Ashling Murphy would have been 24 next week. The beautiful young teacher was a talented young musician – a treasured member of Ballyboy Comhaltas and of the National Folk Orchestra, she had toured and performed extensively, often with her equally talented sister Amy and her Dad Raymond.
This deeply moving tribute on TG4 pays homage to her musicality and hears from her loving family about a life “filled with music”.
Ashling was a teacher of traditonal fiddle, and has already packed so much into her life before her horrific and senseless death earlier this year. “She always had a big smile for everyone,” her mother Kathleen said. “She loved everyone and she had so much to give to the world.”
In ómós d'Ashling Murphy, múinteoir agus bean chumasach ar chuile bhealach a d'imigh uainn gan choinne.
Anocht ar #Fleadh2022 rinne muid ceiliúradh uirthi agus ar an mbean a bhí mar cheoltóir den scoth. Mo cheol thú Ashling. 🕯️ pic.twitter.com/4rzfAPfQ9Q— TG4 (@TG4TV) August 6, 2022
Raymond Murphy spoke about all Ashling had achieved in her short 23 years. “if she had another 23 years, what would she have achieved?” he said.
On Thursday at St Paul’s Church, the National Folk Orchestra of Ireland also paid homage to Ashling, with a beautiful piece – ‘Áilleacht Ashling’ – written by Musical Director, Tom Doorley, to remember and celebrate her life.
At that concert, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann announced four recipients of scholarships named in Ashling Murphy’s memory, and her family were there to present the awards.
“The word celebration in the context of Ashling Murphy is very, very important. Every person she met, was enriched by her, genuinely enriched. There was great connection she had with people.”
“All of the people she met through Comhaltas, there is a sense within them that Ashling’s name will never be far from their lips or our heart,” he told the packed concert.
She had been a proud member of the Orchestra, as this recording from 2019 shows.
Ashling Murphy playing in the Senior Fiddle competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018 in Drogheda
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis. pic.twitter.com/sDi49yemyb
— Comhaltas (CCÉ) (@Comhaltas) January 14, 2022