In the spring of 1936, Joe Milroy, a young pupil at Terenure College, watched his school play against a star-studded Blackrock College team in the first round of the Schools' Senior Cup at Donnybrook. John Corrigan, a family friend of the Milroy's, was captain of Terenure and Joe's brother, Hugh, was a member of the team. Blackrock won the game by a single try scored in the last minute of the drama-filled match. Some few days later Terenure played Newbridge in the first round of the Schools' Junior Cup and Terenure were well beaten by a most competent Newbridge team. The Terenure scrum-half on that occasion was Joe Milroy who learned the hard lesson that there is no easy road to success in the game of rugby football or for that matter in life itself.
A number of Terenure past pupils joined various rugby clubs on leaving school. The possibility of forming a rugby club was often discussed and at a meeting held at Joe Milroy's home at "Ashdale" in Terenure it was decided that a team playing Sunday rugby would be formed and called "Terenure Collegians". Subsequently, the name of this informal club was changed to "Terenure College RFC" and affiliation to the Leinster Branch of the IRFU was sought and granted with effect from the season 1943-44. Joe was elected captain of the club and his team had the distinction of winning the minor league in the first season.
In today's idiom, Joe, who died on September 9th at his home, would be known as a "hands on" leader. He was fully committed to his club and no task was too big or too small for his attention. He represented the club on the junior committee of the Leinster Branch and was later assigned to the executive committee by nomination of the junior committee. During his tenure there he totally opposed the archaic legislation which was tilted so much in favour of privilege rather than performance in the matter of promotion to senior status. He made no apology for advocating the case of his club's right to promotion to the senior grade and his outstanding efforts were rewarded when the walls of prejudice were dismantled and Terenure became a senior club in 1959.
Joe was elected president of this club for the season 1961-62 and it was fitting that he was honoured by being chosen again as president in the jubilee year 1990-91. Both in sport and business Joe was a person of high principles and he was always determined to do what was right, however high the cost. He was at all times generous without being patronising and the extent of his work for charity was cloaked in the anonymity of his lifelong service in the Society of St Vincent de Paul.
To his wife, Claire, and his sons, Paul and Vincent, all the members of Terenure College RFC offer their deepest sympathy.