TRANSFORMATION PAUL
POPULAR Tubbercurry hotelier, Paul Murphy has been selected to be a leader on RTE’s Operation Transformation which will be airing in the New Year.
Paul (41) is the manager and owner of Murphy’s Hotel in Tubbercurry and lives in the South Sligo town with his wife Sonya (39) and two children Ava (8) and Ethan (1).
The hotel is a family run business and has been in the Murphy family for 40 years. Paul and Sonya have been together for 12 years. The family also run a EuroSpar in the town.
When Paul was younger his parents ran a pub and shop, which he would often help out in. Within the shop there was a butchers that his father worked in.
In December 1989 his father Barthley was working and cut his hand. The next day Paul remembers his father saying that he didn’t feel very well.
Within a couple of days Barthley was in n hospital and Paul was by his bedside.
He remembers his father telling him he was going to die and that he had to be the man of the house and look after everyone.
A day later Paul’s father passed away from septicaemia from the cut in his hand. Paul was 12-years-old at the time and his younger brother Barry was three and Brian was one.
Last year, Paul and his brother Barry bought the business from their mum. His brother Barry is one of the chefs in the restaurant and Paul manages the running of the business.
Since getting married and having another child Paul wanted to change his lifestyle and start looking after his health.
He is just two years older than his father was when he died so he doesn’t want to leave his wife alone with two children. At the moment Paul’s health is fine but he is well aware of the health conditions he is setting himself up for if things don’t changechange. He currencurrently weighs 20 stone.
“I have watched Operation transformation for a number of years and recognised the professional level of support that was there for the leaders to achieve their goals. I am now at a stage in my life where I’m ready to look for that support and accept it with open arms.”
On being a leader he says: “I believe that people will be able to relate to me and that I hope that they will follow me on my journey to a better health and fitness lifestyle.”
Paul says self-confidence and body image have been major factors in seeking to change and that he had been hiding all his life and not accepted his weight. He sees Operation Transformation as a new chapter in his life, dawn of a new beginning. “I just can’t wait to get started. I feel alive.”
He didn’t tell anyone initially that he had applied for Operation Transformation but revealed all when he was chosen.
“I told my wife and my mother and I believe they were shocked that I had the courage to go ahead take on this challenge,” he said.