1907	Born at Greenhills, Burnfort near Mallow, Co. Cork. Son of James Murphy, a railway employee, and Margaret Sheehan of Little Island, Co. Cork.
1912-1921	Attended St. Patrick's National School, St. Luke's, Cork. Pupil of Daniel Corkery who gave him his first drawing lessons.
1921	At Corkery's suggestion, entered Crawford School of Art to study modelling.
1922-1930	Apprentice stone-carver at John Aloysius O'Connor's Art Marble Works, Watercourse Road, Blackpool. Specialised in architectural and foliage carving. Attended Crawford by night.
1931	Awarded the Gibson Bequest Scholarship Exhibits at the Royal Hibernian Academy exhibition.
1932-1933	Studied at the Académie Colarossi, Paris and with Andrew O'Connor, the Irish-American sculptor.
1934	Opened a studio and stoneyard at Blackpool, Cork.
1935	Group exhibition, University College, Cork.
1939	Exhibited at World Fair, New York.
1943	Exhibited 'The Virgin of the Twilight' at the Royal Hibernian Academy.
1944	Elected associate of the RHA. Married in Youghal to Maighread Higgins, daughter of sculptor Joseph Higgins (1885-1925) and Katherine Turnbull.
1945	Designed Blackpool Church for William Dwyer.
1950	Published Stone Mad with illustrations by Fergus O'Ryan (Golden Eagle Press), an account of the work of the stone-carvers and stone-cutters with whom he had trained. Republished with new material and illustrations by Cork artist William Harrington. Most recent reprint 2007 by the Collins Press.
1954	Elected a full member of the RHA.
1956	Solo exhibition in Cork Public Library.
1964	Appointed RHA Professor of Sculpture.
1967	Joint exhibition with artist William Harrington.
1969	Awarded Honorary LLD by the National University of Ireland.
1973	Appointed to the Arts Council of Ireland. Exhibition in Adare, Co. Limerick.
1975	Exhibited in ROSC, Cork.
1975	Died in Cork. Buried in Rathcooney, Co. Cork.