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3 veterans, including Peter O'Mahony, confirm Ireland career end date
By Liam Heagney
Ireland veterans Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy and Conor Murray have confirmed they will all retire from international rugby following next month’s completion of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations.
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O’Mahony and Healy have added that they will quit playing rugby completely at the end of the season when they finish their respective 2024/25 club campaigns with Munster and Leinster, while Murray has revealed he will take up an opportunity to continue playing overseas at club level next season.
All three players are currently involved in Ireland’s unprecedented quest to win a third successive Six Nations.
The announcement of their Test retirements came on Thursday before an open training session at Aviva Stadium in Dublin ahead of the March 8 round four game versus France which will be followed by the Test career-ending trip to Italy on March 15.
An IRFU statement read: “Three of Ireland’s most decorated and distinguished players – Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy and Conor Murray – have today announced their decision to call time on their illustrious careers in green following the conclusion of the Guinness Six Nations next month.
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— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 27, 2025
“Former Ireland captain O’Mahony and Healy, Ireland’s current most capped international, will retire from professional rugby at the end of the current 2024/25 season, while scrum-half Murray will pursue a playing opportunity abroad following the conclusion of his Munster contract in July.
“All three players have made seismic contributions to Irish rugby throughout their careers in green, all reaching the landmark of 100 Test caps for Ireland, winning five Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, and they will hope to draw the curtain in style at the end of the 2025 championship.
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“O’Mahony, who was outstanding in an 80-minute performance against Wales last weekend, has won 112 caps since making his Test debut against Italy in 2012, last year captaining Ireland to Six Nations glory.
“A Munster senior schools cup winner with PBC Cork in 2007, the Munster back row has been an ever-present in green over the last 15 years, featuring at three consecutive Rugby World Cups in 2015, 2019 and 2023 and making consistently invaluable contributions to the successes achieved under Joe Schmidt and, more recently, Andy Farrell.
“A key leader on and off the pitch, O’Mahony, who captained the British and Irish Lions in the first Test of their 2017 tour to New Zealand, has made 193 appearances for Munster having made his debut against Ulster in January 2010 and won two Celtic League/URC titles.
“Healy, meanwhile, will hang up his boots as Ireland’s current most capped player having surpassed Brian O’Driscoll when coming off the bench during the 150th anniversary Test against Australia at Aviva Stadium last November.
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“The prop has featured in two of Ireland’s three championship wins this season, moving him to 136 caps in green, and he is now also Ireland’s most capped player in the Six Nations on 66 appearances.”
Three great servants to Irish rugby. All getting time on the first team and contributing to the squad until the end.
All three world class in their prime, with Healy and Murray being in the top three in their positions world for long periods. They’re going at the right time and have helped with the bench experience beyond what could have been expected of them. Three Irish ledges alright.
Has O’Mahony confirmed the book release date yet?
I think it has been held back as he tried to get Rassie to write the foreword, but Rassie is still heavy on the sauce and not very coherent at the moment. Hence why he has about 50-80 staff members and has called Felix back to hold his notepad and i think Felix is writing his foreword now. It’s really heartwarming. The home help is back.