The death occurred at his home on Monday 2 January of Paddy Murphy, Knockaree, Bunclody following a short illness bravely borne. His remains were removed from Kavanagh's Funeral Home, Ferns to St Bridget's Church Kilrush on Tuesday evening for Requiem Mass on Wednesday celebrated by Fr Frank Murphy CSSp, assisted by Fr Barry French, Askamore before interment in the adjoining cemetery. Fr AG Jones, PP, Bunclody was also in attendance. Guards of honour drawn from tug-of-war, Kilrush/ Askamore GAA Club and Fianna Fáil accompanied the cortege. Paddy's untimely passing is mourned by his wife Sally, sons Patrick, John and Charlie; daughters Eilish (Kavanagh) and Breda; sisters Kathleen O'Reilly and Breda O'Donnell (both Manchester) and Josie Cashin, Tinakilly, New Ross, and Fr Frank Murphy CSSp, Brazil and Phil Murphy, Sliabh Ros, Bunclody many relatives and a wide circle of friends.
A proud member of the Wexford Senate, which was reconveyed for the 1798 bi-centenary celebration in 1998, Paddy was a great-great grandnephew of Fr Jonn Murphy of Bollavogue and, at the time of his death, the oldest male relative to bear the Murphy surname.
Paddy often told the story of this connection as follows: Mogue was Fr. Murphy's brother; Mogue's son was John, John son was Patrick; Patrick's son was John and John's son was Patrick -this man - Paddy Murphy of Knockaree. A wonderful lineage, one of which he was honoured to be a member.
Paddy's was a lifelong member of Fianna Fáil and served on the county's decision making body the Comhairle Dáil Ceanntair alongside his wife Sally for many years. He was always willing to canvass at election time, take up the national collection and defend the party in an argument- but Paddy was no 'yes man' - when he felt party representatives had done or said something that he did not agree with, he would articulate his views vociferously at party meetings- and his views were always welcomed by the ordinary members of the organisation. Through his love for tug-of-war, Paddy pulled with, coached and trained a number of teams from Lacken, Arkle Inn, Clohamon, Kiltealy and Half-Way-House clubs. He won numerous All-Ireland titles with these clubs and one of the ladies' teams went on to represent Ireland in the world championships. One of Paddy's proudest moments was carrying the irish flag at the world tug of war games in Minnesota, USA.
Paddy was a Kilrush man through and through. He played full forward with Kilrush in 1964 and was a Kilrush Pikeman in 1998. Paddy started his working life in Altamont Gardens before coming home to Knockaree to work the family farm with his father John. He was founder member of the United Farmers Association and served both chairman and president. Paddy was never one to turn a deaf ear to people in trouble and through his involvement with the UFA he travelled the length and breadth of Ireland to give help and advice both to farmers and others experiencing financial difficulty.
He was a great family man, and liked nothing better than socialising with relatives and friends. The huge turnout at both the removal and Requiem Mass and burial was testament to the high esteem in which Paddy was held by people, not only from his own parish, but from right across the island of Ireland and beyond.

Courtesy of the Carlow Nationalist
24th January 2012 Tweet

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