Murphy, Patrick (Patsy)

Date of Birth: 6th June 1924

Place of Birth: Ballinruane, Duncannon, Co. Wexford

Date Interviewed: 27th October 2009

Summary: Patsy Murphy was the eldest of six and remembers first milking cows when he was just eight years old. The family lived in a 300 year old farmhouse, “the biggest house in the Hook area”. The big open fire had a crane for hanging cooking pots over the flames. Patsy talks of the Campile bombings during WW2 which led to the army marching from New Ross to Duncannon. He was “a failure” at school and felt that the nuns didn’t like him – he was always in trouble. Patsy did well out of farming and was in big demand for his combine harvester. He also worked for the convent at Loftus Hall but felt it was a scary place, especially at night.