Vigils for Ashling Murphy ring out calls for an end to violence against women

Vigils took place across Ireland and beyond on Saturday 15 January in memory of 23-year-old Ashling Murphy, following the murder of the Co Offaly teacher.

Irish police are continuing to hunt for Murphy’s killer. Murphy was found dead after going for a run on the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore.

The Garda said it had made “significant progress” in its investigation. But they were not releasing details for operational reasons.

Solidarity

People gathered at locations across Ireland on Saturday afternoon to remember Murphy. And hundreds attended a vigil in Cork on Saturday morning.

Vigils have spread beyond Ireland in recent days, with events organised in Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as in Brisbane, Australia.

Organising a vigil in Liverpool for Ashling Murphy, for anyone that would like to attend💛 pic.twitter.com/ol2Rpzu2eE

— tan/ya🇵🇸🇮🇪 (@siickgirll) January 15, 2022

And a tribute message for Murphy was also spotted in a London Underground station:

Rest in Peace Ashling Murphy.
Thoughts and prayers to you, your family and your friends.#AshlingMurphy #RestInPeaceAshlingMurphy #SheWasGoingForaRun #allontheboard pic.twitter.com/BAK1dWxgbj

— All On The Board (@allontheboard) January 13, 2022

Moreover, Park Run runners in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland held moments of silence on Saturday morning for Murphy:

As a mark of respect for Ashling Murphy, we will be observing a moment’s silence before our parkrun tomorrow. We hope to see you in the forest @ 9.30am.#shewasgoingforarun pic.twitter.com/K6DQbHymu4

— Garvagh Forest parkrun (@GarvaghFparkrun) January 14, 2022

At a vigil in north London on Saturday, people held candles and stood in silent tribute outside the London Irish Centre.

Traditional music was played in honour of Murphy, a talented fiddle player, while some of the crowd quietly sang or hummed along.

https://twitter.com/eoghanolf/status/1482310509466722306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Anna Johnston, cultural officer at the London Irish Centre, said people had come together in solidarity with those who knew and loved Murphy “and all the women of Ireland and further afield who are angry, distressed and heartbroken”.

Addressing the crowd, she added:

Today, along with Ashling, we remember all the women who have had their lives stolen through gender-based violence. We shouldn’t be here, and Ashling should be.

Significantly, the vigil in London took place alongside widespread protests and unrest over draconian laws:

There will be two things firing up protesters today. The first is news of Ashling Murphy’s killing in Ireland. The second is that 2/3 of voters think the PM should resign – which could mean a changing of the guard, inc ministers like Priti Patel who are spearheading these bills.

— Rivkah Brown (@rivkahbrown) January 15, 2022

Violence against women

Ashling’s murder has also renewed calls for an end to violence against women:

Ashling Murphy a 22 year old teacher brutally murdered by a stranger
as she ran along a route called
Fionas Way in Tullamore
named after heavily pregnant
Fiona Pender a 25 year old who disappeared in local area 1996.
When will women be safe?????#ashlingmurphy

— Imelda May (@ImeldaOfficial) January 13, 2022

Broken hearted for her loved ones and all of us devastated by her murder. I am so sick of going to vigils. Men need to stop killing us. This isn’t something I can fix. It isn’t something women can fix. It is not on us. #AshlingMurphy pic.twitter.com/IrCY6jH9uv

— Jamie Klingler (@jamieklingler) January 15, 2022

A clip from my @bbc5live interview this morning ahead of today’s London vigil for #AshlingMurphy 🌹

I’m not mourning her because she’s a teacher who played the fiddle (?!) – but because she’s yet another woman who was brutally killed by a man, like too many of our sisters 💔 pic.twitter.com/CVzHx4Swry

— Janey Starling (@janeyjstarling) January 15, 2022

Activist and former TD Ruth Coppinger called on Saturday for a “major conference” on gender-based violence. She said:

This is a watershed moment that must be tapped and lead to meaningful change

Moving tributes

Thousands of people gathered in the late afternoon in Tullamore, Dublin, and Belfast on Friday 14 January, as Ireland continues to reel from Murphy’s murder.

Murphy’s family attended a candlelit vigil near the murder scene on Friday evening.

At the event, her father Ray Murphy paid a poignant tribute to the talented young musician by performing her favourite song on the banjo. He broke down in tears while playing the final chords of When You Were Sweet Sixteen.

Murphy’s family walked on the opposite side of the canal to where she was assaulted and murdered on 12 January.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that the murder has “united the nation in solidarity and revulsion”.

On Saturday, Irish police investigating Murphy’s murder released Radu Floricel. He told local paper the Offaly Express of his “horrific experience”. Floricel, who was declared no longer a suspect by gardai on Thursday 13 January, said: