The Father John Murphy Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians was founded on May 18, 1992.  Our founding fathers named our Division after one of the heroes of the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland, Father John Murphy of Boulavogue.

Father John Murphy was born in Tincurry, County Wexford Ireland in 1753, the youngest son of Thomas and Johanna Murphy.  His early years were spent growing up in and around the small town-lands of Tincurry and Boulavogue (also located in Co. Wexford) where he lived with his family.  It was during his childhood when he met the man who would single-handedly have the most direct influence on his future career, Father Andrew Cassin.  Father Cassin became young John Murphy's mentor and his eventual sponsor to the priesthood when John Murphy became of age in 1771.

Since Ireland at that time was no place for aspiring priests to be trained, John Murphy along with many other candidates for the priesthood boarded ship in early 1772.  John Murphy, and other young men like him, set sail for Seville, Spain where for the next 8 years, they would study in the seminary to become priests.  In the spring of 1779, John Murphy’s hard-work and commitment to his faith were rewarded when he was finally ordained as a Catholic priest.  Following the conclusion of his studies and ordination, Father John Murphy returned home to Ireland in 1785 where he became a curate in his home town-lands of Tincurry and Boulavogue.

In 1797, the British government began placing pressure on local Catholic clergy members throughout Ireland to swear allegiance to the British crown in exchange for receiving “protection from harm.”  While some clergy members complied with this order, Father John Murphy along with several other priests and Irish military leaders refused to comply with this and other unreasonable orders demanded of them and decided to take up arms in defense of themselves and their fellow Irishmen.

The Rebellion of 1798 officially began on May 23, in County Kildare and spread across the south and west of Ireland.  On May 27, 1798 Father John Murphy, along with a large group of pike-men, engaged and defeated a party of British Regulars at the small town of Oulart.  The next day the small army, led by Father John, captured the neighboring towns of Camolin and Enniscorthy.  Following their two days of success the small rebel force encamped that evening of May 28, upon 'Vinegar Hill' just outside Enniscorthy to discuss their next course of action.

Over the following month, the rebellion would see its share of successes and failures with many pitched battles fought across the south and west of Ireland involving hundreds of men, women and children struggling against the overwhelming British forces.  The beginning of the end for Father John started on June 26th at the Battle of Kilcumney Hill in County Carlow which ended in defeat for the Irish forces.

On July 2, 1798 Father John Murphy, fellow rebel leader James Gallagher and several other members of the rebellion, were captured by British pickets outside of the town of Tullow, County Carlow.  They were brought before a military tribunal and charged with committing treason against the British crown.  This was done even though Father Murphy nor any of the men who fought with him had ever served in the British army nor had any of them ever sworn an oath of allegiance to the British monarchy.

Father John was brutally beaten by the yeomen warders, stripped of his clothes, denied a trial-by-jury and finally hung from the town gallows.  For the perceived insult of being a Catholic priest and not cooperating with the local authorities Father John's body was subjected to further desecration when the yeoman, "unsatisfied by the lack of entertainment" separated the head of Father John from the rest of his body, dropped the corpse into a nearby barrel of pitch and lit it on fire until the body was consumed.  As a final insult, Fr. John's head was impaled on a pike and displayed from the town's gate with his ashes being scattered in the town square.  This final gesture was meant to be a warning to all others who would dare to take up arms against the British crown.

Father John Murphy was only 45 years old when he died that July day in 1798 but his sacrifice and dedication to the cause of Irish freedom will never be forgotten.  He lived as a true Irishman and true martyr for the Catholic faith.  Fr. John's spirit has continued on in the hearts and minds of every Irish patriot who has lived, fought and died in the cause of Irish freedom and liberty.

It was in this spirit of faithful devotion to the cause of Irish liberty and the sacrifice made for the Catholic Faith, that the founding fathers of Division #9 named our local Division after Father John Murphy of Boulavogue.  "God Grant You Glory, Brave Father Murphy!"

*Biography taken from:  Father John Murphy of Boulavogue by Nicholas Furlong.