The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Meeting old friends on the Mike Murphy Memorial Cycle
ON September 2015 the sudden death at the age of 81 occurred of a man named Mike Murphy, who lived in the townland of Sugrena to the east of Cahirsiveen.
Widely known as Mike ‘The Iron Man’ Murphy, he was an extraordinary individual who carved out a sporting niche all of his own in the annals of Iveragh sporting achievements, when he stunned the national cycling scene by coming from nowhere to win the prestigious Rás Tailteann of 1958.
Born on January 28, 1934, he lived in the family home of Sugrena, then moved to a house nearby with his family at the age of six.
This sporting and entertaining man of many parts went on to become a footballer – he won South Kerry senior football championships with Renard in 1951 and 53 – a wrestler, boxer, runner, farmer, circus performer, ventriloquist and bricklayer and he performed these talents in Ireland, England and also Germany.
A year has passed since his death and in commemoration of this a cycling event named the Mike Murphy Memorial Cycle took place on Saturday, September 10, commencing from and finishing at the Cahirsiveen Marina. The event is the brainchild of a number of Iveragh cyclists who decided that something proper and official should be put in place to his memory. The aim of the cycle also is to raise funds for the purpose of erecting a statue at an appropriate place to his honour.
The fundraising efforts will see the memorial cycle go on for the next three or four years. The cycle, on completion of the memorial fundraising, will then continue to annually take place for the benefit of other local community projects.
Mike ‘The Iron Man’ Murphy is the king and standard bearer for all Iveragh cyclists, and so a Mike Murphy Memorial Cycle Club has also been established, and is officially registered with Cycle Ireland.
The four individuals mainly responsible for putting proceedings in motion are Mike Greaney (Knocknagoshel and Cahirsiveen), Pat Murphy (Over-The-Water), Brendan O’Sullivan (Lis, Foilmore) and Joe Thompson (Castlequin).
The recent cycle took place in an ideal day for such an event, with calm, dry and cool conditions. The ‘Iron Man’ must have been praying for such conditions as the Friday prior to the cycle and the following Sunday, were totally unsuitable with wind and rain. A lucky omen surely for the years ahead surely.
The route headed due eastwards from Cahirsiveen on leaving the Marina, continuing through Sugrena past the ‘Iron Man’s home. It continued through Dromid, Waterville, Ballinskelligs, The Glen, Portmagee and the loop of Valentia. A choice of 65km or 100km was available. The 65km section was minus the Portmagee area and the loop of Valentia.
The pleasant weather made for viewing of awesome scenery (a shower encounterd in Ballinskelligs was the only blip) with welcome stops and food aplenty in Waterville, Portmagee and the Cahirsiveen Marina. Valentia Islanders who took part were Pat O’Connor, Eoin O’Connor, Steve and Susan O’Connell and this scribe.
During the course of the journey we met with two former well known footballers of Iveragh and Kerry GAA fields. Timmy Curran of Brehig, Watervelle gave many years as a player with the Waterville Frank Caseys. He won two South Kerry senior football championship medals in 1994 and 96 with Waterville and prior to that had given 17 years trying to achieve such.
If any man deserved a South Kerry championship medal in his time it must surely be Patrick O’Sullivan of Ardcost and Skellig Rangers. He played from 1973 to 1992 without success.
However, in 1969 he won a South Kerry championship minor medal with a Portmagee-Ballinskelligs combination, successful over St Marys of Cahirsiveen. He recalls coming on as a sub that day for Eugene O’Sullivan of Ballinskelligs.
About 200 cyclists participated in the Mike Murphy Memorial Cycle and the organisers are extremely grateful to all who participated and to the Civil Defence personnel as well as the sponsors, many marshals and local volunteers who willingly gave of their time in the various areas.
An anniversary Mass celebrated by Fr.Larry Kelly took place in the O’Connell Memorial church, Cahirsiveen, on the evening of the cycle.