Dervla Murphy | |
|---|---|
 Murphy in India in 1965 | |
| Born | 28 November 1931 Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland |
| Died | 22 May 2022 (aged 90) Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland |
| Occupation | Cyclist, travel writer |
| Period | 1965–2015 |
| Genre | Travel (non-fiction) |
| Notable works | Full Tilt A Place Apart |
| Notable awards | Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize (1979) |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | |
| www | |
Dervla Murphy (28 November 1931 – 22 May 2022) was an Irish touring cyclist and author of adventure travel books, writing for more than 50 years.
Murphy is best known for her 1965 book Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle, about an overland cycling trip through Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. She followed this with volunteer work helping Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal and trekking with a mule through Ethiopia. Murphy took a break from travel writing following the birth of her daughter, and then wrote about her travels with Rachel in India, Pakistan, South America, Madagascar and Cameroon. She later wrote about her solo trips through Romania, Africa, Laos, the states of the former Yugoslavia and Siberia. In 2005, she visited Cuba with her daughter and three granddaughters.
Murphy normally travelled alone without luxuries and depending on the hospitality of local people. She was in some dangerous situations; for example, she was attacked by wolves in the former Yugoslavia, threatened by soldiers in Ethiopia, and robbed in Siberia. However, she described her worst incident as tripping over cats at home and shattering her left arm.[1][2]
- ^ Allan, Vicky (20 January 2007). "On top of the world". Sunday Herald. Glasgow. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ Toksvig, Sandi (15 December 2007). "Excess Baggage". BBC Radio 4. Archived from the original on 28 June 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2007.