"Little girls want to be like you, want to be you,
Little boys believe the learning you will bring,
Because Miss Murphy knows everything."
The opening lines of poem entitled "Ashling" written by retired principal of Durrow National School Frank Kelly in the days after Ashling Murphy's murder. He was Ashling Murphy's first school principal. The 23-year-old had joined the school as a substitute teacher in the March before her death. Mr Kelly retired that summer and Ashling was given a full-time position in September.
"She had all the qualities you could possibly imagine or look for in a perfect teacher. Boundless energy, kind, caring, sympathetic, hardworking, sensitive and creative, and we just knew she was the perfect fit," Mr Kelly explained.
"We had a lot of music and trad groups and all that kind of stuff and there was a big emphasis on culture and traditional music so Ashling was a find for Durrow National School," he said.
"There was a great expectation as to what Ashling would bring and how she would contribute to the culture that was there and then of course there was the expectation of the life she was going to have for herself but sadly that all ended on January 12th 2022."
Mr Kelly recalls going to Ashling's desk the morning after her murder and seeing her lesson plan for the next day laid out. How quickly and tragically life can change. Ashling's classroom was a happy place he recalls and her first class students adored her.
'A wonderful musician who embraced life to the fullest'
From a young age Ashling's talents began to shine.
At just 13 she wrote a piece of music entitled 'Ashling's Reel'. She was an accomplished musician and played with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann all over Ireland. She was in its youth choir and senior orchestra. Among the instruments she played were the beloved fiddle and the tin whistle.
Her college lecturer Ailbhe Kenny remembers an "all-rounder, a wonderful musician who embraced life to the fullest". Ashling had studied a Batchelor of Education in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick. She graduated in October 2021.
"My memories are of a very open girl, a very warm girl, someone who was very giving and someone who shared her gifts," said Dr Kenny, Associate Professor in Music Education at the college.
Dr Kenny smiles as she remembers how Ashling was one of those people who enjoyed every aspect of her college life.
"She was passionate about education, she was passionate about music and she combined those things in a very beautiful way"
"Ashling embraced it to the fullest. She had a great social life here and a great musical life with the Trad Society here and she also played on the pitches of Mary I. She was one of those people who just fully embraced her college life," she said.
"Ashling never stopped. She was a hard worker. She went from being a great student during the week to then teaching music at the weekend but she enjoyed the work. She was passionate, passionate about education, she was passionate about music and she combined those things in a very beautiful way".
Mary Immaculate College has named a scholarship in her memory, such was the impact the Offaly student had during her time there.
The joint scholarship, awarded by MIC and the Irish National Teachers Organisation, is awarded to a first-year student for their exceptional achievement and talent in the field of traditional music.
"We're doing our best to honour her legacy, honour her memory and we're so proud of the fact that someone will be taken in off that scholarship. It's one of the ways in which we will continue to remember and honour her".
As Dr Kenny explained, Ashling was so giving of her time and shared her talents with so many people. She was a member of Ballyboy Comhaltas in Offaly where she taught younger members.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann now offers three scholarships in memory of Ashling. The first is to support artists working to develop participation and practise in traditional arts while the second is focused on the music education of young people. The third is for research on an area in the Irish traditional arts.
The decision to offer scholarships in Ashling's memory was the first time Comhaltas has done something like that and will ensure her legacy will live on.
"The park became a place to grieve and reflect and try and process and take it what happened in the town"
In the days after Ashling's murder, thousands of people attended vigils across Ireland and the world. Local man Ronan Berry, who was involved in the vigil in Tullamore Town Park said people, especially in Co Offaly, just wanted to be together.
"Everyone from the community came out. I think there was definitely 5,000 people here, possibly more. So many people had connections to Ashling and they wanted to show support for the family too. Many people just wanted to talk and to be together.
"If we remember who Ashling was, she was a pillar of the community, involved in education, music, sport and she came from such a well-known local family and I think people felt she was one of us.
"What happened to her really hurt people and the fact it was so close to home. For days afterwards the park became a place to grieve and reflect and try and process and take it what happened in the town".
Alan Murphy was also involved in organising the vigil.
"It was very emotional. Just to see the support here. Everyone came together. Initially there was a lot of anger but there was a lot of sadness too for her family. Everybody wanted to be there for them.
"I think the anger is still there. Things like that shouldn't happen in this community or any community for that matter," he said.
Almost two years on from the murder, there's still palpable shock around the killing and circumstances of it. In particular in Ashling's native Co Offaly, there is still a real fear among women, according to Anne Clarke, CEO of Offaly Domestic Violence Support Services.
"I think there's defining moments in communities and that certainly was one defining moment. I don't think women feel safe in the community here even still. There is still a real sense of complete sadness and shock.
"For something like that to happen in broad daylight, everything was done right, you're out in the middle of the day and you're in a very public place and then to be violently attacked - the whole community was numb.
"The trial has brought a lot of that back to the surface, that something like that could happen in broad daylight. I don't think the community has ever got over the sadness.
"A young vibrant teacher committed to her school, her work, heavily involved in music and GAA and that resonated with people and sent a huge shockwave and I think the shock is still there to be fairly honest and people are still recovering from that.
"If you talk to any young woman or any woman in the community, they will tell you they're still afraid. If they're out, they're still quite nervous. It's almost two years but I don't think that undercurrent will ever change. I think the fear will remain in women within our community and I think throughout Ireland, it's quite similar.
"Ashling's death certainly catapulted the response to violence against women and that something had to be done. She was only going for a run but it did propel a response from the whole of Government".
In the days after Ashling's killing, the Offaly Domestic Violence Support Services received a huge increase in calls.
"We had a lot of mothers ringing us about their daughters, worried their daughters were in unsafe relationships. We had a lot of phone calls to our helpline looking for support. Our numbers increased dramatically. We had an increase in applications for court orders for women who were seeking protection orders and our numbers continue to rise," Ms Clarke said.
"Since then, we have had huge advancements in supporting services like ours, recognising the need for refuge and emergency accommodation throughout the whole of Ireland.
"We ourselves are one of the 12 counties identified as a hotspot that needs that addressed and investment and changes in the law have certainly been beneficial in addressing that issue.
"I think it's sad it took such a violent death for action to be taken. We are a long time talking about violence against women and violence against girls. We're a long time trying to get the support and help from the powers that be to recognise the problem.
"We shouldn't be needing the deaths of young women to address violence against women. The numbers were there. It took the death of a young woman to address violence against women".
Back to the poem and retired principal of Durrow National School Frank Kelly sums it up.
"Though a short time here, in our hearts you're enshrined,
We don't count you in years but in smiles left behind.
Forever will echo the tunes you have played, the songs you have sung.
For us, dear Ashling, you're forever young."
While the Murphy family may have secured justice before the courts, so many questions remain unanswered.
The trial and the details that emerged have only made the tragic death of their beautiful daughter, sister and girlfriend while out for a run last year all the more painful.
