By Sean Collins
In his new book about Kevin O’Higgins “Walled In By Hate: Kevin O’Higgins, Friends and Enemies”, author Arthur Matthews, he of ‘Father Ted’ fame who grew up in Termonfeckin, mentions former Sinn Fein Drogheda Alderman, James Murphy.
According to Arthur, Alderman Murphy prefaced his speech at the treaty debates in the Mansion House in 1922, by saying: “Not being a constitutional lawyer I do not possess the art of saying nothing in a great many words”. This was perhaps a swipe at the constitutional lawyer James Dillon T.D. who referred to Murphy as “the lamb of the Dail”
In a file on James Murphy in the British Archives he is described by MI5 as the “most active Sinn Fein man in Drogheda”.
James Edward Murphy was a native of West Street where the family kept a draper’s shop. Like his father, Thomas, James was a tailor by trade.
James had advanced political views and first came to prominence as the election organiser for Sinn Fein in Drogheda 1918. He was elected to both Louth County Council and Drogheda Corporation in 1920, and with the unanimous support of his SF colleagues became Chairman of Louth County Council.
Murphy was arrested in Dundalk on the 21st April 1921 on suspicion of involvement in a bank robbery and seditious activities. Released in August 1921 as a Sinn Fein T.D. to attend the Mansion House Peace Conference.
In 1922 he supported the Treaty and later joined Cumann na Gaedhal with William T. Cosgrave as leader and Taoiseach. James Murphy was the first Drogheda born T.D. and was subsequently re-elected to the new Dail on six occasions, quite an achievement in those turbulent political times. 1922,1923,1927,1927 [2nd G.E],1932 ,1933. He lost his seat in the 1937 general election.
A member of the Blueshirt [Army Comrades Association] movement, he paraded in Drogheda in 1933. After his political career ended he continued his drapery business at 86 West Street opposite what is today the derelict Abbey Shopping Centre, later Lochrin’s.
A founder member of the Knights of Columbanus in Drogheda, Murphy was also a Director of Donaghy’s Boot and Shoe Manufacturers. He died in 1961 and is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery.
