The former Editor of the Drogheda Independent Paul Murphy is celebrating his 80th birthday this weekend and his friend, historian Sean Collins, has taken a look back at his career.
While Washington had Ben Bradlee, and the Irish Times had J.M. Smyllie, Drogheda had Trinity Gardens native Paul Murphy as our most prolific newspaper man. Still penning new print for the Meath Chronicle on this his much celebrated 80th Birthday, Happy birthday Mr. Editor!
Following a questionable start as a senior altar boy who fainted before an Archbishop, Paul realised the church was not for him, he got his first story published in the Drogheda News in 1961.
He diverted into ladies fashion, working at Melvilles in West Street until George O’Gorman gave him a job as junior reporter at the Drogheda Independent in 1963. Paul then progressed into writing obituaries, a proper start for a local newspaper man.
1960s Drogheda may not have been a cosmopolitan metropolis but there was lots happening to occupy an intrepid young newshound.
His memorable stories included a world exclusive about dog named Shoo-Shoo who drove a car in Slane. Other scoops included a story about Cardinal Montini who was later to become Pope Paul praying at the Shrine of Blessed Oliver Plunkett. This time Paul managed not to faint!
Another personality to cross Paul’s radar was the Irish and internationally known writer Brendan Behan who imbibed early morning beverages at the White Horse Hotel.
Alongside these local scoops, in 1965 Paul and his friend Pat Bailey found themselves at the centre of worldwide media attention after they discovered a baby boy abandoned in a telephone box in Laurence Street, a story that went around the world and still receives much media attention today. It was the subject of an ITV programme which was broadcast in 2021.
Paul’s work as a freelance reporter appeared regularly in the Irish Press, and then in 1966 he got a job as correspondent for the Irish Independent in the North East and effectively anywhere he could find a story. With the outbreak of the ‘troubles’ in Northern Ireland Paul was soon to be found reporting from the Battle of the Bogside, Long Kesh and other noted hotspots of the time.
Planning scandals became all the rage and Murphy, by now an Irish Independent reporter, covered them from the early days. No mobile phones in those days but our Paul had a telephone line in his converted office attic in Mount St. Oliver, very James Bond like!
The murder of Senator Billy Fox in Monaghan 1974, the ‘thundering disgrace affair’ were just two of the stories Paul reported on. In 1977 he popped over to India to cover the state visit of President Patrick Hillery.
He also covered the biggest event in Ireland in 1979 – the visit of Pope John Paul to Killineer our Paul certainly got around.
Returning to the Drogheda Independent in the 1980s as editor, Paul was truly back to his roots, but intrepid as ever in pursuit of a story. Many young reporters learnt their trade in the DI during Paul’s tenure in the Editor’s chair and many of them went on to become nationally known reporters. I am sure today they will join me in saying Happy Birthday Paul.
TV show to shed new light on story of baby found in a Drogheda phone box
