Ian Padraic Murphy

Chapter One of Murphy’s Troubles reveals all of Ian Murphy’s flaws.  The first three chapters take place in 1996 as intentional foreshadowing.  Chapter Four begins in 1968 with Ian Murphy attending Trinity College.  His best friend, Timolty Doyle, has made a life changing decision and wants to share it with Ian.

Ian has several tragic flaws.  He is a recluse, preferring to spend his days alone writing.  People make him uncomfortable.  In the fiction world he creates through his writing he lives through the characters in his imagination.  He is close to only two people, Kieran Fitzpatrick and Mickey O’Shay.  Ian suffers from depression although he denies he has any mental health problems.  His depression is fueled by incessant drinking especially his favorite whiskey – Midleton.  He regularly consumes at least half a bottle of whiskey every evening as he reads.  He’s dependent on the whiskey to get to sleep.

Ian finds it difficult to trust others and isn’t willing to share his beliefs, thoughts and feelings with others.   He even keeps his activities in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) a secret from his only friend in Cork, Mickey O’Shay.  When he does find someone to love (infatuation) he keeps it secret from his friend Kieran Fitzpatrick.  When Kieran learns Ian has a relationship with an investigative reporter he is furious both because Ian kept it a secret and because it jeopardizes Ian’s role with the PIRA.    

Ian is consumed by destructive anger.  He feels out of control and unable to influence events in the “real” word which he expresses as anger toward both himself and others.  His anger is both explosive and self-destructive.

These tragic flaws converge to create an emotional volcanic eruption as Ian attempts suicide in Chapter One by driving his car into a British barricade.