Waterford City and County Council has acquired the Lismore home site of international travel writer Dervla Murphy who passed away in May 2022 at age 90.
The 0.6-acre site off the main street includes a 17th-century cattle market remnant and redeveloped outbuildings where Murphy wrote most of her 26 books after solo travels starting with cycling in India in 1965. The acquisition financed by the Building and Land Acquisition Measure from the Department of Rural and Community Development follows a local community campaign to preserve it as a public cultural and heritage place.
From the site, Murphy established the Immrama travel-writing festival running almost 25 years serving Lismore.
A survey, evaluation, and cultural heritage development study will explore options for the site with gratitude to the community and auctioneer Michael O’Leary.
Waterford City and County Council shared in a written statement “It is not just the physical heritage that has value and opportunity. There is the intangible heritage, as the home of an international travel writer this is where Murphy retreated to from the four continents of the globe, organised her thoughts and produced volumes of insightful material, books on international issues pre the internet age.”
Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr Seamus Ryan shared “Dervla Murphy was a true trailblazer. At a time when the world was far less open to women traveling alone, she set out, alone, on a bicycle, crossing continents with nothing but determination, curiosity, and a deep thirst for understanding. What would be considered a remarkable journey today was, in the 1960s, a remarkable feat. She held a special place in her heart for Lismore and that affection was deeply reciprocated by the people of Lismore. Now, with the council’s acquisition of the site of her beloved home, we are presented with a rare and wonderful opportunity to create a heritage space that not only honours Dervla’s remarkable legacy but also brings her writings, her global observations, and her boundless sense of adventure to life.”
