On Travels Through a Kingdom with Kaya Flynn, we mark 50 years since the sudden passing of Denis Murphy.
On April 7th 1974, the Sliabh Luachra community lost one of the biggest inflencial fiddle players.
Denis 'The Weaver' Murphy was born in Lisheen in 1910.
The Murphy family were known as 'The Weavers" as so many people in the area shared the same surname.
The Waiver has come from Denis' fathers people in the 1800's as they were weavers of flex in olden times, but in 1890, moved to small scale farming.
Denis' father Bill played in the local fife and drum band, and all of his children were taught how to play the fiddle in turn.
Music was always asscoaited with Denis life and it was no surprise he became so hugely admired for his style of playing.
Denis released The Star Above the Garter and other albums along side his sister Julia Clifford, Pádraig O'Keeffe and Johnny O'Leary.
The community of Sliabh Luachra still remember him to this very day and unveiled a plaque at his grave to mark his 50th anniversary of his death.
Kaya spoke to Pj Teahan, Con Moynihan, Donal Hickey, Bryan O'Leary, Pat O'Sullivan, Christy Cronin, Mick Culloty and Denis O'Connor.
They shared their memories of Denis, and the connections he had with the people of Sliabh Luachra.
Pat O'Sullivan wrote and composed a song in memory of Denis.
Christy Cronin sang The Waiver from Lisheen, which was written by Mike Cremin.
Archive of Denis from 1956 interviewed by Ciarán MacMathúna from the Handed Down Sliabh Luachra Archives.
Photos from Sliabh Luachra Archive.
