Exposure to asbestos contributed to man’s death

A Jesuit brother exposed to asbestos while working as a carpenter died of lung disease, an inquest heard.

Brother Martin Murphy, 80, of Cherryfield Lodge in Ranelagh, worked for Crampton’s construction firm in his early 20s before joining the Jesuit Order.

Br Murphy joined the Jesuits in 1950 and travelled the world carrying out missionary work, particularly in Zambia in Africa. An inquest into his death heard how he was exposed to asbestos in his early 20s but did not develop any associated lung problems until his 60s. “It can be latent for long periods of time,” Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said.