Patrick Murphy (giant)

Patrick Murphy (1834–1862) was an Irish giant, born in County Down from parents James Murphy and mother Peggy (née Cunningham), who put himself in a show as a way of making money. He originally worked on the docks in Liverpool, England and, after that, became a waiter at a hotel. Because he was so tall, Murphy attracted crowds everywhere he went. He eventually decided that he could make a living being tall. He always spoke of himself as being 8'10" and in some circles as much as 9'3". In about 1860, he was measured by a Dr. Virchow as being 7'3.4" (222 cm) tall.

In May 1857 the Emperor and Empress of Austria invited the tall Irishman to visit their kingdom.  While he was on tour throughout Europe, he died of smallpox in Marseille at the age of twenty-eight.

References

Category:1834 births
Category:1862 deaths
Category:People from County Down
Category:Deaths from smallpox
Category:Infectious disease deaths in France