Murray, Healy, and O'Mahony to retire from Irish Rugby at the end of Six Nations

Eva Osborne

Peter O'Mahony, Cian Healy, and Conor Murray have decided to call time on their careers in green when the Six Nations competition ends on March 15th, the IRFU has announced.

Former Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony and Ireland’s current most-capped international Cian Healy will retire from professional rugby at the end of the current 2024/25 season.

Meanwhile, scrum-half Murray will pursue a playing opportunity abroad following the conclusion of his Munster Rugby contract in July.

The IRFU said all three players have made "seismic contributions" to Irish Rugby throughout their careers in green, all reaching the landmark of 100 Test caps for Ireland, winning five Guinness Men’s Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, and they will hope to draw the curtain in style at the end of the 2025 Championship.

O’Mahony has won 112 caps since making his Test debut against Italy in 2012, last year captaining Ireland to Six Nations glory.

Healy, meanwhile, will hang up his boots as Ireland’s current most-capped player having surpassed Brian O’Driscoll when coming off the bench during the 150th Anniversary Test against Australia at Aviva Stadium last November.

The prop has featured in two of Ireland’s three Championship wins this season, moving him to 136 caps in green, and he is now also Ireland’s most capped player in the Six Nations on 66 appearances.

Murray will also call time on his Ireland career at the end of the Six Nations, marking the end of an era for three Irish Rugby greats, the IRFU said.

A Munster Schools Senior Cup winner with St. Munchin’s in 2006, the Munster scrum-half has won 124 caps since making his Test debut against France in 2011, sitting joint fourth in Ireland’s most-capped list alongside Rory Best and only behind Healy, O’Driscoll, and Ronan O’Gara.

Commenting on the announcement, IRFU performance director, David Humphreys, said: “It is always a sad time when a player decides to move on, but I would like to pay tribute to all three players and thank them for their outstanding contribution to Irish Rugby over many years.

"It goes without saying that Peter, Cian and Conor are legends of not just Irish Rugby, but Irish sport, and have each made a significant contribution to the success of Irish Rugby for more than 15 years.

“There is still so much to play for with Ireland and their Provinces and we will mark their careers at an appropriate time in the near future. Knowing each of them, their focus will be on finishing the season on a high, but their influence will endure for many years to come.”