Dervla Murphy was a trailblazing travel writer who passed away a year ago. She published 24 acclaimed travel books over her 90-year lifespan, including Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle, which shot her to fame in 1965. Her books covered an impressive range of countries, such as the Balkans, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Laos, Madagascar, Peru, Romania, South Africa, Russia, and the Middle East. She wrote a book every two years on average and always returned to her beloved Lismore to pen her travelogues. Murphy was a top-notch writer who earned prestigious awards in Britain for her writing, such as the Yorkshire Post’s Best First Book Award.
Murphy stood at the heart of the Irish literary canon due to the sheer excellence of her writing and her intrepid travel. In addition to her books, she also made a mark in the journalistic world, penning articles for The Irish Times. She first began writing for the newspaper in 1958, where she famously lambasted James Joyce’s Ulysses as not being intelligible for the masses. Despite her lack of formal education, Murphy proved to be a freethinking maverick whose sharp intellect held her in good stead.
Murphy debuted her travel writing in The Irish Times in 1968, the year after she returned from Ethiopia. She wrote vividly of the unsavory characters who tried to “help” her by leading her to a brothel in Ethiopia. She had a remarkable reviewing career, with a particular focus on books about travel, adventure, exploration, geography, anthropology, and comparative cultures, covering Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Her reviews were insightful and fair, with well-crafted analysis.
The 1970s saw Murphy return to international travel, this time with her young daughter, Rachel, in tow. Murphy traveled widely to places like Bombay, Madagascar, and Southern Madagascar, providing readers with a glimpse into exotic and exciting worlds. Despite her adventurous spirit, Murphy was never far away from danger, with close shaves occurring frequently on her trips.
As the years progressed, Murphy’s writing became more politically analytical, and she grew highly critical of social justice issues. She had a unique talent for astutely observing ordinary people’s everyday lives in difficult destinations and situations, never shying away from them. For example, she visited Rwanda a few years after the genocide, where she saw firsthand the devastation wrought upon the lives of people. She spent her latter years studying the Israel-Palestine conflict, spending many months there between 2008 and 2010. She ultimately advocated for the one-state solution and was against political Zionism.
Murphy was an empathetic and kind individual, qualities that are evident in her writing. Her slow travel style allowed her to carefully record people’s stories and capture their unique perspectives. Murphy was a witty and sharp writer who charmed Irish Times readers with her astute observations and incisive wit over seven decades. She laughed in the face of social convention but had an enduring curiosity and a love of travel that defined her life. Murphy was not only a pioneering female travel writer but also an inspiration to all those who dare to venture off the beaten path.
