President Michael D. Higgins is leading the tribute to West Waterford Travel writer Dervla Murphy who has died at the age of 90.
The author, a keen cyclist who was born in Lismore in 1931, wrote over 25 books documenting her travels around the world.
Her first book Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle was published in 1965. It documents her six month cycling trip round Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and over the Himalayas into Pakistan and India.
Early life of Dervla Murphy
Murphy grew up in Lismore and attended secondary school at the Ursuline Convent in Waterford but left at age 14 to take care of her mother who had health issues.
In the 1950s when she was in her early twenties, she went on a number of trips to the UK, as well as to Belgium, Germany and France. She then took two trips to Spain in 1954 and 1956.
She published a number of travel articles in the Hibernia journal and the Irish Independent newspaper.
Murphy never learned to drive and only ever travelled by bicycle, on foot, on pack pony or by public transport. She based her travel books on recorded conversations she had with locals in over 30 countries she visited.
Commenting on the news of her death, President Michael D. Higgins said
People throughout Ireland, in her community of Lismore and far beyond to the many places in which she travelled, and they were many, will have been saddened to hear of the death of Dervla Murphy.While known as Ireland’s most famous travel writer, such a description barely captures the fullness and deep understanding captured in her work. Her contribution to writing, and to travel writing in particular, had a unique commitment to the value of human experience in all its diversity.
Michael D.Higgins went on to extend his deepest condolence to her daughter Rachel, "with whom she shared so many of her adventures, her grandchildren, and to all her family and friends.”
Murphy had a huge affinity to her native Lismore and after her travels, she always returned there.
She was a major inspiration for the annual Immrama Festival of Travel Writing in Lismore, which returns this year from June 16th. More here.
