1. Mary MURPHY was born about 1790 in possibly Knocklonogad, Garryhill, Co. Carlow. She died 2 Jul 1868 in probably Knocklonogad, Co. Carlow and was buried in Drumphea Churchyard, Garryhill, Co. Carlow.

It's possible Mary's family came from the townland of Knocklonogad in Garryhill, Co. Carlow. It's not known if she and William had more children besides John below.

We have heard of another Mary Murphy who may have been from Knocklonogad and who married a Patrick Gallagher. Their children were born in either Knocklonogad and Drumphea and were baptised in Myshall parish church (unfortunately we don't have any dates). This Mary, whose father's name may have been James, had a number of siblings, some of whom emigrated to the United States. Could this Mary have been connected to our Mary above?

Note that Knocklonogad seems to be also spelled as Knocklonegad and Knocklonagad.

Mary married William J. MURPHY in Knocklonogad, Garryhill, Co. Carlow. William was born about 1789 in possibly Co. Wexford. He died 12 Jul 1849 in probably Knocklonogad, Co. Carlow and was buried in Drumphea Churchyard, Garryhill, Co. Carlow.

Family lore has it that our Murphy family originated in Co. Wexford, their presence in Co. Carlow resulting from William's flight from Wexford during the 1798 Rebellion, in which he lost two brothers. William himself was wounded but escaped capture by fleeing across the Blackstairs Mountains into Carlow. Apparently he was taken in by a local farmer and nursed back to heath. He subsequently married the farmer's sister. According to one source the farmer's family was Protestant and William's wife was older than him.

However dates provided by family sources do not tie in with this story. William was supposedly born about 1789 which would have made him too young to fight in the rebellion, and Mary, we're told, was born about 1790 which means she was not an older woman. Further checking, e.g., consulting church records, would need to be carried out in this regard.   

Murphy is the anglicised version of two Irish surnames, 'Ó Murchadha' (in modern Irish 'Ó Murchú') and 'Mac Murchadha', both derived from the popular early Irish personal name Murchadh, meaning "sea-warrior". Mac Murchadha ("son of Murchadh") is exclusive to Ulster where they were originally based in present-day Co. Tyrone but were driven out and settled in Co. Armagh where the Ulster Murphys are now most numerous. The Murphy name is also common in counties Fermanagh and Monaghan. Elsewhere in Ireland, the Ó Murchadha (descendant of Murchadh) name arose separately in at least three distinct areas, in Cork, Roscommon and Wexford. The most prominent of these were the Wexford Uí Murchadha. These took their surname from Murchadh or Murrough, grandfather of Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leinster. Their territory lay in the barony of Ballaghkeen in Co. Wexford, their main seats being Morriscastle ("Ó Murchu's Castle"), Toberlamina, Oulart and Oularteigh. In the late sixteenth century, however, their chief, Donal Mor O'Morchoe (as the name was then anglicised) was overthrown, and all of his territory, with the exception of land in Oularteigh, was confiscated. Most of his followers were scattered and settled in the surrounding counties, in Kilkenny and Carlow particularly.

Note that in some older references to Knocklonogad, its parish is given as Sliguff rather than Garryhill. Also note that that I've seen Knocklonogad spelled as Knocklonegad and Knocklonagad.