TRIBUTES WERE paid by members of the judiciary, lawyers and politicians to Judge Con Murphy of the Circuit Court who died yesterday in Cork following a short illness.
A native of Bandon in west Cork, Judge Murphy (51) had been admitted to the Bons Secours Hospital in Cork on Wednesday evening but died there early yesterday morning.
As a solicitor, Judge Murphy was best known for his work representing English journalist Ian Bailey in his libel action against seven newspaper titles in 2003.
As a judge, he was perhaps best known for presiding over the trial of financier Ted Cunningham whom he sentenced to 10 years in 2009 for laundering some of the proceeds of the Northern Bank raid.
His colleague Judge Patrick Moran paid tribute to him, saying he had a fine legal mind and deep understanding of all legal matters that came before him on a daily basis. “He was also very diligent and hard working – he would often sit very late to hear a case and, of course, he was always in the best of humour and always looked on the bright side. We shall miss him.”
At Cork Circuit Court yesterday Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin paid tribute to Judge Murphy, describing him as “an outstanding colleague and a great friend”.
“He was a great colleague to work with. You could ask him to do anything. He had an extraordinarily positive outlook on life and nothing was ever a problem for him. On a social level he was also great friends with Judge Patrick Moran and myself. He had so many interests – he was a great man to talk football, horseracing. It’s just too sad for him to be gone so young.”
A former member of Fianna Fáil who successfully contested three elections to Bandon Town Commission where he served as mayor, Judge Murphy was a keen political strategist. He served as election agent for former minister for agriculture and Cork South West TD Joe Walsh, who yesterday described him as “a dear friend” for more than 30 years.
“He was exceptionally popular as a town commissioner in Bandon. He frequently topped the poll and often had four quotas – as much as all the other candidates combined,” said Mr Walsh.
State Solicitor for west Cork Malachy Boohig also paid tribute to Judge Murphy, saying his appointment to the bench in 2004 was greeted with universal approval by the entire legal profession.
Judge Murphy is survived by his wife Miriam, mother Theresa, brothers Dan and Phil and sister Margaret. He lies in repose at Gabriel O’Donovan’s Funeral Home in Bandon today from 6pm until 8.30pm with funeral Mass at St Patrick’s Church in Bandon at 2pm tomorrow.