On Saturday, January 24th, Congleton people came together in St Peter’s Church to celebrate the life of one of the town’s best-known and most popular figures. The ‘Service of Thanksgiving’ was an opportunity for the many townspeople and organisations that know Rtn. Denis Murphy to celebrate his achievements in a remarkable life dedicated to community service.

Denis, now sadly suffering from MND and confined to his mobility scooter, has performed many civic tasks in the town, including being a Councillor and the Mayor on no less than three occasions. His philosophy of ‘Doing What You Can’ is an example that has served the town well for over 40 years.

He joined the Rotary Club of Congleton in 2006, where he has served as the club President in 2013 and was awarded Rotary’s highest honour, the Paul Harris Fellowship, in the name of the club’s founder. Denis said, ‘The lovely thing about Rotary is everywhere you go in the world, there’s a local Rotary Club, where they welcome you with open arms.’ 

His cruel diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease has been met philosophically. Until recently, he was seen around town and travelled widely on his mobility scooter. He jokes about the disease. ‘People of a certain social standing get MND, famous footballers, Rugby players and Astrophysicists’. Denis addressed the congregation, saying that Congleton is a wonderful town to live in, and saying in the true spirit of the Rotary organisation that it is up to the residents to join in and keep it so, by contributing to the various organisations that help to make the town what it is.