
A001.24.00042
1956
Settlement: landscape
Knocklayd, Co. Antrim
Michael Joseph Murphy was born in Liverpool, England, in 1913, son of Michael and Mary Murphy, who were both natives of Drumintee, south Armagh. It from them that he received his first stories. Michael spent his early years in England and at the age of eight they returned to Ireland and to their native place in Armagh.
Michael spent a while as a farm worker and he got to know the traditions of the area around Slieve Gullion, Co. Armagh. His first book At Slieve Gullion's Foot (1940) attracted the attention of Séamus Ó Duilearga, Honorary Director of the Irish Folklore Commission, and he asked him to join the staff of the Commission initially, and full-time from 1949. From then, until he retired in 1983, Michael collected throughout Ulster and Co. Louth. As well as the tape recorder and pen and paper, he often had his camera with him and he took hundreds of photographs of the people he collected from, their working and social customs. These form part of the National Folklore Collection. He also published some of his work and amongst his books are: Tyrone Folk Quest (1973); Now You’re Talking: Folk Tales from the North of Ireland (1975); Rathlin: Island of Blood and Enchantment (1983); Sayings and Stories from Slieve Gullion (1990).
Read more about Michael J. Murphy in this leaflet.
1956
Settlement: landscape
Knocklayd, Co. Antrim
1965
Settlement: landscape
Annahaia, Co. Armagh
1965
Settlement: landscape
Ballintemple, Co. Armagh
1965
Settlement: landscape
Annahaia, Co. Armagh
1965
Settlement: landscape
Jonesborough, Co. Armagh
1966
Settlement: landscape
Drumintee; Drumantee, Co. Armagh
1966
Settlement: landscape
Drumintee; Drumantee, Co. Armagh
1959
Settlement: landscape
Carrickbroad, Co. Armagh
1966
Settlement: landscape
Drumintee; Drumantee, Co. Armagh
1966
Settlement: landscape
Jonesborough, Co. Louth
1956
Settlement: landscape
Drumintee; Drumantee, Co. Armagh
1956
Settlement: landscape
Tievecrom, Co. Armagh
1957
Settlement: landscape
Carrickmacstay, Co. Down
1957
Settlement: landscape
Carrickmacstay, Co. Down
Settlement: landscape
Eshanummer, Co. Fermanagh
1962
Settlement: landscape
Glenhull, Co. Tyrone
1956
Settlement: villages
Benmore or Fair Head, Co. Antrim
1956
Settlement: villages
Ballintoy, Co. Antrim
1956
Settlement: villages
Eglish, Co. Antrim
1965
Settlement: villages
Forkill; Forkhill, Co. Armagh