Club | The Club has very sadly recently heard of the death of a former stalwart of the Club, Alistair (Ally) Murray. Ally passed away on 6th October after a 6 year battle with Alzheimer’s and at this sad time our condolences go to his family and friends, especially his wife of many years Laura, and his children, Rhona, Stephen and Euan. Tragically their youngest son Jonathan passed away earlier this year.
Ally’s career started at Dalziel High School and by sixth year he had graduated to become a hard running, hard tackling centre three quarter in the School First XV in season 1967/68. As his strength and physique developed when he entered the senior club, this young former centre was converted to prop forward!
By the early 1970’s Ally had become a regular fixture in the Club First XV along with his front row colleagues Kenny Barrie and Ronnie Cowan. This regular front row was part of a highly successful Dalziel team which moved up the newly formed National Leagues which started in 1974. The team went from Division Five to Division Two to become one of the top 36 Clubs in Scotland. This front row always guaranteed good quality scrummage ball. Off the pitch after games the boys were inseparable and could often be found in a corner of the pub after games downing a few beers and chuckling over incidents from that afternoon’s game.
Ally graduated from Glasgow University with an Honours Maths and Physics BSc degree in 1973 thereafter going on to enjoy a long career in teaching ultimately retiring as Principal Teacher of Physics. He met Laura, a teacher of Music, when working at Larkhall Academy and the couple married in 1975.
After the couple moved to Clarkston and their four children came along Ally’s career at Dalziel came to an end. As they lived close to Clarkston Rugby Club inevitably Euan and Jonathan played mini and midi rugby at the local club. Clarkston Rugby Club were fortunate to benefit from the ‘Murray Prop Forward Genes’ with son Euan graduating from Clarkston to Glasgow Warriors and subsequently amassing 66 caps for Scotland along with a British Lions Tour before his retiral from rugby in 2015.
Ally was a very popular member at the Club being one of the more sociable members who enjoyed a few beers and a curry. When in good form he would pick up 3 oranges or even 3 cans of beer and display his considerable juggling skills!
As a good friend of Harry Morton, Ally spent a few University holidays living and working on the Morton Maternal Home of the Island of Lismore. Harry’s stories from these days are legendary! Many of Ally’s contemporaries from that era have many fond recollections of a good friend who was not only an excellent rugby player but extremely convivial company on match days and club tours.
Alistair Murray… a great guy who will be missed by all he knew.
Funeral Arrangements are as follows
Friday 1st November at 12 Noon at
Maxwell Mearns Castle Church, Waterfoot Road,Newton Mearns
Burial at Mearns Cemetery
Funeral Purvey at Eglington Arms Hotel Eaglesham