Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy grew up in Waterloo Road, Wexford Town. His father was a cork merchant, supplying publicans who at that time bottled their ales. Michael himself as a young lad worked in a wine and spirit merchant’s shop which was one of the oldest firms in the town. On retirement, due to illness, he decided to take up work with the St Vincent de Paul Society, and he recalls the many difficult situations which they were able to assist financially. Michael recalls the first Opera Festival which he attended (1951), but admitted that he wasn’t an opera lover and went along for the novelty. He stresses that as a young lad he and his friends distributed programmes during the Festival Week and he remains involved in that way. Michael also speaks about his 10 years spent as chairperson with the Irish Wheelchair Association.