John Augustin MURPHY

Background

MURPHY, John Augustin was born on January 17, 1927 in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland. Parents: Timothy Murphy and Nellie Murphy (née O’Shea).

Education

He graduated in 1948 with a first-class honours degree and first place in both History and Latin, then took an Master of Arts in Cork before taking up a teaching post at the diocesan seminary at Farranferris in Cork city.

Career

He is currently Emeritus Professor of history at University College Cork (UCC). In 1960 he became an assistant lecturer at UCC, and was appointed Professor of Irish History in 1971, holding that chair until his early retirement in 1990. His 1975 book Ireland in the twentieth century was one of the first surveys of contemporary Irish history.

He was regarded as being politically close to The Workers Party.

He was named "Cork person of the year, 2005".

Works

• book

  • Ireland In the Twentieth Century

Politics

As a senator, he was noted for his advocacy of political and cultural pluralism.

Membership

From 1977 to 1982, and from 1987 to 1992, Murphy represented the National University of Ireland constituency as an independent member of Seanad Éireann.

Interests

• Walking, music; foreign affairs, N.Ireland, education, church-state relations, Anglo-Irish relations.