Timothy J. Murphy


Timothy Joseph Murphy was an Irish Labour Party politician and former Minister For Local Government. He has been described as one of a number of early Labour parliamentarians whom promoted Christian Socialism.

Early life

He was born in Clondrohid, County Cork, and moved to Dunmanway, County Cork around 1920, having been earlier educated at the Clondrohid and Macroom National Schools. In his teens he was influenced by the activities of the Irish Land and Labour Association as well as the politics of William O'Brien. During these years he became involved in trade union and with the Labour Party. He has been credited with recruiting fellow Clondrohid native, Timothy Quill into the Labour Party.

Political career

TD and councillor (1923–1949)

He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1923 general election as a TD for Cork West. He was re-elected for this constituency as a Labour Party TD at the next nine general elections, until his death, but remained on the opposition benches of the Dáil until 1948 when the Labour Party joined the First Inter-Party Government. The Taoiseach John A. Costello then appointed him as Minister for Local Government in February of that year. He had also sat on the Cork County Council from 1925, as acting Chairperson in 1947, but resigned on being appointed to the Cabinet. Murphy advocated for Christian Socialism and the co-operative movement and listed Labour movements in the UK, New Zealand and Australia as good examples.

Michael O'Riordan controversy (1944)

Murphy has been described as having been involved in the controversy surrounding the Liam Mellow branch of the Labour Party and Michael O'Riordan.
A report in The Irish Press suggested that the Administrative Council had become aware that certain persons in Cork were engaging in activities which appear to be inconsistent with their membership of the Labour Party and they appointed a subcommittee to investigate the membership and administration of the Liam Mellows Branch. This was headed up by Murphy as Vice-Chair. They heard the complaint against O'Riordan and Nagle being present at the Communist Party conference. Following an investigation, the two Cork members were expelled on 5 February 1944 and the 4 Dublin members in April. Murphy, as a theologian and Christian Socialist held strong anti-Soviet views.

Cabinet: Minister for Local Government (1948–1949)

Local Authority Manager Philip Monahan told Cork Corporation in 1948 that an experiment to build houses by direct labour had been suggested by Murphy. To proceed with the direct labour experiment, the City Manager was in the process of appointing an assistant architect, a draughtsman, an assistant engineer and a foreman. Concurrently, Monahan had decided to build other houses by contract so that the Corporation could then decide if one method was superior to the other. A deputation of the Cork Regional Branch of the Federation of Builders, Contractors and Allied Employers of Ireland appeared before the meeting to protest this direct labour policy, but the Corporation agreed to proceed with the project as outlined by the City Manager.

Death

Murphy died suddenly in 1949 while speaking at an Inter-Party public meeting at Pearse Square, Fermoy, fourteen months into his tenure as a Cabinet Minister. Following a state funeral, he was buried in Dunmanway Cemetery. The by-election for his seat in the Dáil was held on 15 June 1949, and won for the Labour Party by William J. Murphy.
His brief time as minister had seen him initiate a comprehensive house-building programme, designed to tackle the country's considerable housing shortage. By 1951, some 12,000 new houses had been constructed.

Legacy

An area of Murphy's home town of Dunmanway today bears the name "T.J. Murphy Place".