‘Waterford Mariah’ Glenn Murphy launches fabulous debut Christmas album

In a stylish velvet suit standing in front of a tasteful Christmas tree (I didn’t know Christmas trees could be tasteful) Glenn Murphy looks like he belongs in a Hallmark movie.

In fact, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Glenn does end up in a Christmas movie someday, I’m sure his music will anyway.

Although Glenn has an exeptional singing voice, he is also beloved by the Waterford people for his lovely personality too. The Waterford News & Star spoke to some of his top fans. 

Glenn’s mother, Adrienne, told the Waterford News & Star: “He was singing when he was in the pram.

“One night we were having dinner and he was singing something. I said to my husband, ‘what is that?’. It was 'Bella Noches', from Lady and the Tramp. He was barely speaking but he was singing.” “People often ask him, ‘where did you get your voice from?’ Not from me, not from his dad. I told him it was his own gift from God."

“We’re so proud.” Katie Duggan a good friend of Glenn’s was there on the night to support him.

She first met him when they were at a stage school together at just five years old.

Glenn has been performing in shows in Waterford since he was a young teenager.

Katie’s mam, Imelda, was there on the night too. She said: “It's become a tradition in Waterford to go to Glenn’s Christmas concerts. You’d see the same faces going again and again.” 

Another friend of Glenn’s, Emily Wicks, told the Waterford News & Star all about Glenn’s early days of performing.

 She said: “I met Glenn through the TY musical when we were in secondary school. I absolutely fell in love with him. He was going out with someone I knew at the time, and it turns out he was the love of my life and not hers."

Her favourite song on the album is Walking in the Air.

“I have it on repeat all the time.” Glenn himself was clearly absolutely chuffed.

He has been working on the album since last January and started recording it during Easter.

He told the Waterford News & Star: “I’ve been listening to Christmas music since Easter!” 

“It's an amazing feeling to have it out in the world.” “These hometown gigs over the past couple of years have become the highlight of my year.” Although Shonagh Lyons joked that she doesn’t even need to say Glenn’s surname anymore because everyone in Waterford knows who he is, Glenn is well used to being called Mr Murphy. Especially by seven and eight-year-olds.

That is because he is a second class teacher at St Declan's National School.

Glenn told the Waterford News & Star that while his students were unimpressed by his new album (“I showed them the CD, they didn’t even know what it was”) they were very excited to hear that he would be performing at the launch of Winterval.

The night itself consisted of some lovely words from Beat Breakfast host Shonagh Lyons, who said: “Glenn is talented, humble, passionate, driven and he is so deserving of every success.”

Glenn sang four songs from his album (my favourite had to be his cover of ‘River’ by Joni Mitchell) which was interspersed with a relaxed chat with Shonagh who was clearly so fond of him. 

She described his debut collection as 'a hug of an album.'

You can buy Glenn's album from his website: www.glennmurphymusic.com