Henry Murphy

Henry Murphy came from a long list of eminent members of the legal profession. His father and grandfather were both judges, as was his father-in-law. His brother, Lord Justice Murphy, was the Northern Ireland Appeal Court Judge. Murphy’s father, as Solicitor General, successfully prosecuted the case in the famous Phoenix Park Murders trial in 1883.

Henry was educated at Charterhouse and Trinity College Dublin, and was called to the Irish Bar in 1906. Four years later he was called to the English Bar, and in 1934 was elected a Master of the Bench of the Inner Temple. He was made a King’s Counsel in 1936 and the following year Murphy was chairman of the inquiry into the infamous Croydon typhoid outbreak that claimed 43 lives.

Murphy served as an ordinary seaman in the Royal Naval Air Services in World War I. After the War he had an interest in politics and stood as a Liberal party candidate for Crewe, and Bournemouth in two General Elections.

Murphy was an Irish hockey international and won a silver medal with the Ireland team at the 1908 London Olympics. He played in both of Ireland’s matches; the 3-1 win over Wales, and the 8-1 defeat by England in the final. He played his club hockey with the Dublin side Three Rock Rivers, and was a member of their team that beat North Down 6-0 to win the Irish Senior Cup Final for the first time in 1908.