Fifty years after his death, Séamus Murphy remains one of Ireland's most celebrated sculptors, whose diverse body of work ranged from humble dog troughs to monumental presidential busts. Murphy passed away in October 1975 at age 68, leaving behind an extraordinary artistic legacy that continues to grace public spaces across Cork, Dublin, and even San Francisco. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of his death, commemorated by Cork City Library's selection of his memoir "Stone Mad" as its One City One Book choice for 2025.
Born in Mallow, County Cork, Murphy was one of four children to James and Margaret Murphy. He had a twin brother John and two younger siblings, Michael and Bartholomew. His father worked for the railway, and the family relocated to Cork city, settling on Ballyhooley Road. At St. Patrick's School on Gardiner's Hill, Murphy was taught by writer Daniel Corkery, who recognized his talent and encouraged him to study at the Crawford School of Art.
Murphy's artistic journey began with a seven-year apprenticeship as a stone-cutter in John Aloysius O'Connell's yard in Blackpool, an experience he fondly recalled in his memoir "Stone Mad." His talents earned him a Gibson Bequest scholarship, allowing him to spend a transformative year in Paris from 1932-33, where he studied under Andrew O'Connor and Marcel Grimond. In 1944, he married Maigread Higgins, daughter of sculptor Joseph Higgins, and they settled on Wellesley Terrace, Wellington Road, raising three children: Beibhinn, Orla, and Colm.
For most of his career, Murphy worked from his studio on Watercourse Road, which he affectionately called "the Skullery." From this modest workspace, he created everything from simple headstones to monumental figurative sculptures that would define Cork's artistic landscape. His most famous work, "The Onion Seller," immortalizes a local character named Mary Anne, a shawlie who sold onions around Cork city center. Murphy created the plaster version in 1937, which was later cast in bronze. Today, two versions stand in Cork's city center – one in Bishop Lucey Park, presented by Sunbeam Wolsey in 1985, and another on Cornmarket Street, gifted by McDonald's franchisee Ray Doherty in 1995.
Another masterpiece, "Virgin of the Twilight," showcases Murphy's exceptional skill with stone carving. Exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1943, this limestone sculpture stands over six feet tall and won widespread acclaim. The statue sat in Murphy's studio for twenty years until friends raised funds to purchase it for the people of Cork, with the stipulation that it would not be placed in a church. Dublin sculptor Oisín Kelly praised it as "the finest carving produced in Ireland in the 20th century," and it now graces Fitzgerald's Park alongside Murphy's other works.
Murphy's religious sculptures demonstrate his mastery of both monumental and intimate sacred art. His statue of St. Finbarr at University College Cork replaced a sculpture of Queen Victoria that had stood since her 1849 visit to Cork. Standing 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 1½ tons, the bearded monk holds a crozier and raises his hand in blessing. The Cork Examiner described it as "the first religious statue to be accepted by any of the three constituent colleges of the National University of Ireland" when it was presented in June 1934.
Despite his religious commissions, Murphy's relationship with the Catholic Church proved complicated. He famously fell out with Archbishop John Charles McQuaid after delivering a bust that displeased the powerful prelate. McQuaid not only rejected the work but also instructed the Bishop of Cork to exclude Murphy from future church commissions. Nevertheless, a local committee in Ballyvourney showed remarkable courage by commissioning Murphy to create a statue of St. Gobnait. The life-sized sculpture, depicting the saint perched on a beehive surrounded by relief figures of bees, was unveiled in 1951 and became one of Murphy's personal favorites.
Perhaps Murphy's most comprehensive religious project was the Church of the Annunciation in Blackpool, commissioned by William Dwyer, founder of textile manufacturer Sunbeam Wolsey. Murphy designed the three altars, baptismal and holy water fonts, the plaque above the children's altar, the annunciation panel, and the Sacred Heart and Madonna statues. He also created the tabernacle, lamp, candlesticks, and other brass elements, while the 80-foot bell tower was built to his specifications. Upon completion in 1945, locals nicknamed it "Dwyer's fire escape from hell," though this seemed unfair given Dwyer's generosity as both employer and Murphy supporter.
Murphy's versatility extended beyond religious art to commemorative works and even functional pieces. The Gaol Cross Memorial at UCC exemplifies his exquisite lettering skills – a limestone relief plaque with bronze frame listing the names of 18 men who died during the War of Independence. Unveiled by Éamon de Valera in 1948, the memorial honors 13 men buried in the gaol itself, including five executed on February 28, 1921, for their role in the Dripsey ambush.
International recognition came through Murphy's statues for St. Brigid's Church in San Francisco. Built by Irish immigrants in 1864, the church commissioned Murphy in 1948 to create statues of St. Brigid and the Twelve Apostles for the 13 niches on its façade. Legend suggests Murphy based the apostles' faces on leaders of the Easter Rising – with Doubting Thomas reportedly modeled after Éamon de Valera – though others claim he used his Cork friends, including Timothy "the Tailor" Buckley, as models.
Among Murphy's most charming works is a simple dog trough on Patrick Street, commissioned by Knolly Stokes of the Old Bridge Restaurant in the 1950s. Stokes' establishment attracted prominent ladies who often brought toy dogs, tying them to railings outside. When Murphy delivered the trough inscribed with "Madraí" (Irish for dogs), Stokes worried his clientele might not understand the meaning. Murphy's witty response: "I'm quite sure the dogs can." The bowl was stolen in 2019 but quickly recovered by police.
Murphy's presidential portraits represent some of his finest portrait work. He created bronze busts of Ireland's first five presidents – Douglas Hyde, Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh, Éamon de Valera, Erskine Childers, and Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh – all housed in the collection at Áras an Uachtaráin. When sculpting de Valera, the president sent his Rolls Royce to collect Murphy each morning, though evenings found the artist taking the bus home from the nearest stop.
Throughout his career, Murphy earned much of his living creating headstones, treating each memorial with the same reverence as his major sculptures. His headstones mark the graves of notable figures including poets Seán Ó Ríordáin and composer Seán Ó Riada at Ballyvourney, composer Arnold Bax in St. Finbarr's Cemetery, Blasket Island storytellers Tomás O'Crohan and Peig Sayers in Dunquin, and Timothy and Anastasia Buckley ("the Tailor and Ansty") at Gougane Barra. After Murphy's death on October 2, 1975, sculptor Ken Thompson inherited his tools, observing that Murphy's headstones displayed "characteristic simplicity" and were "finely proportioned and sympathetically worked" – testament that "many of his finest works went into our churchyards."
