'He won many battles for Cork, on the field and in the boardroom'

Signing off as Cork County Board secretary, Frank Murphy described his 46 years in the role as a “remarkable journey”.

With the majority of his farewell speech focusing on the people he worked alongside since taking up the role in December of 1972, and his fond memories of them, it was left to others in the room to paint a picture of the service given by the man from Blackrock who was appointed county board secretary at the age of 27.