MURDERED Ashling Murphy’s grieving family have tonight visited the scene where she was killed.
Tragic teacher Ashling, 23, was slayed while out jogging on a popular canal walkway in Tullamore, Co Offaly, at 4pm on Wednesday.
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Tonight the distraught Murphy family travelled to the stretch of canal walkway where Ashling lost her life and led a candlelit vigil.
After making the emotional walk, Raymond played Ashling’s favourite song ‘When you were sweet sixteen’ at the vigil at the Grand Canal in Cappincur, Tullamore.
In a statement afterwards, the family thanked all of Ireland for their support over the last two days since their beloved girl was killed.
The family said they were “overwhelmed by the national outpouring of support shown to them”.
Ashling’s dad Raymond played the banjo in a tribute to his music loving girl, with the devastated dad breaking down as he finished.
Speaking as lanterns were released, local priest Fr Declan Thompson told of the family’s pain and branded Ashling’s murder “evil”.
Fr Thompson said: “An evil form of violence took away a life that leaves all of us stunned with all sorts of feelings.
“We’re sad that a young life was taken needlessly.
“We’re sad that once again violence seemed to win out. And because of that sadness, we feel helpless. We feel hopeless, we don’t know what to do.”
As Ashling’s anguished relatives joined arms, the priest praised locals for rallying around the heartbroken clan.
Fr Thompson told the crowd: “Will you ever come and stand with us in the light. Bring the light of your understanding and your knowledge and your love, bring it to us.
“All we can offer Ashling’s family is our presence. We stand here with them and we offer our love and concern.
“It’s so easy for us to be caught up in the anger of the moment – it was anger that led to this, violence that led to this.”
In Tullamore, shops, businesses and cafes closed early as the midlands town came to a halt.
Thousands flocked to attend a second vigil which was held in a local park.
KILLER HUNT
Gardai are continuing to hunt for the killer of the 23-year-old, who was found dead on Wednesday after going for a run on the banks of the Grand Canal in the Co Offaly town.
Thousands of people made their way to Town Park on the edge of Tullamore, pledging to send “solidarity and support” to Ms Murphy’s family.
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During the hour-long vigil, people cried, clutched candles, and quietly clapped as prayers were said and music was played.
As the light dimmed on Friday evening, traditional Irish music – played by friends and former teachers of Ms Murphy – formed the centrepiece of the service.
Attracta Brady, who was Ms Murphy’s first fiddle teacher, played alongside other sombre performers.
FABULOUS MUSICIAN
She described her protege as a “fabulous musician”.
Ms Brady also taught Ms Murphy at the Sacred Heart girls’ secondary school, where they played together in the traditional music group.
The musicians played two tunes at the vigil that Ms Murphy would have performed with the trad group.
“She was the most beautiful girl inside and out,” Ms Brady said.
“She was a parent’s dream. She was everything you’d want in a daughter. She had integrity, she was honest, she was trustworthy. She was quirky and a little bit cheeky sometimes with the loveliest smile and she’d get away with it because she had this beautiful twinkly smile.
“She was never in bad humour, she was always smiling and she absolutely loved her fiddle. Her parents only told me yesterday that she never had to be told to practice. She was bright and energetic and everybody loved her.”
MINUTE’S SILENCE
Prayers were said for the family, friends, and pupils of Ms Murphy, as well as for all women who have suffered violence.
A local priest, Father Joe Gallagher, addressed the vigil before calling for a minute’s silence.
He told the gathering, which was attended by all the main religious groups in the area: “We remember her heartbroken family, her colleagues in work, in music, in sport, in friendship and her young pupils in first class who loved their teacher.
“This is a time of grief beyond words. We need to be together. We need to support one another in this dark time.
“We stand together, united with groups all over our country, and indeed beyond, united with women who fear and know the trauma of violence. United in grief, in anger, in shock.
“In this dark evening we want to hold a light in our hands, to stand together in solidarity with one another to share our tears and deep grief. Time to pray, to reflect, to listen, to be together.”
Women at the vigil spoke of their anger and fear.
VIOLENCE ON WOMEN
Roslyn Kavanagh, who works in Tullamore, said: “I feel that this shouldn’t happen at all in society. And as a woman, I have felt, in places, insecure and vulnerable and as a woman I should not feel like that.”
She said the attack prompted her to share her experiences with her husband.
“He was shocked and annoyed that he knew I felt like that,” she said.
“I feel society needs to put an end to this and stop this.”
Roslyn was there with her friend Chloe Galvin, who said: “I, too, am a young woman in my 20s. I have walked that canal line many a times by myself, with friends and family. It is one thing you never think about being out in daylight: is someone going to attack me?
“We are taught as young women, on nights out, you stay with your friends. You never leave them, you text them to make sure they get home safe. Now we’re going to be expected to do that in daylight.
“Now we have a plan in work that we’re all going to walk each other to our cars and make sure everyone is okay, and have a group chat (asking), ‘Have you gotten home OK?’
PARANOID COMMUNITY
“It shouldn’t be like that. The reason why I’m here is that it is time for women to make a stand and go, ‘No more, we’re done’.
“We have to be treated equally to men.”
Twins Nora Viret and Johanne Viret said their sister was “quite friendly” with Ms Murphy, and said she was “really helpful and really welcoming” when they moved from France.
Things have changed in the town since the attack, both agreed.
They said they were “paranoid at all times now”.
The vigil heard a poem specially written for Ashling by local woman Sinead Cullen, who wrote: “There is a light that will shine for you, through every hour, sky black or blue.”
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Source: The Sun
