Murder of Ashling Murphy
Murphy in 2021 | |
| Date | 12 January 2022 |
|---|---|
| Time | 3:21 pm (GMT) |
| Location | Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°16′43″N 7°28′48″W / 53.27868°N 7.48010°W |
| Convicted | Jozef Puška |
| Trial | Central Criminal Court, Dublin, 16 October – 9 November 2023 |
| Sentence | Life imprisonment |
On 12 January 2022, Ashling Murphy, a 23‑year‑old Irish primary school teacher, traditional musician, and camogie player, was murdered while walking along the Grand Canal towpath near Tullamore, County Offaly. Her murder prompted widespread public grief and outrage, and tens of thousands attended vigils across Ireland and internationally. President Michael D. Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, and other government ministers attended her funeral.
Jozef Puška, a 31-year-old Slovak Romani who had moved to Ireland in 2013, was convicted of Murphy's murder in November 2023 and sentenced to life imprisonment. In June 2025, his wife, his two brothers, and their wives were convicted of withholding information or destroying evidence; they all received custodial sentences ranging from 20 to 30 months. Separately, Murphy's boyfriend brought a defamation action against the BBC over comments made in a current‑affairs broadcast; the case was settled out of court.
Murphy's legacy has been marked through scholarships, renamed camogie trophies, and a permanent memorial at the site of her death. Her family also established the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund to support traditional Irish arts and culture for young people. Her murder accelerated legislative efforts aimed at improving women's safety.