Two traditional musicians have been awarded the Ashling Murphy Memorial Entrance Scholarship, which recognises the young teacher’s love for both traditional music and teaching.
Róisín Ní Chonchúir, from Killeigh in Offaly and Catherine Joyce, from Mayo, both of whom are musicians, have been recognised by Mary Immaculate College and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation.
The scholarship is in memory of Offaly school teacher Ashling Murphy, who was tragically murdered while out running just months after graduating from Mary Immaculate College.
Credit MIC: Catherine Joyce and Róisín Ní Chonchúir (both centre) pictured with Ashling Murphy’s parents, Ray and Kathleen, INTO President Dorothy McGinley (far left) and Professor Eugene Wall, President of MIC (far right)
To cherish her memory, the awards recognise Ashling’s twin love for traditional Irish music and for teaching and is open to first-year Bachelor of Education students who have shown exceptional talents as traditional Irish music players, MIC said.
Announcing the recipients, Professor Eugene Wall, President of MIC, said: “Ashling Murphy exemplified the qualities of what it means to be an excellent primary teacher and she was a lavishly talented traditional Irish musician.”
“There was immense interest in this scheme and I am delighted to say that this scholarship has been awarded to two of MIC’s finest traditional Irish musicians.”
“We, at MIC, wish both Catherine and Róisín great success here, both in their lives as students and as musical performers. We are happy to contribute to their educational and artistic futures.”
Róisín Ní Chonchúir, from Killeigh in County Offaly, is a first-year student on the Bachelor of Education in Education & Psychology programme.
She plays flute and fiddle and has competed in numerous Fleadhanna at county, provincial and all-Ireland levels – and has many provincial titles on both instruments.
Róisín has competed as a member of Grúpaí Cheol and céilí bands up to All-Ireland level and she continues to enjoy competing in the Fleadhanna.
She led the committee that hosted the 23-hour music marathon in memory of Ashling Murphy on St. Patrick’s Day 2022 which raised over €5,000 for Offaly Domestic Violence.
She is also a member of the Misneach traditional orchestra led by Ciarán Fitzgerald and they perform at various venues throughout the year.
She said she was “very honoured to have been chosen to receive this award in memory of Ashling Murphy”.
“Through this scholarship I am very much looking forward to doing good work with Catherine and many others in the coming years in keeping Ashling’s memory alive.”
Her fellow recipient, Catherine Joyce, from Castlebar , Co. Mayo, is a first-year Bachelor of Education student and is an accomplished harpist, singer and flautist.
Credit MIC: Catherine Joyce
Growing up around a number of talented musicians and tutors, including the Kilkenny family, Grainne Hambly, Laoise Kelly and Emer Mayock, Catherine developed a love for music from a young age.
Catherine has taken part and placed in various prestigious music competitions, including the Fleadh, Arpademia Celtic Harp Competition, Wesley Interschools Music Competition, Gael Linn, O’Carolan Harp Festival Nobber, as well as performing at many live music events, including on Fleadh TV, the Gig Rig at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, Achill International Harp Festival, Live at Three concert in the Linenhall, the International Harp congress in Wales, and ‘Music of Mayo’ performance in Castlebar.
She said that “Ashling Murphy shared her musical talent freely and generously in her life”.
“It is an immense honour and privilege to be able to continue her legacy through traditional music, something which she loved.”
“I am looking forward to collaborating with Róisín, the joint recipient, and preserve a space where Ashling and her life can be remembered and celebrated.”
Professor Wall said that “Ashling Murphy exemplified the qualities of what it means to be an excellent primary teacher and she was a lavishly talented traditional Irish musician.
“There was immense interest in this scheme and I am delighted to say that this scholarship has been awarded to two of MIC’s finest traditional Irish musicians”.
“We, at MIC, wish both Catherine and Róisín great success here, both in their lives as students and as musical performers. We are happy to contribute to their educational and artistic futures.”
This scholarship is jointly awarded by Mary Immaculate College and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) to the amount of €4,000, which will be a bursary awarded to a first year Bachelor of Education student for their exceptional achievement (solo, ensemble and in the community) and talent in the field of traditional Irish music.
Dorothy McGinley, INTO President commented: “’Happiest When’ was Ashling’s last caption on a video she shared showing her, and her sister Amy, playing the fiddle and the concertina. Ashling’s passion for and dedication to traditional Irish music was inspiring to all those who knew her. In her short life she made an immense contribution to traditional Irish music.”
“The INTO is delighted to collaborate with Mary Immaculate College on this scholarship in memory of Ashling Murphy and I warmly congratulate the two inaugural recipients of the scholarship,” she added.
An exceptional musician and a talented teacher, Ashling Murphy’s family has said she brought the home alive with music when she played her fiddle. A member of Ballyboy Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the talented fiddle player also tutored students of traditional music.
Ms Murphy was a member of Macalla na hÉireann, Comhaltas Concert Tour of Ireland 2017, where she played throughout the country to acclaim.
Her killer, Jozef Puska, was sentenced to life in prison for her murder last month.