The family of Ryan Weir Gibbons have endured a “lifetime of pain” a year on from the innocent man’s death at the hands of a former Leinster Rugby player.
Monday marked a year since Ryan was brutally attack by Ryan Murphy in a fatal assault in Kildare Town.
On Thursday, it will be the first anniversary since his died from his injuries following the brutal killing.
In July of this year, Murphy, of Curragh Plains, Kildare, was sentenced to five years in prison over his manslaughter of Ryan.
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Ryan’s father Edward Gibbons has previously described the sentence as a “farce” and the family have called on the Government to reform sentencing laws for manslaughter.
At Murphy’s sentencing, Judge Elva Duffy took into account Murphy’s early guilty plea, his genuine remorse, a letter of apology to the family, and his young age when she handed down a five-year sentence.
Murphy, a former underage rugby player for Leinster, repeatedly shouted “do you know who I am?” and told Ryan “I will finish you” before the fatal assault last year.
A mass in remembrance of Ryan took place at St Brigid’s Church in Kildare Town on Saturday.
Ryan Murphy
Taking to social media on Monday, his dad Edward said it has now been a year since he received the phone call from Naas General Hospital “that no family should ever have to receive”.
“The terror, shock and pain of walking into the Emergency Department and seeing Ryan motionless, connected to machines and clinging to life, is something that will haunt us for the rest of our lives,” an emotional Edward wrote.
“Our world stopped in that moment.”
He continued: “One year later, we are still trying to understand why this happened. We are still living with the consequences. We are still missing Ryan’s smile, his laughter, his kindness and his presence in our lives.
“Ryan’s life mattered. Ryan was loved. Ryan will never be forgotten.
“And we will never forget the words that were screamed in Ryan’s face that night: ‘DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?’
“Our answer is this: ‘WE, RYAN’S FAMILY, KNOW WHO YOU ALL ARE.’
“We will continue to speak Ryan’s name, remember the person he was and seek accountability through the proper channels.”
On the night of his death, Ryan had been out with friends in Naas and got onto the bus back to Kildare where he sat on his own.
Murphy was also on the bus as part of a group who were being loud and boisterous and at one point victim Ryan asked them to keep it down.
This incensed Murphy and witnesses told previously the court how they heard him shouting “I will finish you” as he exchanged words with Ryan, who was sitting further down the bus. The witness said he heard someone saying something along the lines of “sure thing, sweetheart”.
Ryan Weir Gibbons lost his life following a serious assault in Kildare town
Murphy kept shouting and then approached Ryan and said: “I’ll break your face”.
Murphy, who had been drinking heavily, then grabbed him by the hoodie and a small scuffle broke out with two or three people from the back of the bus coming down to tell Murphy to calm down and sit back down.
Ryan also told Murphy to sit down. The journey continued, and the victim shouted something back to Murphy before getting off.
Murphy who was still on the bus with his group “became agitated” and shouted at the victim to get off at the next stop and made threats.
Murphy got off at the next stop, with four friends, and then went looking for Ryan. Judge Duffy said footage showed agitated and running looking for Ryan who he eventually found and started chasing at Magee Terrace.
Another member of the group recorded the chase and the attack that claimed the victim’s life.
Murphy had at a very early stage suggested he was going to claim self-defence but then pleaded guilty.
Murphy, who was pictured smiling as he was escorted into court for his sentence hearing, was an up-and-coming rugby prospect before the attack playing for Cill Dara Rugby. He was called up the Leinster under-18s clubs squad in 2024.
He was a stand-out player in the team scoring a decisive try in their match against Connacht and helping the squad to go on to the win the interprovincial title.
Murphy, who also played GAA, completed his Leaving Certificate last year before starting a degree in Sports Management and Coaching (Rugby) in South East Technical University in Carlow and lined out for the university’s rugby team just four days before attacking Ryan.
Murphy also played GAA for Round Towers and made the developmental squad at underage level for Kildare three years ago.