John Fihelly

John Arthur Fihelly (7 November 1882 – 2 March 1945) was a public servant, politician and rugby union player in Queensland, Australia. He was the Treasurer of Queensland. He represented Australia as a professional rugby league footballer and a founder of the Queensland Rugby League.[1]

The Hon
John Arthur Fihelly
25th Treasurer of Queensland
In office
9 March 1920 – 8 February 1922
Preceded byTed Theodore
Succeeded byTed Theodore
ConstituencyPaddington
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Paddington
In office
27 April 1912 – 7 February 1922
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byAlfred Jones
Personal details
Born(1882-11-07)7 November 1882
Timoleague, County Cork, Ireland
Died2 March 1945(1945-03-02) (aged 62)
Brisbane, Queensland
Resting placeToowong Cemetery
Political partyLabor Party
SpouseMarguerite Agnes Murphy
RelationsPeter Murphy (father-in-law)
OccupationAgent-General, Journalist, Public servant, Rugby league Administrator
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1907 Australia 1 (0)

Early life

Fihelly was born in Timoleague, County Cork, Ireland. The family emigrated to Australia the following year. He 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.[1]

Rugby

Fihelly was a rugby union flanker.[2] 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] Fihelly represented Queensland in rugby union 1905–07 against New South Wales.[1]

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[3] and held several ministerial roles including Attorney-General and Treasurer until his resignation in 1922.[3]

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.[1]

Upon his death in 1945, Fihelly was rewarded with a State funeral[1] at St Stephen's Cathedral[4] and was buried in Toowong Cemetery.[4][5]

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

References
  1. Crouchley, Betty. "Australian Dictionary of Biography, Fihelly, John Arthur (1882-1945)". www.adb.anu.edu.au. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  2. "Scrum.com player profile of Jack Fihelly". Scrum.com. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  3. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  4. "Funeral notices". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 5 March 1945. p. 6. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  5. Fihelly John Arthur Archived 8 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine – Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 5 January 2015.


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