TEACHER Ashling Murphy’s dad played her favourite song at the spot where she was murdered two years ago, as a former colleague said: “There’s floods of tears still coming.”
Around 200 relatives and friends of Ashling gathered at the memorial created in Tullamore, Co Offaly, to remember the talented 23-year-old.
They walked behind Ashling’s dad Ray, mum Kathleen, sister Amy, brother Cathal and her partner Ryan Casey, retracing her final steps from Digby Bridge at 3.15pm.
When they got to the shrine, they stood and quietly reflected on the portraits of Ashling and flowers carefully laid out before a prayer.
Ray then took to the mandolin as Amy also played along with eight others on various instruments.
The songs included Ashling’s favourite, When You Were Sweet 16, and The Trip to Durrow. Afterwards, brave Ray said: “You are all very welcome here, including the press.
“You are very nice for keeping Ashling’s name out there and that’s what we want, including this, the music as well. Thanks so much.”
Ashling was attacked and brutally murdered while out for a run along the banks of the Grand Canal, just outside Tullamore, on January 12, 2022.
Evil Jozef Puska was convicted of her murder last year and caged for life.
Among those who showed their support for the family at the memorial gathering were the gardai who led the investigation, including Detective Sergeant David Scahill.
James Hogan, the principal of Durrow National School where Ashling was teacher of first class, explained that her colleagues still find her loss “very difficult”.
Speaking after the gathering, Mr Hogan said: “To lose anyone in a family is hard, or in a school or a community, but to lose somebody in traumatic circumstances, it’s a different ball game.
“No one can prepare you for that, whereas if somebody is ill, you can kind of slightly prepare. But the traumatic event has impacted the whole school.
“The parents and community have been fantastic, they’re grieving too but we all rallied through it.
“We have been through difficult times and there’s floods of tears still coming. But we have to flip that into a positive and just try and keep praising the youth for what they bring to our school. And Ashling was a great giver, she gave back to everyone.”
Mr Hogan said that although the trial had been difficult, the focus could now be on Ashling’s memory.
He said: “The trial is the trial and credit to everyone who was involved. But as I said, we cooperated with dignity, we respected that, we didn’t stay quiet but we just cooperated.
“But now the trial is over, we can take her name back to her hometown, her community and county and really, I suppose, talk about her again. Remind people of who she was.”
At the school, Ashling’s pupils and the other children keep her memory alive through a number of projects, the latest of which involves trad music.
Mr Hogan said: “It’s another sad, emotional day but it’s a day to remember her for who she was and what she left behind. And from a school point of view, our mission is to keep her legacy going.
“We’ll always remember her every day but the 12th of January every year will be a special day in our school and in all the communities she was connected to.
Her legacy will continue on through music, singing with the choir, sports and we have launched our fiddle school which was one of our dreams in memory of her.
“We’ve 72 children playing and learning the fiddle. She was a natural leader when she was alive and still is a leader, inspiration and motivator now that she’s not here with us.”
Anne-Marie Gaughan, who was another of Ashling’s colleagues, told how there is always support for her students who are now in third class, making their way up through the school system. And she added that Ashling made a big impression in a small space of time.
She told us: “She was only with us in the school for a short time but my god, did she make her stand and impact. It’s so important that her legacy lives on.
“She inspired so many in the school. Not just the class that she had, but she had her choir and sporting achievements and she inspired so many and continues to do so.”
A memorial mass was held for Ashling at St Brigid’s Church in Mountbolus, near Blueball, where the Murphy family lives, on Thursday night, with hundreds attending.
And Durrow National School also held one this morning where Ashling was remembered for giving back to the community, her involvement in Irish trad music and Comhaltas.
And in a message to her family, a school statement said: “Ashling, meaning ‘dream’ as Gaeilge, describes what was her mission in life.
“She certainly followed her dreams and became a magnificent teacher, talented sportsperson, exceptional musician and an amazing person.
“As times and days move on, we will all face challenging times. I have no doubt that Ashling will be there to give us all that little nudge when needed.
“Our thoughts and prayers will always be with her family, friends and partner Ryan. They should be ever so proud of Ashling, of what she achieved and the strong legacy she has left behind.
“Although she is no longer with us, we will always remember Ms Ashling Murphy for who she was, the great legacy she left behind and we will continue to keep her name alive.
“Our shining light forever, loved and never forgotten.”
Depraved Puska, who is originally from Slovakia, arrived in Ireland in 2013.
A jury found the thug — who concocted a bogus defence — guilty of murder following a trial at the Central Criminal Court.
In victim impact statements to the court, Ashling’s family blasted Puska.
Sister Amy said he “stole her life, took her voice and robbed us of our family of five”.
And grieving Ryan told the killer: “Because of you, I’ve lost everything I’ve ever wanted in life.”
