WATCH: Ashling Murphy's father in emotional musical tribute to daughter at memorial day in Tullamore

Ashling Murphy's father has thanked the public for their support and generosity at a memorial day in Tullamore.

Ashling Murphy was murdered on the bank of the Grand Canal at Cappincur in January 2022.

Because the 23-year-old was a traditional music enthusiast and fiddle tutor, her family set up the Ashling Murphy Memorial fund to raise money for causes she believed in.

Speaking in the Bridge Shopping Centre in Tullamore on Saturday where a Gaeltacht scholarship was launched and funds were distributed to a number of schools and organisations, Ray Murphy said: “We're doing this to keep Ashling's memory alive and her legacy alive.”

Ray Murphy and his bandmates in Best Foot Forward, bass player Gerry Kidney and singer and guitarist Michael Lynam, entertained shoppers with live performances in the Bridge Centre.

Among the songs they performed was 'Sweet Sixteen' which Gerry Kidney said was very special because it was played live at the canal's Digby Bridge where a vigil took place two nights after the murder.

A website – ashlingmurphy.com – has been set up and he asked anyone interested in the fund and Ashling's life to log onto it for information.

“The people have been giving us substantial amounts of money for Ashling's memorial fund and the generosity of people is overwhelming.”

He said the family were very grateful to all donors and supporters, including the family of Bridge Shopping Centre developer, the late Christy Maye, and its manager, John Cusack.

“This is the first of many of many memorial days we're going to have here.”

The Gaeltacht scholarship funds the attendance of second level students at Colaiste Chamuis, Co Galway.

Ray Murphy said Ashling (pictured below), a primary school teacher and graduate of Mary Immaculate College of Education, was a fluent Irish speaker who had a close affinity with two Gaeltacht areas.

“She went to Colaiste Chamuis herself when she was a child and then to the Dingle peninsula when she was in Mary Immaculate College where she got to play music with the late Seamus Begley.”

Seamus Begley, a renowned accordion player from Kerry, performed at a memorial concert for Ashling before his own death in January 2023.

“They are great people down there in the Sliabh Luachra area of Dingle,” remarked Mr Murphy.

James Hogan, principal of Durrow National School, Co Offaly, where Ashling had been working the day she died, said the young Offaly woman loved the Irish language.

“The seanfhocail she used in school every day was 'Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh síad',” he said.

The first two recipients of the Colaiste Chamuis scholarships, Gavin Connolly, Tullamore and Ciara Cronin, Balla, Co Mayo, received their certificates from Mr Hogan.

They had entered a competition at this year's National Ploughing Championships in Screggan where applicants were required to record a video of themselves speaking Irish.

“I want to congratulate them and wish them the best of luck. We're delighted they are the first ever recipients of the Ashling Murphy Gaeltacht Scholarships,” said Mr Hogan.

He said eight further scholarships will be awarded and he told the first winners: “We do hope you go back to your own schools and promote this for us and somebody else will be in with a chance of being a recipient. It's a special, special initiative and another cause for the fund. Ashling loved Irish and we're going to push it on even more.”

Gavin Connolly (17), a student at Tullamore College, said he was delighted to win the scholarship.

“I have a lot of interest in Irish and Irish culture and I know Colaiste Chamuis is an extremely good college and one of the most renowned in the country and I think the Ashling Memorial Fund is a very good cause. It unites the whole community after the horrible tragedy that happened and really brought the whole country together.”

Ciara Cronin (15), a Transition Year student at Balla Secondary School, said she had been at this year's National Ploughing and entered the competition for the scholarship because her family knew the Murphys.

She said she was excited about going to the Gaeltacht for the first time next summer: “Ashling was such a beautiful person and similar to me, I love Irish and I love speaking Irish.”

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Bridge Shopping Centre manager John Cusack said the first memorial day for Ashling took place last year with the support of Permanent TSB following the bank's decision to select the fund as one of its community recipients in 2024.

“It was a huge success last year and the amount of goodwill that was generated was great so I spoke to Ray Murphy and said I'd like to offer the centre to him for this year's event and possibly for an annual event. They were over the moon,” said Mr Cusack.

“The atmosphere and the goodwill is amazing. It generates memories and a lot more goodwill.”

Schools and organisations in Offaly, Laois, Longford, Dublin and Cork were presented with grants at the memorial day.

Ashling Murphy, a native of Blueball, Tullamore, was stabbed to death at Cappincur, Tullamore on the afternoon of January 12, 2022 when she had gone exercising along the canal bank.

Jozef Puska is serving a life sentence for her murder and two of his brothers, Lubomir Jnr and Marek Puska were convicted of withholding information from gardai during the investigation.

Viera Gaziova, wife of Lubomir Jnr Puska, and Jozefina Grundzova, wife of Marek, were convicted of obstructing the prosecution of Jozef Puska. All were convicted after denying the charges.

Lucia Istokova, wife of Jozef Puska, was convicted after she pleaded guilty to withholding information from gardai.

All of those convicted lived with their children in the same house at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh.