Memorial mass and walk in Offaly to mark third anniversary of Ashling Murphy's death

Ashling Murphy was just 23 when she was murdered at Cappincur, Tullamore in January 2022

Ashling Murphy’s family and friends will gather at a memorial shrine in Tullamore on Sunday to mark her third anniversary, close to where she was murdered.

The 23-year-old was jogging along on the banks of the Grand Canal in the Co Offaly town when she was stabbed 11 times in the neck on January 12, 2022. Jozef Puska is serving a life sentence for her murder after he was found guilty in November 2023 at the Central Criminal Court.

Puzka, who had an address at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Murphy at Cappincur in Tullamore.

On Sunday, her third anniversary mass will take place at 10am in St Brigid’s Church in Mountbolus, where her funeral took place three years ago.

In the afternoon, a walk in her memory will get underway along the Grand Canal, meeting at the Digby Bridge car park in Capincurr at 3pm.

A similar event took place last year in honour of the popular teacher.

In a post shared on the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund’s Facebook page, the organisers invited members of the public to join them for the commemorative event.

The Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund was set up on January 6, 2023, and several fundraisers have taken place since then in her memory. The aim is to provide funds to groups in the traditional Irish arts, culture, and heritage sector, which were important to Ashling, who was an active member of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. The organisation has established three scholarships in her memory.

On its Facebook page in recent days, the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund said: “Since the launch of the charity, on January 6, 2023, we have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and the desire of so many to remember Ashling, regardless of whether they personally knew Ashling or not.

“We thank the many individuals and groups who have undertaken fundraisers in Ashling’s memory and in aid of the memorial fund established to continue her strong, exemplary legacy. No matter how big or small the fundraiser, we are forever grateful for the generous support of those continuing to hold Ashling and her memory close to them.”