Delia Murphy
Encyclopedia
Delia Murphy was a singer and collector of Irish ballad
s. Her notable voice gave her the nickname the "Queen of Connemara".
, County Mayo
, Ireland. Her father purchased the large, Mount Jennings Estate in Hollymount
, County Mayo. Her family was regarded as being wealthy. Her father, Jack Murphy, from Hollymount, made his fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush
. While in America, he married Anna Fanning from Roscrea
, County Tipperary
. They returned to Ireland in 1901. Her father encouraged Delia's interest in singing ballads from a young age. He also allowed Irish travellers to camp on the estate. According to her own account, the young Delia learnt her first ballads at their campfires.
Delia was educated at Presentation Convent, Tuam
; Dominican College, Dublin; and University College Galway
, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce
degree. In UCG she met Dr. Thomas J. Kiernan. They married in 1924, on her 22nd birthday. Kiernan then joined the Irish diplomatic service
. His first posting was to London. While there Murphy sang at many venues including gatherings of Irish exiles and became quite well known. In 1939 she recorded The Blackbird, The Spinning Wheel and Three Lovely Lassies for HMV
.
in Rome. The Irish legation was the only English-speaking legation to remain open after the United States entered the war
. Murphy became one of those who assisted Hugh O'Flaherty
(the "Vatican pimpernel") in hiding Jews and escaped allied soldiers from the Nazis
. In 1943, when Italy changed sides, many escaped POWs
were helped by the legation to leave Italy.
, Ottawa
, and Washington, D.C.. In 1961, while she was living in Ottawa, Murphy made the recording of “The Queen of Connemara” for the Kenny Goldstein label. Murphy tired of the diplomatic life and bought a farmhouse in Jasper, Ontario
, near the Rideau Canal
where she spent most of her time, even after Kiernan was posted to Washington. Tom died in 1967.
, part of the suburbs of Chapelizod
, in Dublin. Murphy, the "Queen of Connemara" died of a massive heart attack
on 11 February 1971.
She had recorded more than 400 ballads.
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s. Her notable voice gave her the nickname the "Queen of Connemara".
Early life
She was born in Ardroe, ClaremorrisClaremorris
Claremorris , is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. The population of Claremoris in the 2011 Census was 3,979....
, County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, Ireland. Her father purchased the large, Mount Jennings Estate in Hollymount
Hollymount
Hollymount is a village on the R331 regional road in County Mayo, Ireland. It lies mid-way between the towns of Ballinrobe and Claremorris in the plains of South Mayo. It has a post office, a mini-mart, a community center , a small fuel/petrol station, and various public houses. It also has a...
, County Mayo. Her family was regarded as being wealthy. Her father, Jack Murphy, from Hollymount, made his fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
. While in America, he married Anna Fanning from Roscrea
Roscrea
Roscrea is a small heritage town in North Tipperary, Ireland. The town has a population of 4,910. Its main industries include meat processing and pharmaceuticals. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ikerrin...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
. They returned to Ireland in 1901. Her father encouraged Delia's interest in singing ballads from a young age. He also allowed Irish travellers to camp on the estate. According to her own account, the young Delia learnt her first ballads at their campfires.
Delia was educated at Presentation Convent, Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
; Dominican College, Dublin; and University College Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
degree. In UCG she met Dr. Thomas J. Kiernan. They married in 1924, on her 22nd birthday. Kiernan then joined the Irish diplomatic service
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
. His first posting was to London. While there Murphy sang at many venues including gatherings of Irish exiles and became quite well known. In 1939 she recorded The Blackbird, The Spinning Wheel and Three Lovely Lassies for HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
.
World War II
In 1941 Kiernan was appointed Irish Minister Plenipotentiary to the Holy SeeHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
in Rome. The Irish legation was the only English-speaking legation to remain open after the United States entered the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Murphy became one of those who assisted Hugh O'Flaherty
Hugh O'Flaherty
Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, CBE was an Irish Roman Catholic priest and senior official of the Roman Curia. During World War II, he was responsible for saving 6,500 Allied soldiers and Jews...
(the "Vatican pimpernel") in hiding Jews and escaped allied soldiers from the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. In 1943, when Italy changed sides, many escaped POWs
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
were helped by the legation to leave Italy.
Later life
Kiernan later served as Irish High Commissioner and later first Ambassador in Australia, and later in BonnBonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, and Washington, D.C.. In 1961, while she was living in Ottawa, Murphy made the recording of “The Queen of Connemara” for the Kenny Goldstein label. Murphy tired of the diplomatic life and bought a farmhouse in Jasper, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, near the Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
where she spent most of her time, even after Kiernan was posted to Washington. Tom died in 1967.
Death
By 1969 Murphy's health was in decline. In November of that year she sold her farmhouse in Canada and returned to Ireland. She bought a cottage in the Strawberry BedsFarmleigh Bridge
The Farmleigh Bridge , also known as the Strawberry Beds Bridge, is a privately-owned disused bridge spanning the River Liffey and the Lower Lucan Road in Dublin, Ireland....
, part of the suburbs of Chapelizod
Chapelizod
Chapelizod is a picturesque Irish village preserved within the city of Dublin, Ireland. It lies in the verdant wooded valley of the River Liffey, on the way to the slopes of the Strawberry Beds, below the Phoenix Park. The village is associated with Iseult of Ireland and the location of Iseault's...
, in Dublin. Murphy, the "Queen of Connemara" died of a massive heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on 11 February 1971.
She had recorded more than 400 ballads.