‘Sleep well June’
Heartfelt tributes were paid in Cork County Hall this week following the death of former councillor June Murphy.
Ms Murphy, a former Sinn Féin and Social Democrats councillor, was laid to rest at the weekend. She passed away on 21 May surrounded be family at Marymount Hospice.
Ms Murphy represented the Fermoy Municipal District from 2014 when she was elected as a Sinn Féin representative before switching to the Social Democrats in 2018. She opted not to run in the 2019 local elections.
At Monday’s full meeting of Cork County Council, Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Martin Coughlan confirmed that a book of condolences is to be opened for Ms Murphy at County Hall.
Leading the tributes at the meeting was Social Democrats Cllr Eamonn Horgan who said anyone who knew Ms Murphy would describe her as “a warrior, a force of nature, and a legend”.
“She’ll be sorely missed,” he added.
Fianna Fáil councillor Ian Doyle recalled being elected to the council in the same year as Ms Murphy.
“We started here in County Hall together and certainly her commitment to her work and her ethic didn’t go unnoticed,” he said.
The councillor and former mayor, who was a colleague of Ms Murphy’s both in the council and at the Dairygold Co-op in Fermoy, said he knew her for many years and described her as “a very hardworking community person in the area”.
Independent East Cork Cllr and former mayor, Mary Linehan Foley, also shared her fond memories of Ms Murphy.
She said: “I worked with June in the chamber for a number of years. She was not just a legend, but she was a great friend to all who knew her, and she worked tirelessly in her community.
“Even after her council work, she also worked with domestic violence in the East Cork area. June will be sadly, sadly missed. Sleep well June,” added Cllr Linehan Foley.
Social Democrats TD for East Cork, Liam Quaide also paid tribute.
He said: “June Murphy, former councillor with the Fermoy Municipal District and longstanding campaigner and community worker, received a beautiful send off at her requiem mass in Mitchelstown today. June was much loved and respected by many colleagues within the Social Democrats.”
Ms Murphy is survived by her son Derry, her father Noel, and her siblings Orla, Patrick, Liam, Jenny, and Niall.