Dervla Murphy
The travel writer Dervla Murphy
Image courtesy of Waterford County ImagesDervla Murphy
Image courtesy of Waterford County Images
Image courtesy of Waterford County Images
Dervla Murphy
The travel writer Dervla Murphy
Image courtesy of Waterford County ImagesDervla Murphy was born in Lismore, Co. Waterford in 1931. She has published over 20 books over the years dealing with her experiences of travel by bike and foot.
Her interest in travel started on her tenth birthday when she received an atlas and a bicycle as presents. From that point on, she was determined to one day cycle to India.
She achieved this in 1964, when she arrived in India having cycled for 175 days through countries such as France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The journal she kept of her trip was later published as her first book. It was called Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle.
Dervla Murphy
Dervla Murphy in a typical pose, out walking with her dog.
Image courtesy of Waterford County LibraryDervla Murphy
Image courtesy of Waterford County Library
Image courtesy of Waterford County Library
Dervla Murphy
Dervla Murphy in a typical pose, out walking with her dog.
Image courtesy of Waterford County LibraryMurphy stopped travelling briefly after the birth of her daughter Rachel in 1968 but by 1973, she was back on her travels, taking Rachel with her around the world.