ARCO regrets to inform its members of the death of Colonel Anthony T. S. (Tony) Murphy of Knocklyon, Dublin, and formerly of Dundalk, County Louth. On 7th January 2021, peacefully, in the wonderful care of the staff of the Beacon Hospital. Beloved husband of the late Mary, much loved father of Declan, Karen, Aidan, Dara, and Gillian. Tony will be forever loved and dearly missed by his sons, daughters, son-in-law Dominic, daughters-in-law Sheila and Aideen, his adored grandchildren, sister Mary, sister-in-law Joan, extended family, relatives, and Defence Forces colleagues and friends.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis
Tony Murphy, who was born on 2nd September 1938, was a member of 31 Cadet Class. He was commissioned into the Infantry Corps on 1st December 1958. An outstanding athlete, (which earned him the nickname ‘The Champ’) he was All Army Champion as a Cadet. He won the 220 yards in the Military International Race at the Cork City Sports in 1958 and was a winner at the Catholic Student Games in Portugal in 1956.
Tony served as a Lieutenant Platoon Commander with A Company, 1 Infantry Group in the Congo in 1961 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal With Distinction. The Citation reads:
For distinguished service with the United Nations Force in the Republic of Congo, in displaying initiative and aggressiveness at Kamina Base on the 16th of September 1961. Lieutenant Murphy was called on to take up a defensive position, but found it occupied and immediately attacked. His successful and aggressive action prevented the opposing forces from obtaining a foothold in Kamina Base, with its important UN installations and quarters.
As a Captain he served as a military observer with the UN Truce Supervision Organization in 1967. (The photo shows him receiving his DSM from Lieutenant Colonel Paddy O’Sullivan, Air Corps and Chief OGD, in Government House, Jerusalem.) He was Company Commander, A Company, 48 Infantry Battalion UNIFIL in 1980/1981, and was SIO in 1995. He also served with UNTAG in Namibia in 1989/1990. Tony was Officer Commanding, 5 Infantry Battalion in 1991, a unit he had a long association with, and on promotion to Colonel was School Commandant The Infantry School and Officer Commanding 2 Brigade.
In keeping with current Government and H.S.E. guidelines, Tony’s Funeral Service will take place privately on Saturday morning. The link to view service at 11am is: https://youtu.be/ARhFL98U4mQ.
Members may wish to leave personal messages in the ‘Condolences’ section of Tony’s death notice on rip.ie – https://rip.ie/death-notice/col.-anthony-t-tony-murphy-dsm-knocklyon-dublin/444478
