Sadness at the loss of Ger (42)
A LOCAL family and community have been left grief-stricken by the death of Duncormick father-of-three Ger Murphy.
The 42-year-old, who was laid to rest in Rathangan on Saturday, was a well-known dairy farmer and underage mentor with St. Anne’s GAA club.
Ger’s wife Clara was one of the founders of Duncormick Harvest Festival and, as a mark of respect, this year’s festival launch was cancelled last week.
Ger is also survived by his three children, and loving parents, brother and sisters.
WEXFORD has been deeply saddened by the death of Duncormick father-of-three Ger Murphy who was laid to rest in Rathangan on Saturday afternoon amid heartbreaking scenes of sadness.
Ger (42) was a dairy farmer and an underage mentor in St. Anne’s GAA where his loss will be ‘immeasurable’, according to a club tribute posted after the news of his untimely death was announced.
His passing has left his family devastated and his community in shock. Ger leaves behind his heartbroken wife Clara, a native of Killegney, Clonroche and his three children Cathal (13), Faye (11) and Austin (5). He is also mourned by his parents Paddy and Millie; his brother Michael; sisters Mary and Patricia and by his extended family and many friends including a group of close pals from youth who will miss him dearly.
He grew up on the family farm in Commons, Duncormick which he took over from his father Paddy after he retired. Earlier this year, Ger launched a successful new business, producing raw or unprocessed milk in glass bottles which he was supplying to health food shops and other outlets, a project that he was passionate about.
He was a member of Raw Milk Ireland, an organisation dedicated to promoting the benefits of unprocessed milk. Celebrity chef Darina Allen of Ballymaloe House is a leading light in the collective and was very supportive of Ger and Clara’s enterprise.
St. Anne’s GAA announced his passing with ‘ profound sadness’ and described him as ‘one of our most valued club members, a supporter, volunteer and underage mentor’ and said the Murphy family had given ‘unwavering’ support to the club over many years.
As the Duncormick man reposed at his home on Friday night, St. Anne’s opened its club rooms for players, parents and supporters to sit together and have a chat.
Ger’s wife Clara (nee Byrne), a primary school teacher in Rathangan national school and a former special needs teacher in St. Patrick’s Special School, Enniscorthy, was one of the enthusiastic founders last year of Duncormick Harvest Festival which was due to have its second annual launch last Thursday night. The launch was cancelled as a mark of respect following Ger’s death on Wednesday evening.
Ger was educated at Rathangan school and Bridgetown Vocational College before going on to attend agricultural college. He was a member of the Board of Management of Rathangan NS where his youngest child Austin was due to start school on Thursday last.
He was highly skilled and could turn his hands to anything. During the boom, he started a business designing and making beautiful high-end garden furniture.
His funeral Mass in the Church of the Assumption & St. Laurence O’Toole, Rathangan was celebrated by parish priest Fr. Kevin Cahill. During the Mass, symbols of Ger’s life were brought to the altar including his herding stick which he used around the farm; his walking boots which he wore on frequent walks on the Burrow in Kilmore; Croke Park tickets representing his involvement in the GAA, and the racing colours of a horse owned by a family syndicate of which he was a part. Horses were always part of his life growing up on the farm.
It was a proud moment for Ger when his son Cathal was selected to play in Croke Park at half time during the Leinster Hurling Final last July.
The Burrow in Kilmore, just a few miles from their home, was a favourite location for the family where they often walked together and sometimes camped overnight, gathering driftwood to light a fire.
Ger will be remembered as a very genuine guy, quiet, unassuming and understated, a hard-working and dedicated farming man who loved nature and the outdoors. He was fastidious in his approach to tasks and paid great attention to detail. When Ger did something, he gave it 110%.
Instead of flowers, Ger’s family asked for donations to be made, if desired, to his favourite charity Bóthar.