'We don't come here often' - Ashling Murphy's dad speaks from murder scene two years on

Hundreds of people gathered for a walk along the Grand Canal in Cappincur this afternoon exactly two years after the murder of Offaly schoolteacher Ashling Murphy.

Speaking to the Tullamore Tribune at the shrine to Ashling on the canal bank, her father Ray thanked the public for keeping the memory of his daughter alive.

“Every day is sad," he said.

"We don't come down here that often now because there's nothing only pain and misery and hardship."

Pausing to look at his watch he added: “Now, she died about a minute after half three according to her Fitbit. It's sad and I do go every day to the graveyard and that's not a big ask.”

Ray, who was accompanied by his wife Kathleen, daughter Amy and son Cathal, along with Ashling's boyfriend Ryan Casey, joined in a decade of the rosary after leading wellwishers from Digby Bridge to the memorial shrine.

A number of musicians, including James Hogan, principal of Durrow National School where Ashling taught, and Paddy Buckley, from Ballyboy Comhaltas, performed some traditional tunes accompanied by Ray.

The emotion was palpable as many of those present joined in a rendition of the song 'When You Were Sweet Sixteen'.

Paddy Buckley spoke of his lifelong friendship with the Murphy family and their shared love of traditional music.

“Ashling spent her time with us in Ballyboy from the time she was five or six years of age,” he said.

“It's easy to say it, but if there was anybody close to being the perfect person she was one. She had all the attributes of life.

“It's frightful the way it all panned out. It goes to show we never know what's around the corner for any of us. But you can see by the response from everybody how well she was liked. She was an unassuming girl, she was quiet, she didn't bother anybody.”

Before and after the prayers and music many people paused in silent reflection at the shrine and sympathisers left bouquets of flowers.

An open invitation to the Ashling Murphy Second Anniversary Commemorative Walk had been posted on the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund Facebook page and people from all over Tullamore, Durrow, Killoughey and other areas gathered at the Digby Bridge car park well in advance of the 3.15pm start.

On Friday morning Ashling was remembered at a special celebration Mass in St Colmcille's Church, Durrow.

A message from the school said: “We remember our beloved Ms Murphy, who was a very special person to us all. We pray and thank her for the great gifts of joy, music, song, sports, teaching and friendship that she left behind in our school. Ms Murphy was a beautiful, kind, loving and excellent teacher who will never ever be forgotten in Durrow NS.”

Ashling's second anniversary Mass took place in her family's parish church in Mountbolus on Thursday evening.

Celebrant Fr Michael Meade said: “This is a tragedy which will never end for Ashling’s family... It will be a moment which will go on forever.”

Fr Meade said what keeps people going through harsh journeys like this is the support of family, friends and the community. He spoke of the great challenges of grief and pain which people face at times in their lives.

“God is the one who gives us hope and strength when we are feeling at our lowest ebb,” he said, urging those present to “never lose faith”.

“We give thanks for the courage we have all received from Ashling,” he added, “even though she is no longer with us... This evening we pray for Ashling whose life was ended in tragedy, and we know that she is now enjoying and living the bliss of eternal life.”

Ashling Murphy, Blueball, Tullamore, was 23 when she was killed on the canal bank on January 12, 2022.

Jozef Puska, a 33-year-old native of Slovakia who was living with his family in Mucklagh, was convicted of her murder in November and sentenced to life in prison.