Following graduation from university, he moved to London to pursue a singing career and supported himself with a job as a school master.
During the series, Murphy performed with Italian opera singer Benamino Gigli and Robert Helpmann.
Murphy auditioned for RTÉ television and became presenter of its first chat show, Visitors Book.
To promote these records he performed on ABC Television's Thank Your Lucky Stars in the UK, which was similar to the BBC's Top of the Pops.
Before joining Westward, Murphy had guested as a singer on ATV television's series Music Shop with Shirley Bassey.
In 1967, President of Ireland Éamon de Valera received Murphy in a half-hour private audience in which he congratulated him for being an unofficial ambassador for his country.
[citation needed] In 1974, he joined Liverpool, Radio City as their first presenter on air with The Breakfast Show.
However, Murphy continued to use the Mailbag concept into the 2010s, complete with postmodern ironic touch, with his regular "E-mail Bag" segments on Today FM radio's The Ray D'Arcy Show.