Former Ireland, Munster and Dolphin player Phil O'Callaghan dies aged 83

Tributes have been paid to former Ireland, Munster and Dolphin player Phil O'Callaghan, who has passed away at the age of 83.

The Cork native won 21 caps for Ireland between 1967 and 1976, while he also representing Munster on 34 occasions.

O’Callaghan began his playing career with Dolphin at the age of 16 and he also went on to coach the side, as well as fellow Cork side Sundays Well.

He was later inducted to the Munster Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016.

Munster posted on social media: “It is with great sadness that Munster Rugby have learned of the passing of Phil O'Callaghan.

“A Dolphin RFC clubman, he made his Munster Senior Cup debut in 1961 having only taken up rugby the previous season and continued to play in the competition every year up until 1980.

“He won 21 caps for his country between 1967 and 1976 and he was inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2016.

“Ar dheis de go raibh a anam.” 

The IRFU added: "Everyone at Irish Rugby is saddened to learn of the passing of Phil O'Callaghan.

"We extend our sympathies to Phil's family, friends and former team-mates at this sad time."

Dolphin, his club were fulsome in their praise for O'Callaghan, who gave his life to the club in numerous roles, both as a player and administrator and here is part of a tribute to him from their website.

1967-76 21 caps:

The story of how Philo started playing rugby is well known. 

He was not just playing soccer with Blues United but was also playing Gaelic Football and hurling and would often play a couple of games a day. He won an U14 City Schools Football medal with Presentation Brothers Greenmount and played for Nemo Rangers in a narrow loss to St Finbarr’s in the Cork City Minor Football Final.

The 16-year-old went out to watch a Dolphin minor game, captained by his friend Dick O’Meara from Pearse Road. 

They were short a player and he asked Philo would he play in the second row; he did not have to be asked twice. 

Despite only knowing that you could not throw the ball forward, he impressed enough to keep his place against Skibbereen the following week in the final game of 1960/61 season.

The following season Dick Hodgins, later a champion and long-distance running champion, was captain and invited Phil to continue with the thirds. After a few outings he was called up to the seniors who at the time included the famous Tony O’Reilly, Vince Giltinan, Henry Wall, Mick Rose, Noel Kavanagh and tennis star Michael Hickey.

He won his first medal with Dolphin in 1963/64 when they won the Cork Charity Cup.

He made his Munster Senior Cup debut in 1961, and played in the Munster Senior Cup every season until 1980.

He was on the Cork side that played Dublin in 1966, at one stage during the game he showed tremendous speed for a prop, heading off the winger when Niall Brophy was in full flight for the line. 

He impressed subsequently in the Munster trial and made his inter provincial debut after he replaced the injured Mick O’Callaghan against Ulster when he cried off. 

Philo made 34 appearances for Munster over the next 11 years.

In that Munster debut he did very well, and particularly well in the following game v Leinster and earned a place in the final trial aged just 22. 

He played for Munster 34 times between 1966-1977, including playing Australia four times and New Zealand twice.

In January 1967, Philo was on the first Munster side to defeat Australia.

Nowadays it is difficult to understand that he was only 12 stone when he started playing prop, when he made his debut against Australia in 1967 he was just 14 stone.

Between 1932- 1974 there was an annual fixture between the Combined Universities and the Rest of Ireland and it was an unofficial Irish Trial Philo played for the Rest of Ireland side in 1967/68 and again in 1973/74 which was the last year the fixture was held.

He played in 15 of the next 19 Internationals. 

He was on the Ireland Tour to Argentina in 1970, no caps were awarded for the two games (although anyone who was never capped were honoured with a cap 53 years later). 

Following the tour Philo did not play for Ireland for six years, and then in 1976 he played five consecutive internationals.

He represented the Barbarians six times between 1969 +1970, including playing against Fiji + Scotland. 

He also played for the Irish Wolfhounds, they were then an Irish version of the Barbarians, it was only in 2010 that the Ireland A team became known as the Wolfhounds.

He played in the RFU centenary game in 1971 on Scotland and Ireland Team, his jersey from that day proudly adorns the Dolphin clubhouse wall still. 

Also in 1971, Philo was on the Dolphin side that won the Army 7’s title.

He was awarded Dolphin club man of the year in 1988/89. In 2016, Philo was inducted into the Munster Hall of Fame.

He was an Honorary Life Member of Dolphin RFC. 

While living part of the year in Spain, the Dolphin J2’s were on tour nearby, Philo agreed to come along and he was presented with the Life Membership by Denis Fox on behalf of the club. 

He was South Munster U20 coach in 1979 and a Munster U19 and 20 coach in 1980, the same time he was coaching the Dolphin U20 side. 

In 1983 he coached Dolphin to the Munster U20 title, his captain being Terry Kingston.

He spent a number of seasons as Dolphin Senior Coach in the late 80’s and in 1992-93 he coached Sunday's Well to the Munster Senior League and back into AIL Division 2.