerous other organisations and authorities of which Tom Murphy was a member were the Higher Education Authority (1968-72), the General Medical Council in London and its Disciplinary Committee, the Medical Registration Council, the National Rehabilitation Board, the Medico-Social Research Board of which he was chairman, the Board of the Dublin Dental Hospital, the Council of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, the Institute of Public Administration of which he was a Vice-President. He was also a founder member of the International Epidemiological Association. Distinctions conferred upon him included honorary degrees from the Queen's University of Belfast, the University of West Florida and Stonehill College Boston, Membership of the Royal Irish Academy, Fellowships of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the Faculty of Public Health Medicine and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine.
Following his retirement from UCD in 1985, this indefatigable man acted as deputy chairman of the board of management of the Mater Misericordiae Hospital (1986-1988) and subsequently served as a member of that Board from 1988-91. In 1988 he was appointed by the Minister for Education as chairman of the Primary Education Review Body; the leading figures in Irish education served on this prestigious body which published its report in 1990 on all aspects of primary education in Ireland and was the first such report since 1950. He had also been chairman of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (1990-95) and of the Philatelic Advisory Committee (1984-96) and he was subsequently made an honorary life member of that committee.
Tom Murphy was a very eminent man who was universally popular. He was gregarious, warm-hearted and blessed with a wonderful sense of humour. However, behind the charisma and manifest joviality lay a serious, discerning and incisive mind. He had a deep interest in people and their families and his special ability to remember the names of everybody he met was legendary and he was always available to offer his expert advice and to be of assistance to all.
We extend our very deep sympathy to Rosaline and their four sons, Brendan, Raymond, Adrian and Darra, all of whom have followed their father into the medical profession. G.J.B.