Professor Gary Murphy wins April Cork Person of the Month accolade

An academic, political commentator and author has been announced as the April Cork Person of the Month.

Gary Murphy, a professor of politics at Dublin City University’s (DCU) School of Law and Government, has been honoured for his work as a contributor to RTÉ’s election coverage and his writings, which include ‘Haughey’, an acclaimed biography of former Taoiseach Charles J Haughey.

Professor of Journalism at DCU John Horgan described ‘Haughey’ as “a superbly balanced exploration of the life and politics of one of the most fascinating figures in twentieth-century Ireland”, with RTÉ’s David McCullagh adding that it is “an indispensable read for anyone with an interest in modern Irish history”.

Throughout his career, Mr Murphy, a Cork city native, has acted as a distinguished visiting professor at various universities across the US and currently serves as an elected member of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA).

He is also a weekly columnist in the Sunday Times and is the author of eight books including ‘Regulating Lobbying: a Global Comparison’, which is considered the definitive work in this sector.

Expert

He is widely regarded as an expert on the topic and was an advisor to the Irish Government on the introduction of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015.

Cork Person of the Month organiser, Manus O’Callaghan, said Professor Murphy is “one of our great Dublin-based Cork men”, and the Cork Person of the Month awards marks “the excellence of his work studying the politics of modern Ireland”.

“We also honour his authorship of ‘Haughey’, which was widely regarded as one of the books of the year by national newspapers and historians.

“It is certainly time that we honour Gary in his home place.”

Speaking at the awards presentation, Mr Murphy said that he has never received an accolade which “means as much” to him as being recognised as the Cork Person of the Month.

“I grew up in Evergreen Buildings, just off Barrack Street, and a stone’s throw from the Beamish & Crawford brewery,” said Mr Murphy.

Hurling

“I went to Sullivan’s Quay primary school — it’s where I learned my love of reading and writing, and perhaps most importantly of all, hurling. My childhood was the Cork of the Lee Baths, Fitzgerald Park, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Flower Lodge, the city library, and holidays in Crosshaven and Garryvoe.

“To this day I retain that love of Cork sport, outdoor swimming, and the joy of libraries,” he added.

“My adulthood was shaped by the quintessential Cork values of hard work and humility that my parents, from Fair Hill and Blackpool, instilled in me and my brothers and sisters, and which has stood us all in good stead.

“Those values saw me through UCC and into the world of academia where I have been lucky enough to interact with so many gifted students and colleagues over the years.

“Although I have been out of Cork some 32 years, I wear it with me every day — I have had many academic awards over the years, but never one which means as much to me as this.”

Mr Murphy’s name will now go forward for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year at the annual gala awards lunch on January 23 at The Metropole Hotel.