John Fihelly
Australian politician & Australia dual-code rugby international player
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John Arthur Fihelly (7 November 1882 – 2 March 1945) was a public servant, politician, rugby union & rugby league 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]
John Arthur Fihelly | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 25th Treasurer of Queensland | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 9 March 1920 – 8 February 1922 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Ted Theodore | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ted Theodore | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Paddington | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Paddington | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 27 April 1912 – 7 February 1922 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | New seat | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Alfred Jones | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 November 1882 Timoleague, County Cork, Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 2 March 1945 (aged 62) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Resting place | Toowong Cemetery | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Labor Party | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Marguerite Agnes Murphy | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Peter Murphy (father-in-law) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Agent-General, Journalist, Public servant, Rugby league Administrator | |||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Flanker | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby league | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row, Prop, Lock | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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]
