Ed Murphy Grand Marshal of Somerville St. Patrick's Day Parade

Ed Murphy, a longtime resident of Belle Mead who came to this country from County Cork, Ireland onboard the SS United States in 1954 is the Grand Marshal of the 40th annual Somerville St. Patrick's Day Parade. The parade, one of the largest in New Jersey, was held on Sunday, March 12, 2023 on Main Street Somerville. Relatives of Murphy came from around the world to join in the celebration including his daughter, Tara Murphy Lohan, who flew in from Dublin, Ireland to march with her father.

The 89-year-old Murphy was born in County Westmeath, Ireland in 1934, the oldest of 6 including four boys and two girls. Raised mainly in County Offaly as a farmer’s son, he finished school at an early age. Education was put on hold to assist with the responsibilities with the farm, especially during the harvest since most of the activities were done by hand.

Growing up he was into bicycle racing, cross country running and hurled for the County Offaly minor hurling team. In 1951, he got a job with the construction trade and served his apprenticeship as a plasterer. During the TB epidemic during the 1950s in Ireland, his mother died of TB, and one of his sisters spent 4 years in a hospital recovering.

When Murphy arrived in America in 1954, he found a job in construction in the Princeton area. Life was about working and enjoying the weekends at the Dance Halls in New York City, until he was drafted to serve in the United States Army. Murphy served with the 31st Infantry, 7th Division in Korea along the 38th Parallel for 16 months. When he returned from overseas, he picked up right where he had left off, working in construction as a mason and boilermaker, which lasted 40 years until he retired.

In 1959 Murphy married Jennie (nee Lynch) and settled down in the Griggstown area of Belle Mead, where they raised their family, and currently reside. They have 3 children, Kevin, Noreen, and Tara Ann, who now lives in Dublin, Ireland. Ed is the proud grandfather of 3 granddaughters.

Murphy has been retired for over 20 years now but keeps busy. He is a long time member of the Somerset County Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Saint Patrick Division 1 located in Somerville. He organized the Annual AOH Dinner Dance for many years. Has assisted the AOH with their annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive and Easter Food Drive, and delivers these meals to local organizations and charities. As a member of the AOH, Murphy is one of a select few members who have received both the Hibernian of the Year award, and the Outstanding Service Award.

After retirement, Murphy spent his time volunteering, which he finds very rewarding. He spends time volunteering with Hospice, visiting those that are ill and homebound throughout the Central Jersey area. He also provided assistance as a Hot Line volunteer for suicide depression in Mercer County. He also visited those who were shut-in, and unable to attend Mass. For several years, Murphy organized a golf outing in Lawrenceville to raise funds for children in Burma, which provided stent operations and funded epileptic operations, along with medicine and medical equipment.

Murphy has a love of genealogy and visiting graveyards. Along with other Hibernians led by the late Barney Sloan, their efforts resulted in a memorial dedicated to those Irish laborers who dug the Delaware and Raritan Canal at Bulls Island in 2003. He is the custodian of the unmarked graves of the Irish Canal Workers in the Griggstown Cemetery who died while working on the canal in the 1830s.

With his wife at his side, Murphy has traveled all over the world visiting and exploring over 50 countries. He celebrated his 65th birthday with a camel ride in the Sahara Desert. He has frequented mainland Europe, West Africa, South East Asia, and Australia.

Ed likes a round of golf or a good card game and even a cigar once in a while. Murphy says he, his wife and family have so much to be thankful to God for, as they have been blessed with good health, and great friends."