A JOURNAL OF IRISH STUDIES
Gerard Murphy
Gearóid Ó Murchadha
1901 - 1959
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Biographical Note
Gerard Murphy was born in Co Monaghan in 1901. He took a degree in Classics at University College Dublin (UCD) in 1921, after which he embarked on the study of Old and Middle Irish under Osborn Bergin. Having secured a post as assistant librarian in the National Library of Ireland under the direction of R. I. Best he was overtaken by illness and spent the years 1925-1930 in sanatoria in Switzerland. Recovery was limited and he remained subject to constant bouts of illness. On returning to Ireland he was appointed assistant in Irish at UCD. In 1941 in recognition of his scholarship an independent Lectureship was created for him, and in 1948 he was appointed Professor of the History of Celtic Literature. He is best known perhaps for his scholarly anthology, Early Irish Lyrics (1956), and also for his work in completing the edition, begun by MacNeill, of Duanaire Finn, and for the monumental commentary on the corpus of Fionn literature which this entailed (Vol. II, 1933; Vol. III, 1954). His treatise Early Irish Metrics (1961) was published posthumously. Murphy was revered as both teacher and friend by his students. The series 'Leabhair ó Láimhsgríbhnibh' was established by him for the publication of prose texts mainly by younger scholars (1941-55). In 1939 he founded Éigse: A Journal of Irish Studies, published by the National University of Ireland, a journal which he continued to edit until the time of his death in 1959.
Nóta Beathaisnéise
I gCluain Eois, Co Mhuineacháin, a saolaíodh Gearóid Ó Murchadha sa bhliain 1901. Tar éis dó céim a bhaint amach sna Clasaicí san Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath, chuaigh sé i mbun oibre i Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann faoi R.I. Best, agus dhírigh ar staidéar ar an Sean- agus ar an Meán-Ghaeilge faoi Osborn Bergin. Buaileadh breoite é i 1924 agus chaith sé na blianta 1925-30 san Eilbhéis ag téarnamh ón eitinn, ach níor fhill a shláinte i gceart riamh air. Ar chasadh go hÉirinn dó fuair sé post ar fhoireann an Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath. Ceapadh mar Léachtóir é sa bhliain 1941 agus bhí sé ina Ollamh le Stair na Litríochta Ceiltí ó 1948. Is beag réimse taighde i ngort na Gaeilge nár fhág sé a rian air ina chuid foilseachán, ach bhí suim faoi leith aige sa litríocht. D'oibrigh sé ar chlár lámhscríbhinní an Acadaimh Ríoga, agus chnuasaigh sé idir scéalta agus fhilíocht ó bhéalaithris i Múscraí agus i gCorca Dhuibhne. Tá clú speisialta ar a chnuasach scolártha d'fhilíocht na Sean- agus na Meán-Ghaeilge Early Irish lyrics (1956), agus ar a eagrán de Duanaire Finn (1933, 1953). Foilsíodh an tráchtas Early Irish metrics tar éis a bháis (1961). Bhí cion agus caithis ag mic léinn air mar chara is mar oide. Chuir sé tús leis an sraith 'Leabhair ó Láimhsgríbhnibh' (1941-1955) ag tabhairt caoi do scoláirí óga ar eagarthóireacht a dhéanamh ar théacsaí próis. Sa bhliain 1939 bhunaigh sé Éigse: A Journal of Irish Studies, iris Ollscoil na hÉireann, agus chaith sé fiche bliain mar eagarthóir nó gur rug an bás leis é sa bhliain 1959.
