John Fihelly

John Arthur Fihelly (7 November 1882 – 2 March 1945)[1] was a rugby union player who represented Australia, a professional rugby league footballer, a founder of the Queensland rugby league, and a Labor Party politician.[1]

The Hon John Arthur Fihelly
25th Treasurer of Queensland
In office 9 March 1920 – 8 February 1922
Preceded by	Ted Theodore
Succeeded by	Ted Theodore
Constituency	Paddington
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Paddington
In office 27 April 1912 – 7 February 1922
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	Alfred Jones
Personal details
Born	7 November 1882 Timoleague, County Cork, Ireland
Died	2 March 1945 (aged 62) Brisbane, Queensland
Resting place	Toowong Cemetery
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Marguerite Agnes Murphy
Relations	Peter Murphy (father-in-law)
Occupation	Agent-General, Journalist, Public servant, Rugby league Administrator

Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1907 Australia 1 (0)

Early life

Fihelly, a rugby union flanker,[2] was born in Timoleague, County Cork, Ireland and claimed one international rugby union cap for Australia, in 1907.[2] He then became one of rugby league football's founding players in Brisbane, being selected to represent Queensland during the 1907–08 New Zealand rugby tour of Australia and Great Britain against the visiting "All Blacks" in what were the first games of rugby league football ever played in Queensland. In 1908 he traveled to Britain on the first rugby league Kangaroo tour as assistant manager.[1]

Before that, Fihelly was educated at the Petrie Terrace State School and St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace, until 1895. He then joined the post office as a telegraph messenger. He eventually transferred to the Department of Trade and Customs.[3]

Fihelly represented Queensland in rugby union 1905–07 against New South Wales.[4]

Politics

Fihelly got his start in 1908 when he joined the Department of Trade and Customs as a junior clerk in its State office. In 1918 Fihelly was made secretary of railways.

He was elected as the Labor member for Paddington in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland in 1912[5] and held several ministerial roles including Attorney-General and Treasurer until his resignation in 1922.[5]

Later life

Fihelly died of a cerebral thrombosis on 2 March 1945. He deteriorated for years after fracturing his skull in September 1926 in an accident at Sandgate. Before dying, Fihelly spent time in the Dunwich Benevolent Institution.[6]

Upon his death in 1945, Fihelly was rewarded with a State funeral[1] at St Stephen's Cathedral[7] and was buried in Toowong Cemetery.[7][8]

Fihelly back row, bowler hat with a group of the 1908 Kangaroos

References

1. Fihelly, John Arthur (1882–1945) – Australian Dictionary of Biography
2. "Scrum.com player profile of Jack Fihelly". Scrum.com. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
3. Crouchley, Betty, "Fihelly, John Arthur (1882–1945)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 29 September 2019
4. Crouchley, Betty, "Fihelly, John Arthur (1882–1945)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 29 September 2019
5. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
6. Crouchley, Betty, "Fihelly, John Arthur (1882–1945)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 29 September 2019
7. "Funeral notices". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 5 March 1945. p. 6. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
8. Fihelly John Arthur Archived 8 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine – Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 5 January 2015.