Ron McAuliffe
Encyclopedia
Ronald Edward McAuliffe OBE
(25 June 1918 – 16 August 1988) was a politician and sports administrator in Queensland
, Australia
. He is best remembered for his years running the Queensland Rugby League
, and his instrumental role in the formation of the State of Origin
competition.
McAuliffe attended school at St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace in Brisbane
. In 1932 he played rugby league
for the Gregory Terrace firsts. He started playing senior rugby league in 1937 for the Northern Suburbs
club, but with the outbreak of World War II
he joined the Australian Imperial Force
. He served as a Warrant Officer for five years, before being honourably discharged after service in the Middle East
and New Guinea
with the 2/2 Casualty Clearing Station.
After the war McAuliffe worked with the Queensland Rail
ways Audit Office. Whilst living at New Farm
he formed social bonds with a number of Valleys
players. In the late 1940s he moved to Fortitude Valley's Brunswick Street, sharing a flat Roy Westaway, a former international representative playing for the Diehards. According to Australian rugby league hall of fame
r Duncan Hall
, a who was also playing for Valleys:
was one of those blokes who was always around the place... he knew everyone worth knowing, and everyone knew him. He drank at the Valley pub with us every night after work. In fact, he was one of those blokes who was the life of the party and who never seemed to want to go home. He was always around.
McAuliffe was elected to the Valley's committee and became the club's delegate to the Brisbane Rugby League
in 1951. In 1952 he was elected chairman of the Brisbane Rugby League.
In 1953 the Brisbane Rugby League was subsumed into the Queensland Rugby League
(QRL). Ron McAuliffe became secretary to the organisation and began negotiations with the Brisbane City Council to lease Lang Park.
On 30 June 1971 McAuliffe was elected as a Senator for the Australian Labor Party
in the Parliament of Australia
. That year he also became president of the QRL. Although initially opposed to the idea, McAuliffe became a driving force behind the establishment of the State of Origin series. The 1980s were to prove a golden period for rugby league in Queensland.
MxAuliffe sat in the Senate until 30 June 1981. At the end of 1981 he was awarded Civil Officer status in the Order of the British Empire
.
McAuliffe died in August 1988 from a stroke. His funeral was held on 17 August 1988 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Fortitude Valley. His pall bearers included Wally Lewis
. In his obituary The Courier-Mail
journalist Barry Dick
wrote that "he [Ron McAuliffe] loved a drink, loved an argument, and most of all, he loved company."
The Ron McAuliffe Medal is awarded to each year's State of Origin Queensland player of the series. Lang Park's Ron McAuliffe stand was also named in his honour.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(25 June 1918 – 16 August 1988) was a politician and sports administrator in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He is best remembered for his years running the Queensland Rugby League
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League and selects the members of Queensland State of Origin teams....
, and his instrumental role in the formation of the State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
competition.
McAuliffe attended school at St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. In 1932 he played rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
for the Gregory Terrace firsts. He started playing senior rugby league in 1937 for the Northern Suburbs
Norths Devils
The Northern Suburbs Devils, Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They play in the Queensland Wizard Cup, and, through their predecessors, are one of the oldest clubs in...
club, but with the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he joined the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
. He served as a Warrant Officer for five years, before being honourably discharged after service in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
with the 2/2 Casualty Clearing Station.
After the war McAuliffe worked with the Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
ways Audit Office. Whilst living at New Farm
New Farm, Queensland
New Farm is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia, located 2 km east of the Brisbane CBD on a large bend of the Brisbane River. New Farm is partly surrounded by the Brisbane River, with land access from the north west through Fortitude Valley and from the north through...
he formed social bonds with a number of Valleys
Fortitude Valley Diehards
The Fortitude Valley Diehards were an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley.-History:...
players. In the late 1940s he moved to Fortitude Valley's Brunswick Street, sharing a flat Roy Westaway, a former international representative playing for the Diehards. According to Australian rugby league hall of fame
Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame
The Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame honors players who have shown exceptional skill at rugby league, all-time great coaches and referees, and other major contributors to the game who are Australian...
r Duncan Hall
Duncan Hall
Duncan Hall was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 1950s, singled out as having been amongst the greatest of the 20th century. He played in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Fortitude Valley Diehards and represented Queensland and Australia. He has been named amongst...
, a who was also playing for Valleys:
was one of those blokes who was always around the place... he knew everyone worth knowing, and everyone knew him. He drank at the Valley pub with us every night after work. In fact, he was one of those blokes who was the life of the party and who never seemed to want to go home. He was always around.
McAuliffe was elected to the Valley's committee and became the club's delegate to the Brisbane Rugby League
Brisbane Rugby League premiership (rugby league competition)
The Brisbane Rugby League premiership was a rugby league football competition held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 1922 to 1997. Prior to 1922, the competition was conducted under the auspices of the Queensland Rugby League. Until the 1980s it was the premier sporting competition in...
in 1951. In 1952 he was elected chairman of the Brisbane Rugby League.
In 1953 the Brisbane Rugby League was subsumed into the Queensland Rugby League
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League and selects the members of Queensland State of Origin teams....
(QRL). Ron McAuliffe became secretary to the organisation and began negotiations with the Brisbane City Council to lease Lang Park.
On 30 June 1971 McAuliffe was elected as a Senator for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
in the Parliament of Australia
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
. That year he also became president of the QRL. Although initially opposed to the idea, McAuliffe became a driving force behind the establishment of the State of Origin series. The 1980s were to prove a golden period for rugby league in Queensland.
MxAuliffe sat in the Senate until 30 June 1981. At the end of 1981 he was awarded Civil Officer status in the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
.
McAuliffe died in August 1988 from a stroke. His funeral was held on 17 August 1988 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Fortitude Valley. His pall bearers included Wally Lewis
Wally Lewis
Walter James "Wally" Lewis AM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Currently a commentator of the sport, he is widely regarded as the greatest rugby league player of all time...
. In his obituary The Courier-Mail
The Courier-Mail
The Courier-Mail is a daily newspaper published in Brisbane, Australia. Owned by News Limited, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner northern suburbs, and it is printed at Murarrie, in Brisbane's...
journalist Barry Dick
Barry Dick
Barry Dick is online sports editor and sports columnist for Australian newspaper The Courier-Mail. He has been a reporter for 37 years, and has been a sports reporter for the past 24 years. Until recently, Dick was the rugby league editor for The Courier-Mail, and wrote the For Argument's Sake...
wrote that "he [Ron McAuliffe] loved a drink, loved an argument, and most of all, he loved company."
The Ron McAuliffe Medal is awarded to each year's State of Origin Queensland player of the series. Lang Park's Ron McAuliffe stand was also named in his honour.
Sources
- Gallaway, Jack Origin: Rugby League's Greatest Contest 1980-2002 University of Queensland Press, 2003 ISBN 0-7022-3383-8