Royal couple meet tragic Ashling Murphy’s family

PA Wire

Relatives of an Irish woman fatally attacked while out running have met with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

Charles and Camilla offered their condolences to the family of school teacher Ashling Murphy, who was killed after going for a jog along a canal near Tullamore, Co Offaly in January.

The royals met privately with Ms Murphy’s parents Kathleen and Ray, sister Amy, brother Cathal and boyfriend Ryan Casey at Bru Boru Cultural Centre in Cashel, Co Tipperary on Friday.

The 23-year-old, a talented musician, had performed at the centre.

Floral tributes laid at the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co Offaly, where primary school teacher Ashling Murphy was found dead in January (Brian Lawless/PA) (PA Wire)

Her death caused shockwaves and sparked vigils across Ireland and beyond in Ms Murphy’s memory, as calls were made for a change in attempts to tackle gender-based violence.

Camilla has long been a vocal campaigner on the issue of violence against women, and at an event in London last year she paid tribute to all the “precious lives that have been brutally ended”.

She also called on men to get involved in the movement, saying they need to be “on board” to tackle violence against women.

Jozef Puska, 31, of Lynally Grove in Co Offaly, has been accused of Ms Murphy’s murder.