Ireland are all set for a rematch against the All Blacks in Chicago this weekend, nine years after the historic match in the same city.
It marked a changing of the guard of sorts in Irish rugby as it established Ireland as an elite rugby nation and catapulted them to the pinnacle of number 1 in the World Rankings.
It’s why Ireland’s return to Soldier Field this Saturday to face the All Blacks is such a special occasion, and one that is a ‘pinch yourself moment’ for Barry Murphy, who will perform Ireland’s Call in Chicago.
Ireland players stand for the national anthem before the International rugby match between Ireland and New Zealand at Soldier Field in Chicago, USA. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Murphy, who used to play for Munster, is the lead singer in Irish rock band Hermitage Green and has been given the honour of performing before Ireland take on the All Blacks.
The Limerick native was a star at school level at St Munchins College in Limerick before making his Munster debut in 2003, against the Newport Gwent Dragons.
He would become a regular for the province soon after, playing as a centre or wing. He even made International honours in 2007 when he was selected for Ireland’s tour of Argentina before the World Cup. He would make his debut off the bench in the first test, before starting in the second in Buenos Aires.
Barry Murphy. Picture credit: Pat Murphy / SPORTSFILE
However, that was the peak of Murphy’s career, as four years later, in 2011, he would announce his retirement from the game at the age of just 28, following struggles with numerous injuries to his foot.
He would make the transition to music soon after and formed the band Hermitage Green. They would get signed to Sony Music in 2015, and their debut studio album, Save Your Soul, peaked at number 3 on the Irish album charts.
The band have toured Ireland, the UK and Australia to date. Speaking to the Irish Independent about how he got the gig for Soldier Field, Murphy said: ‘I sang at the Munster New York dinner in September. I did the Fields of Athenry halfway through the night. It went down a treat.
Barry Murphy of Hermitage Green performs at Electric Picnic at Stradbally Hall Estate on September 3, 2016, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Kieran Frost/Redferns)
‘So then I said I could sing it in the Aviva if that would work, and they were like, ‘Why don’t you do the anthems?’ I said, ‘Look, I’m going to be in Soldier Field, I’d love to do it there.’ I got the green light and it all went from there.’
The multi-talented Murphy said that even after playing on the biggest sporting stages for Ireland and Munster, it still doesn’t prevent him from being nervous. ‘I get very nervous. But to quote Shane Lowry, “I have a chance to do the coolest thing in my life.” That’s the way I’ve tried to look at it. ‘
Murphy also revealed that, alongside his MC’ing duties at the Aviva Stadium pre-match, Murphy will potentially perform the anthems at all of Ireland’s November Internationals at the Aviva. Definitely not the usual post-rugby career transition!
