President Michael D Higgins has led tribute to marine environmentalist and ecologist Matt Murphy who, along with his late wife, Eileen founded one of the first marine research stations in the country.
President Higgins said that it was with sadness he had learned of the death of Mr Murphy who, along with Eileen, had established Sherkin Island Marine Station in 1975, beginning more than 40 years of research on marine life off the west Cork coast.
“Matt and Eileen Murphy were among the first people in Ireland to draw attention to the importance of marine matters and ecological responsibility when very few opportunities to come and discuss these issues existed.
“As well as being one of the earliest and most important voices on ecological responsibility, Matt also placed an importance on taking these issues outside of the academic location and building public education.”
David McWilliams: ‘I’ve never seen anything like this economic chaos. Buckle up’
My grandfather died by suicide. I work in the same Irish university where he taught history
Government plans to quickly remove citizenship from convicted terrorist
Contraceptive concerns: ‘When I came off the pill, everything became so much better’
Mr Higgins said that whole generations had learned the importance of the sea, the emerging ecological crisis and respect for nature through the pioneering work of the Murphys, who moved to Sherkin Island.
A native of Cork city, growing up near the Old North Infirmary on Mulgrave Road, Mr Murphy died at his home on Sherkin and will be buried in Abbey Graveyard on the island following requiem Mass at St Mona’s Church on Sherkin at 1pm on Monday.
The Murphys established Sherkin Island Marine Station to raise awareness of the marine environment in Ireland and the potential that the sea offered to create jobs and employment in coastal areas.
Changes in the coastal plant and animal communities were recorded, and research was conducted on baseline data of the marine life of the coast from Cork Harbour all the way down to Bantry Bay in west Cork.
The Murphys also organised conferences on both Sherkin and the mainland, where they invited marine biologists to speak and in the 1980s and 1990s. Mr Murphy organised an annual Sherkin Ireland Marine Station exhibition at Connolly Hall in Cork that attracted thousands.
The Mr Murphy brought out his own newsletter, Sherkin Comment, and for many years he contributed a column to the Echo newspaper in Cork, whose former editor, Maurice Gubbins, remembered him today with great fondness.
[ Sherkin Island: ‘We really do live in a postcard, a stunningly beautiful place’Opens in new window ]
Mr Gubbins said that although the Mr Murphy was “a city boy”, he had a great love of the countryside, in particular the sea, and it was no surprise after setting up a horse-drawn caravan business in Newmarket in north Cork, that he and family moved to Sherkin in the 1970s.
“They established the Sherkin Island Marine Station, which drew scientists from all over the world, who carried out a massive volume of research work into the marine life of Roaringwater Bay, and the vast botanical resources surrounding its rocky shore.
“At the same time Matt and Eileen, until her untimely death in 1979, reared a large and wonderful family on the island. He was so proud of them, and they are all so proud of their dad and grandad, and will have many happy memories.
“Matt was a deep thinker, quietly religious and a believer in liberation theology and women’s rights – he strongly believed that we should have women priests and bishops. He was wise and a rebel, and an influencer for good. I was proud to call him a friend.”
Mr Murphy is survived by his sons and daughters Matty, Michael, Susan, Mark, Robbie, Peter and Audrey; his daughters-in-law Claire, Keri and Jackie; his sons-in-law Jez and Donavan, as well as by his brother, former Irish rugby player and coach, Noel Murphy.
