William R. Murphy
performer
b. circa 1856 Drinaun, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
d. New York City Dec. 3, 1897
"Eolas ag Teastáil" [a request for more information about this photo of Willie Murphy] Treoir Iml 13 1981 Uimhir 2 p. 35
Image provided by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Page two of four page flyer for the play "The Boys of Kilkenny," 1897. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Call number: clippings Boys of Kilkenny
Page three of four page flyer for the play "The Boys of Kilkenny," 1897. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Call number: clippings Boys of Kilkenny
William R. Murphy was a piper in stage plays and active in vaudeville. An obituary says he died about 42 years old, in 1897, and had "been in the profession since 1885." He would have been about 30 in 1885. His death certificate says he was born in Ireland and was a widower, occupation "Actor."
A photograph of "Willie Murphy," playing a set of Taylor pipes, was published in Treoir magazine in 1981. Along with it, a request by "well-known Roscommon fiddle player PADDY RYAN" for more information about Murphy, his relative. In 2020 John Tuohy contacted Ryan about the photograph, and was told that the original was sent to Ryan by a friend in Chicago, who believed it to have been taken in that city. From Ryan came the information that Murphy was his great-granduncle, and was born in Drinaun Townland, Co. Roscommon.
Towards the end of his life he was described as "the famous piper of Dublin," but this may have been puffery. Murphy was about the same age as his cousin William J. Scanlan (1856-1898), a successful singer, actor and songwriter. Scanlan was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts. Murphy was in Scanlan's touring company for the play "Myles Aroon," 1889-90.
According to the obituary Murphy formed a partnership with "Irish jig dancer" William McGonigle in 1885. Their partnership continued perhaps through 1891. They were in the touring companies of popular plays, including "The Ivy Leaf" (before 1888), "Shamus O'Brien" (1888-91), "An Irishman's Love" (1889-91), "Myles Aroon" (1889-90). "Murphy & McGonigle," piper and dancer, also performed at vaudeville and variety theaters.
Murphy played at dances and cultural events in Chicago, 1892-3. He may have been a resident of Chicago for a time. He later claimed to have played at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and there received a gold medal. I have found no contemporaneous evidence for this. Francis O'Neill, the great Irish music collector of Chicago, did not mention him in his writings.
He was in New Orleans in early 1895 and played at "entertainments," one of which was a benefit in his honor. He was described as "the well-known Irish piper from Chicago."
His St. Patrick's Day, 1895, in St. Louis, was not a good one:
- William R. Murphy started out last night to celebrate St. Patrick's day with an Irish bagpipe. About 1 o'clock this morning he reached the Twin City saloon, at 114 North Fourth street, and for a time amused the assemblage with various Irish airs. When he grew weary of playing, an encore was called for, but none came. Several men took Murphy in a rear room and beat him up badly. The man finally managed to make his way to the Dispensary, whence he was sent to his home, at Seventh and Walnut streets. His skull is supposed to be fractured. The police have the names of the men who are said to have taken part in the assault and are searching for them.
Another account of this assault says that the attacker was the saloon proprietor Thomas Moore, and he struck Murphy in the face with Murphy's bagpipe. He recovered from this attack and was next heard from in Atlanta, Georgia, playing at another entertainment December 18, 1895.
Murphy had a well-advertised role in the play "The Boys of Kilkenny," which began production in February 1897. When he was unable to continue his part was assumed in March by piper John H. Marron and after Marron by Pat Touhey.
He was scheduled to play for an Ancient Order of Hibernians excursion on the Hudson River near Albany, NY, August 1897. This is the last mention of an engagement for Murphy.
William R. Murphy died December 3, 1897 after about ten days stay at St. Vincent's Hospital, Manhattan. Pneumonia and meningitis contributed to his death. He was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Queens. "The remains were interred [Dec.] 4, under the auspices of the Actors' Fund." Involvement of the Actor's Fund implies lack of money or family support.
It is likely but not a certainty that the Taylor set in the photograph has passed down through various owners and is now in Ireland, in the care of John Tuohy.
Selected References
"Beaten with His Own Bagpipe." St. Louis MO Globe Democrat March 17, 1895
Newspapers.com
Brought to my attention by David Tuohy Nov. 2022.
"Deaths in the [Theatrical] Profession." [obituary] New York Clipper Jan. 1, 1898 p. 734 column 1
Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections
http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=NYC18980101.2.75&srpos=43&e=-------en-20--41-byDA-txt-txIN-%22irish+piper%22------#
"Excursion of Division No. 4" [famous piper of Dublin, a gold medal at the Chicago World's Fair] Albany NY Argus July 21, 1897 p. 7 column 2
Albany NY Argus 1897 00999_2.pdf
"Grand.---Myles Aroon." [touring with Scanlan] New York Dramatic Mirror March 22, 1890 p. 4 column 2
New York NY Dramatic Mirror 1888 Dec-Aug 1890 Grayscale - 0950.pdf
Program for this show at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, call number MWEZ+ n. c. 19,608 no. 24
"Cast of Characters. ...
"Barney, the Piper ............ William Murphy"
"An Irish Piper." Atlanta GA Constitution Dec. 17, 1895 p. 8 column 1
Newspapers.com
"A Man With a Jug and an Irish Bagpipe Badly Beaten." St. Louis MO Republic March 17 1895 p. 2 column 2
GenealogyBank.com
McCullough, Lawrence E. Irish Music in Chicago: an ethnomusicological study [engagements in Chicago] PhD dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1978 p. 22
"Mr. Murphy's Friends." [benefit for Murphy] New Orleans LA Daily Picayune Jan. 20, 1895 p. 7 column 7
Newspapers.com
Tuohy, John email communications July-Oct. 2020
Nick Whitmer
Sep. 2018 additions Oct. 2020, Nov. 2022