Brian Murphy

Brian Murphy

Downshire sent an SOS to Drogheda (not Dundalk!) for Fivemiletown contest in February 2025 for a first trombone player and Brian answered Michael’s plea for help with a resounding yes. He was then invited to play at that year’s Spring Festival and the European Brass Band Championships in Stavanger, Norway. Now, they’re stuck with him.

Brian has been playing since 1987 and has represented Ireland at three European championships (Birmingham, Oostende and Perth), as well as winning 15 section one IABCB national titles and four grade two NIBA titles with Drogheda Brass Band.

Outside of banding, he toured America twice with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, has played in many pub and wedding bands and is currently first trombone with Drogheda Community Orchestra.

You’d think he’d have no time for anything else with all that going on, but he runs, has completed sprint triathlons and manages to fit in gym work a couple of times a week, as well as his day job with the Irish Farmers Journal. He is married to the long-suffering Sam and they have one son, Oisín, who loves eating all of Robert Mercer’s prawn crackers at the Chinese.