THE PASSING of Christina Murphy leaves a huge void in Irish life, not just in education, but in countless other spheres as well. Her most sterling characteristic was a strong intelligence coupled with, in the best journalistic tradition, an inquiring, probing mind.
These qualities in themselves would have made Christina Murphy a most formidable journalist, lecturer and author, but the rigorous intellectual side to her was tempered by a generosity of spirit, an optimism, a gaiety for life and an intense practicality.
Christina's progress in The Irish Times is well recorded. She radicalised the women's section of the newspaper and then, almost 25 years ago, became education correspondent. It was not just the good fortune of The Irish Times that they had her talent; it was also the good fortune of thousands of young people, parents, teachers, schools and colleges, administrators and successive Ministers for Education.
As the bulge in numbers in education in the 1970s, '80s and '90s grew and grew, so did the accompanying bureaucracy, rules and regulations, circulars and sanctions, finance and form-filling, new schools, new curricula. So often the whole complexity of the business seemed to overwhelm the central mission of education itself.
Christina Murphy, in her columns, her lectures, her radio and television appearances, cut right through the morass. She insisted on stripping away the jargon and the excess of stipulations and making it simple. As the numbers for third-level education grew inexorably, Christina didn't just keep pace with it, she was way ahead with her ideas, her passion for explanation and her determination to prod and probe, castigate and chastise all who stood in the way of a clearer pathway for young people in their forward march towards further education and careers.
Her Points Race column was required reading for everyone involved in education and far beyond that. Her practical, sound advice brought solace and comfort to many a household where in early autumn near hysteria and despair was the order of the day.
Christina Murphy could be sharp and caustic in her writings with those institutions and people whom she knew were prevaricating needlessly and putting obstacles in the way of progress. Many a Minister, I am sure, read her column with a mix of apprehension and anticipation. I know I did, but she was equally generous and warm with her open praise and support.
I knew Christina Murphy from her writings when I was a teacher in the 1970s. In the early to mid-1980s I knew her as a source of sound knowledge when I was Opposition spokesperson on education. In the years 1987 to 1991, when I was Minister for Education, Christina's writings became part of daily life.
They were always incisive, clear and to the point, and they benefitted me and the Department of Education as much as they did her many readers.
Over those years, we became friends, but we respected each other's "space" and professional differences.
Education to Christina was an endless adventure, interesting, developmental and always absorbing. The greatest tribute that can be paid to her is to ensure that we never rest on our laurels with regard to education, that we never become complacent or comfortable about it, never feel that we have accomplished all that can be done. Above all, her abiding passion for curriculum development should always be strongly pursued.
Dermot and Eric and her home in Mayo have such sadness to bear, but also so many fruitful and happy memories. I know it is a solace to them that so many people will always think warmly of Christina Murphy and her great work for education.
