Ashling Murphy's family welcome 'wonderful' memorial scholarship

THE father of Ashling Murphy has said he is delighted that a scholarship is being offered to school leavers who wish to follow in his late daughter's footsteps and study teaching.

The Ashling Murphy Memorial Entrance Scholarship will be launched on Friday in Tullamore by Professor Eugene Wall, president of MIC (Mary Immaculate College), Limerick where the 23-year-old studied to be a primary teacher.

The launch will take place at a two-day conference being hosted by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) in the Tullamore Court Hotel.

Ray Murphy said he will attend the launch along with his wife Kathleen and they are honoured to do so.

“It's a wonderful thing that a child will get this and to get it they will have to show outstanding merit in music and that's what Ashling loved,” said Mr Murphy.

“She loved music and this scholarship is not just about traditional, it's classical music as well and that's good because Ashling loved classical too.”

Professor Wall said that in launching the scholarship, MIC will continue to cherish Ashling’s memory and her many accomplishments, her love of music and her skills as an educator.

“Ashling exemplified the qualities of what it means to be an excellent primary teacher. She was warm, caring, effervescent, diligent and so lavishly talented. We’re uniquely fortunate in this country to attract student teachers of Ashling’s calibre and we are pleased that this scholarship in her memory will benefit those who share Ashling’s passions.”

The young Blueball woman was working as a teacher at Durrow National School when she was killed on the bank of the Grand Canal near Tullamore on January 12 last.

She was an accomplished musician and fiddle tutor and performed with Ballyboy Comhaltas.

The college scholarship is worth €4,000 and will be jointly awarded by MIC and the INTO to those applying for the Bachelor of Education International, the Bachelor of Education Primary Teaching or the B Ed in Education & Psychology.

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must have at least one of the above as their first choice on the CAO application.

The recipients of the scholarship will act as ambassadors for MIC and the INTO in terms of their music participation. Applications will open on November 30 next.

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“It's great that this will help a child get where they want to go,” said Mr Murphy.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Murphy said he will also be attending tomorrow evening's (Wednesday, November 16) event, The Show, hosted by Guy Clothing and Kode, which is a charity fundraiser for the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund and local mental health organisation Accessible Counselling Tullamore.

Mr Murphy praised the organisers, husband and wife Anthony and Kara Kearns: “They're great people. We're going to play a few tunes ourselves there tomorrow.”

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The Show takes place at the Bridge House Hotel and among the other star performers is country singer Mike Denver.