John Murphy

8445 on Roll in Royal Irish Regt

There were certainly two Murphys in the Irish Brigade. There is a confusion as to which was which. One was in Connaught Rangers, the other in Royal Irish Regt. I think both men were in fact John Murphy, and one man used "Daniel" to differentiate himself.

Casement gives his pre-enlistment job as a labourer. Keogh says Murphy was born in Wexford. Some of the Brigade paperwork gives Curracloe as his home.

1883. The Roll gives him aged 32, so born circa 1883 in Curracloe, Wexford (it is about 5 miles north east of Wexford).

1901 census has 2 Murphy families in the village of Curracloe, and the same families are there in 1911, but our man is in neither census. The first family has a son John, not the right age, so our man must be the younger son of the second family

1904 summer. Service number indicates that he joined at this time

1911 census in Curracloe above.

1911 census for Royal Irish Regt shows him in India. Private John Murphy, 1st Bn The Royal Irish, born Wexford circa 1884. At Agra, India.

1914 Taken prisoner, and followed the rest of the Irish Brigade through Limburg, Zossen and Danzig

1915 Oct 25. In answer to a question, gave his Ireland address as Curracloe, Wexford

1916 Jan Volunteered for service in Egypt

1918 Nov . O'Toole when he was debriefed gives a list of men whom he says left Danzig camp soon after the armistice, insisting on going to a POW camp in order to be transported home. He appears on O'Toole's list

1919 Aug 8. No further action by army, they accepted that he had no intention of being disloyal, and his discharge would not be" for misconduct"

Recruits to Irish Brigade