Michael Murphy: Tullamore Harriers' national champion with firm Donegal ties

Although adorned in the vest of Tullamore Harriers AC, Michael Murphy, the newly-crowned national novice cross country champion is very much a product of Donegal.

His story - that of the son of a proud Donegal Town man - is made all the more telling when learning of a heart condition that almost derailed his promoting athletics career completely.

In early 2022, he had to undergo surgery on his heart for a second time.

In May 2020, he suffered what he now calls ‘episodes’ with his heart while training with coach Rob Denmead.

“He got an awful fright,” his father, Mick, a native of Donegal Town now living in Kilbeggan, tells Donegal Live.

“His heart rate was huge. We were just training down on a nice greenway near Kilbeggan and Michael’s resting heart rate was through the roof.”

The Murphys sought the opinion of a cardiologist and he later was diagnosed with Supraventricular Tachycardia, known as SVT, by Professor Kevin Walsh, to whom he had been sent by his own GP, Dr Ray Campbell.

“We had loads of tests and just couldn’t come to a conclusion,” Mick Murphy recalls.

Michael underwent an ablation procedure, but just weeks later was struck by another episode, while training with Keelan Kilrehill and Ieuan Lagan.

When an Apple Watch, which has a built-in ECG function, recorded three episodes in quick succession in the early days of 2022 Professor Walsh performed another ablation. This time, the procedure worked.

Mick says: “He got the all clear and we event went to Font Romeu to train at altitude (6,000 feet) and he has been doing excellent ever since.”

Michael won the Leinster Novice title in Ballyhale, Kilkenny and was the sixth U23 in the nationals before adding the national novice title to he sideboard.

After the race, which was held at Navan Racecourse, Murohy was elevated into the gold medal position after it was ruled that the race winner on the day, Kevin McGrath from Bohermeen AC, was ineligible to compete for the national novice crown due to a previous success at national level.

Joy, then, for Murphy and his club, Tullamore Harriers - but also for a pocket of Donegal Town.

Mick lived in Donegal Town until he moved to college at the age of 17. He spent time working in Wexford before the bright lights of the Big Apple came calling. He was ten years in New York, working with the Carpenters 608 Union and playing for Leitrim NY under the charge of Danny Doohan.

“Danny got me fixed up with accommodation and work,” he says. “I wanted to play for Donegal, but Danny was my first contact there.

“I did spent a year playing for Donegal NY. Connie Molloy was the manager that time.”

His wife, Teresa, a native of Kilbeggan, was working for Complete Construction but following the death of her mother the Murphys came back to Ireland.

In New York, Mick ran for New York Road Runners, working with the legendary Bob Glover at Central Park. On their return home, Mick linked up with Tullamore Harriers, just seven miles from their Kilbeggan base.

Michael Murphy has become good friends with Finn Valley AC runner Sean McGinley, a fellow student at DCU. Laura, a daughter, is studying Irish Dance and Music at University of Limerick while another daughter, Emma, is in fifth year at Kilbeggan Secondary School.

Home is never far from Mick’s thoughts.

As a youngster, he ran for Donegal Harriers, a precursor to Tir Chonaill AC, and lined out for Four Masters, guided at the time by Tom Connaghan.

“I came from a rough enough area of Donegal Town at the time,” he says. “I could have missed days here and there at school, but Eamon saw a bit of talent and he was able to keep me at it.

“Eamon introduced me to the senior team when I was only in second year. I was very dedicated to training and keeping fit. Every lunchtime, I was out running around the track. Eamon had me under his wing at the time, we forged a good bond and we trained out in Murvagh. Sport was the number one for me and we had a good schools cross country team.

His mother, Nora, passed away earlier this year. Francie, his father, and sisters Caroline and Francis, are still based back at home.

It’ll always be where the heart is.