Michael Murphy (28 April 1934 – 10 September 2015) was an Irish

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. He won the Rás Tailteann in 1958.

Early life

Murphy was a native of Cahirsiveen. He left school at 11 and worked variously as a farm labourer, a quarryman and a turf-cutter.

Career

Murphy was nicknamed the Iron Man. In 1958 he won the Rás Tailteann, winning seven of the eight stages. He won two stages in 1959 and was third in 1960. Murphy was known for his eccentricity, and was the subject of several works: an RTÉ

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, ''A Convict of the Road''; a documentary short made for the Killorglin Archive Society called ''The Marvels of Mick Murphy''; a play based on his life by Roddy McDevitt, and a character based on him in

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's novel ''The Night Stages''. He trained by sleeping in hay barns, eating

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and drinking cow's blood, doing the last in imitation of the

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. He could also walk long distances uphill on his hands.

Personal and later life

During his life, he was a cyclist, wrestler, boxer, runner, farmer, circus performer,

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and bricklayer. He lived in England in the 1960s, competing as a wrestler. He later worked as a builder in

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before a fall from scaffolding left him injured. Murphy came home to Cahirsiveen, living a frugal life on his parents' farm, without running water or windows. Murphy never married and had no children. He was robbed in his home in 2012. He died in 2015.

References

Irish male cyclists 1934 births 2015 deaths Rás Tailteann winners Sportspeople from County Kerry {{Ireland-cycling-bio-stub