Orla Murphy died in January of this year after a three-month battle with cancer.
She was described as “an amazing woman and ambassador for Ringsend and Irishtown”, who campaigned tirelessly for her local community.
Before she passed away, she even left behind a wishlist of projects she would like to see completed.
A special event was held today to launch The Orla Murphy Community Memorial Wall at the Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre.
Locals are hoping the wall “will be a beautiful tribute to Orla and her impact on our neighbourhood”.
The event was also “a chance to come together, share stories, and celebrate Orla’s life, but to also commemorate our loved ones who have passed”.
Susan Farrell, who did community work with Orla, explained how much she contributed to the area.
“We had planned to build a wall last March. We were getting organised, sorted, and doing the planning and everything that needed to be done. Unfortunately, Orla was diagnosed in October with cancer and then she died on the first week in January,” she said.
“We just wanted to continue doing the wall for her because a couple of weeks before she died, when she was having treatment, she told me to make sure the wall gets done.
“Orla contacted me last May; my background would be in construction. I asked her what she wanted me to do with a wall. She said she wanted it built.
“I started laughing and calling her Mrs Trump and asked how high do you want me to build this wall for you. She wanted a wall in the community dedicated to all our loved ones outside the community centre. It’s a memorial wall.
“We got John Sisk and son on board, and they got help from apprenticeship lads to hand craft this beautiful wall. It finally went up last week and it’s ready to be launched today.
“Brass plaques will go on sale from today for anybody that wants to buy them in memory of their loved ones.
“Everyone’s so proud because it started off with just myself and Orla, then it was just me. But when I put a call out to the community, it was amazing.
“Everyone piled in, from the gardeners from Ringsend Park, the tidy towns. Everyone helped to get it completed.”
The wall dedicated to Orla Murphy has been officially unveiled
Susan said there’ll be various other projects completed in memory of Orla.
“Orla was an amazing woman and ambassador for Ringsend and Irishtown. She was a great community activist who campaigned constantly to protect, improve and promote the people, places and environment of the place she loved to call home,” she added.
“We set up this community group in her memory and will endeavour to continue the legacy Orla left behind, following her short but valiant battle with cancer earlier this year.
“Orla was big into her community. She loved the community. I volunteered in the community centre with Orla. She worked here years ago as a supervisor, and then she went on to work in the accounts department in Dunnes Stores where she was until she died.
“I don’t know how she used to do everything.
“Half of the profits we make [from the wall] will go back to the community centre for them to do whatever they need for the kids.
“Then the other 50pc will go into the Orla Murphy Projects where we’re going to look after the senior citizens.
“We have another day trip with them next week, we’re going to Dublin Castle.
“The next big project Orla left me on our list, was I have to try and raise funds for a community bus that is wheelchair accessible. That’s the next plan of action,” she added.
