Through his multi-faceted career in which he achieved eminence in business, political and sporting fields, Sean Murray, who died on February 12th, aged 63, was a familiar figure at numerous levels of Irish society and was a capable ambassador for his native Co Longford for which he had a life-long affection.
The son of Ned and Mary Murray (nee Higgins) from Tashinny, south Longford, he was the eldest of six. He was educated at the local national school and then at the Franciscan College, Multyfarnham. He gained an honours B.Comm degree at UCD and went on to take his accountancy qualifications in the capital.
In 1967 he formed an accountancy partnership with Monaghan native, Hugh Owens. Owens-Murray operated from Clare Street in Dublin for many years. Later it merged with Kinnears and after that became Grant Thornton which is now one of Ireland's top 10 accountancy firms. Sean Murray was the managing partner in the firm when he retired in the spring of 1999.
In the economic regeneration of the 1960s and early 1970s, Sean Murray's talents were widely appreciated. He subsequently served on the boards of many semi-state organisations, including Aer Rianta, and Bord Gais Eireann. He was appointed chairman of the Irish Trade Board in 1995. He was also a director of Tara Mines and Cooley Distillers.
Having come from a Fine Gael background it was no surprise that he should become active in the party at national level.
A Fine Gael spokesman said: "Sean Murray was deeply involved and played a key role in the revival of Fine Gael's fortunes after 1977." But, as was his wont, he preferred to work behind the scenes, shunning the limelight and using his financial and organisational expertise to good effect.
He was, for nearly 20 years, a trustee of the party as well as its chief fund-raiser and election strategist and his status within the party was reflected by the attendance of three former Taoisaigh, Liam Cosgrave, Garret FitzGerald and John Bruton, at the removal of his remains to Foxrock Church in Dublin.
In his native Longford, however, Sean Murray will forever be associated with Gaelic football. He won three successive Longford minor (under-18) championships with Ballymahon in 1952 and 1953 and his native parish, Carrickedmond in 1954. Indeed, because of his scholastic connection with Multyfarnham, in 1951 he also managed to play for the Westmeath under-15 team along with the late Senator Sean Fallon from Athlone.
He had a brilliant GAA career in the UCD colours, winning Dublin senior championships in 1963 and 1965 as well as two Sigerson Cups in 1959 and 1961. He played on the combined universities teams and won interprovincial recognition with Leinster. He joined the Civil Service club after UCD. It was this experience, coupled with his outstanding leadership qualities, which enabled him to become the driving force for Longford senior footballers' imprint on the national GAA scene in the mid-1960s. They won their one and only Leinster championship in 1968, preceded by a national league title in 1966.
Sean Murray along with former Cavan great, Mick Higgins, and the late Father Phil McGee were the trio who provided the engine for Longford's brief but glorious flirtation with national sporting headlines.
He is survived by his wife Pat, daughter Cathy, sons Sean Jnr and Edward, sister Bea and brothers Father Jimmy, Eamon, Martin and Patrick.
Sean Murray: born 1936; died February, 2000