July, 1998, Ireland, (L-R) Peter O’Malley; Ann Murphy, President, Irish Baseball and Softball Association; and Dr. Creighton J. Hale, longtime President and CEO, Little League Baseball.
Biography
Ann Murphy
Ann Murphy served as the first President of the Irish Baseball and Softball Association, established in 1989. She also served as treasurer of the association. Ireland joined the Confederation of European Baseball in 1994. On June 6, 1994, Peter O’Malley first met Murphy while attending an International Baseball Association meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland and Peter, fifth generation of Irish decent, asked her how he could assist in the development of baseball in Ireland. They sat together for lunch and Murphy informed Peter that they needed dedicated baseball fields. When soccer games were started, baseball players would have to move off the field. Peter agreed to work with Murphy to that end and he went to Ireland in September, 1994 to discuss further and look at potential sites. Murphy worked closely with Baseball Ireland former players and leaders Mike Kindle and Mick Manning, as well as Barry Sheehan, President, Little League Baseball Ireland to identify and study potential sites for baseball fields. Peter, who returned to Ireland twice in 1995 to review sites, committed to privately building two fields, one for adults and one for youth.
On June 14, 1997, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for two baseball fields in Corkagh Demesne Park in Clondalkin, West Dublin. Joining Peter were Murphy, Kindle, Manning, Sheehan, Dr. Creighton Hale, former longtime President and CEO, Little League Baseball and Patrick Hickey, President, Olympic Council of Ireland. Murphy and others from the IBSA worked diligently to get the new fields constructed.
July 4, 1998, Dedication Ceremonies of two baseball fields at Corkagh Park, Clondalkin, West Dublin, Ireland. Jean Kennedy Smith, U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, and Eamonn Walsh, the Cathaoirleach (Mayor) of South Dublin County Council unveil the granite marker identifying the baseball fields privately built by Peter O’Malley. Irish Baseball and Softball President Ann Murphy is left of Ambassador Kennedy.
July 29, 2016, Ann Murphy and her family enjoyed a visit to Historic Dodgertown, Vero Beach, Florida to tour the iconic spring training site (now known as Major League Baseball’s Jackie Robinson Training Complex). Murphy and Peter O’Malley worked closely together on finding a location for two fields – one for Little League Baseball and one for adults – dedicated to baseball in Ireland.
On July 4, 1998, Peter officially opened the two privately built baseball fields, a regulation-sized adult baseball field named “Dodger Baseball Field” and an international standard Little League field named “O’Malley Little League Field”. Besides Peter, United States Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith was in attendance to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Murphy participated in the ceremonies along with International Baseball Association President Aldo Notari. On July 12-14, 2013, Peter returned to West Dublin for the inaugural Peter O’Malley International Invitational Baseball Tournament. Since its opening, the adult field has served as the training grounds and home of the Irish National Team. Murphy, Kindle, Manning, and Sheehan are still active in Baseball Ireland. In July 2016, Murphy visited Historic Dodgertown, Vero Beach, Florida.