In Memory of those who have shaped our lives with love
I would like to give you a bit of background as to how this beautiful memorial wall came to be and about the wonderful person behind the idea. Orla Murphy Projects was founded in memory of and inspired by the late Orla Murphy from Ringsend. Orla was a great community activist who campaigned constantly to protect, improve and promote the people, places and environment of the place she loved to call home. She was an amazing woman and a great ambassador for her beloved Ringsend and Irishtown. With her family’s permission and blessing, we set up this community group in her memory and will endeavour to continue the legacy Orla left behind, following her short but valiant battle with cancer earlier this year.
In May 2023 my friend the late Orla Murphy rang me: “Sue, I sent you an email and photos, look at them and ring me back asap.” So I did as I was told (who wouldn’t? This was Orla). Attached to the email were pictures of a memorial wall in St Finbar’s GAA Club that was dedicated to the residents of Cabra. It was beautiful but as I was looking at it I was puzzled as to why she sent it to me. So I rang her back and I said Orla, what do you want me to do with pictures of a wall.
Orla, in the only way she would say it, “we need to build that bloody wall, I want it built in the community Centre, it will be a fitting tribute to our family members who have passed, so we need to go speak to Lorraine… “make it happen.”
I said Yes Ms Donald Trump how high do you want me to build your wall, she just laughed and said make it happen. Lorraine Barry, the manager of RICC was on board straight away, and said “anything I can do to help just ask.” Orla and I went to Cabra to visit the wall that she had originally seen, got as much information as we could and put a plan into action. We then sent the plan to Lorraine, who put it to the Board of Management of the Community Centre, who in turn after a couple of weeks, to our absolute delight, also came back with a big fat yes.
Sadly, our beloved Orla became sick in October 2023 and had to undergo treatment but unfortunately for her and those who loved her dearly, time wasn’t on her side and she passed away in January 2024.
A week or so before Orla passed she reminded me about the wall, and that day I made a promise to her that her wall would be built, and hers would be the first name on it.
Early this year I contacted the building contractor John Sisk & Son, and had a chat with Sean Kenny, and told him our plan. But I also told him I had no money to do this build! This didn’t deter him, and he arranged a site visit with his colleague Michael Murphy. We sat down and between us all came up with the wall that you see today. The project was finally moving from Orla’s ambitions and dreams to reality, and I couldn’t have been any happier.
So I now had a massive job on my hands to get the area cleared of overgrowth, painted, make a seating area, arrange plants and flowers and get ready for John Sisk to come in with the completed wall. I had six weeks and still no money to do it. So I started to clear the site on my own and believe me it was hard work! But this is where the wonderful community of Ringsend that Orla loved so much come into its own. My first volunteer asked could he help and bit by bit the team grew, the help I received was unbelievable, the staff in the community Centre, Mary O’Neil from Ringsend tidy towns, Dave Donnelly the gardener from Ringsend park, local businesses, they all came together with true community spirit to help get this project off the ground and I will always be truly grateful to each and everyone of them.
So we had it all done in time for John Sisk to bring in the most beautiful piece of wood work I have ever seen, hand crafted by the apprentices in John G Sisk joinery and training centre. The design and crafting of this beautiful structure was much more than I could have imagined, to me it is a work of art.
So the Orla Murphy Projects had the unveiling of the wall on the 10th October on a beautiful sunny day where Orla I truly believe was looking down on us all. The Community turned out in their droves to commemorate one of our own and they made her proud. I was so emotional that day that I couldn’t string my words together as I looked at all the people who had come to support us. I was bursting with pride just like Orla would have been if she had of being standing beside me.
To everyone that supported this amazing project, thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
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The brass Plaques are available to purchase (€150) from the Orla Murphy Projects, and I’m based in the Ringsend & Irishtown Community Centre. Instalment payment can be arranged. All profits made from the wall will be split equally between the RICC and the Orla Murphy Projects, which will in turn go fully back into supporting the community that Orla was so proud to be a member of.
If you would like to hear about future events hosted by The Orla Murphy Projects please contact myself Susan Farrell by email on orlamurphyprojects@gmail.com or by phone at 01/6604789
