SELDOM can symbols have spoken more eloquently than those presented in St. Naile’s Church for Patrick Murphy’s Requiem Mass, so movingly appropriate for one of Kinawley’s landmark personalities.
As his daughter, Geraldine, beautifully and bilingually explained;
A lily represented his strong identity as an Irishman, his love for his country and his love for the land;
“He was a proud Irishman and a man of the land”.
A Fermanagh Mummer’s hat represented a very central part of his life, having spent many happy hours creating costumes and hats;
“He was a cultural man”.
A bodhran represented his keen interest in Irish music attending many fleadhs over the years:
“He was a man of music”.
The Irish News, read from cover to cover every day, represented how he was well informed in politics, sport, current affairs;
“He was a knowledgeable man and a man of wisdom”.
His stick represented his strength, determination and strong will in both mind and body;
“He was strong and independent man”.
Born in 1933, son of Charlie and Mary Ellen Murphy, Clonliffe, Patrick farmed all his life, also working as a digger driver.
On 18th September 1961, he married Rhoda McCormack, living in Clonliffe.
They were blessed with a family of five with 23 grandchildren, three of whom, Sophia, Michalea and Yvonne, were joining in the ceremony via webcam from Sydney, and three great grandchildren.
An accomplished footballer, playing for Fermanagh and featuring at full back on Kinawley teams which contested the 1962 SFC (v Roslea) and 1963 SFL (v Devenish) finals, he was part of a family tradition, now spanning four generations of Fermanagh and Kinawley representation.
Describing him as “a principled man who held on to his principles”, Mass celebrant, Fr. Maurice McMorrow PP, added, “He could articulate them, he knew his own mind, quiet, he had an inner contentment about him, he had that fortitude and inner strength that propelled him forward to the very end.
Referring to Patrick’s deep faith, he said, “He loved God and his country”
“His Irishness was so caught up in his faith that it was one reality”.
“His patriotism for his land and his love of God were the one origin”
“He was true a Gael in that respect”
Patrick is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Rhoda, sons Cathal (Marguerite), Barry (Imelda), Padraic (Collette), daughters, Geraldine, Rhoda (Niall), sister, Bridget, brother-in-law, Tom.
Following Requiem Mass, burial took place in the adjoining cemetery.
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