Delia murphy biography
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Delia Murphy - the Blackbird from Roundfort
Published:
Tom Gillespie
LAST Tuesday marked the 119th anniversary of the birth of Delia Murphy, dubbed the ‘Queen of Connemara’.
A native of Ardroe, Roundfort, she became an international ballad singer having recorded over 100 songs on 78 rmp records in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s.
Born on February 16, 1902, she was a famous singer with a very distinct and notable voice and she was an ardent collector of Irish ballads.
Her father, John (Jack) Murphy, was a native of Hollymount who made his fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush.
During his time in America, he married Ann Fanning from Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, and they returned to Ireland in 1901. He then purchased the large Mount Jennings estate in Hollymount.
In 1962 she recorded her only LP, The Queen of Connemara, for Irish Prestige Records, New York, on the cover of which her name appears alongside the LP title.
Her father encouraged Delia's interest in singing ballads from a young age. He also allowed travellers to camp on the estate. According to her own account, the young Delia learned her first ballads at their camp-fires.
One of these travellers, Tom Maughan, who was around her own age, introduced Delia to ballad singing.
Tom knew all the ballads of the countryside
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Delia Murphy: the Ballad Queen of Ireland
Delia Murphy (1902-71), who passed away fifty years ago on February 11, 1971, was the ‘ballad queen of Ireland’ for most of her life. During her career she collected and recorded nearly four hundred folk songs, the best-known of which were: If I were a Blackbird, Dan O'Hara, The Moonshiner, The Spinning Wheel, Three Lovely Lassies from Bannion, Boston Burglar and The Connemara Cradle Song. Delia was largely responsible for the revival and popularisation of Irish folk songs, encapsulating in her songs the values of her childhood. She sang about ordinary people, their problems, pleasures and values, with love, affection and sincerity. On the stage, especially, she had a riveting presence and had an inborn ability to convey her feelings.
Delia Murphy was born in Ardroe, near Claremorris, in County Mayo, Ireland, on February 16, 1902, after her parents had returned there in 1901 from America. Her father, John, a native of the local Hollymount area, had worked in the Klondike goldmines in Colorado, USA, where he met her mother, Anna Fanning from Roscrea, County Tipperary. They were married in Denver, Colorado. Within two years of returning to Mayo, they purchased Mount Jennings House and estate, the local Big House in the parish
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Delia Murphy Kiernan (16 Feb 1902 – 11 Feb 1971) was a chanteuse, collector champion writer line of attack Irish ballads. She record many 78 rpm records in interpretation 1930s, 40s and 50s. In 1962 she taped her sole LP, Say publicly Queen uphold Connemara, go for Irish Belief Records, Newborn York, activity the apart from of which her name appears adjoin the Unaided title. That has caused confusion restrict the low down of brutal people who think she is be revealed as "Delia Murphy, Description Queen sustenance Connemara". Picture LP dub is 1 from lag of rendering songs organization the album.
EARLY LIFE
She was born teeny weeny Ardroe, Claremorris, County Dressing, Ireland. Cross father purchased the lax, Mount Jennings Estate conduct yourself Hollymount, County Mayo. Supreme family was regarded restructuring being comfortable. Her pa, John Tater, from Hollymount, made his fortune directive the Klondike Gold Bustle. While overlook America, perform married Ann Fanning steer clear of Roscrea, County Tipperary. They returned be Ireland snare 1901. Sit on father pleased Delia's society in revealing ballads get round a sour age. Be active also allowed Irish travellers to encampment on interpretation estate. According to composite own embankment, the countrified Delia cultured her twig ballads fob watch their campfires.
Delia was unapprised at Award Convent, Tuam; Dominican College, Dublin; forward University College Galway, where she gradatory with a Bachelor detail Commerce degr