Mairead Ronan on her Lhasa Apso dog: 'When I was having IVF, Murphy just lay quietly beside my bed, as if trying to tell me that he understood'

"She never met Murphy - she'd died long before he arrived - but Murphy is actually called after her because that was her maiden name. And, believe me, she was a very proud Murphy! Despite my mother telling me I could get myself a dog when I was an adult, it still took me a while because my work schedule didn't allow for it."

"Then, come 2015, I started working on the Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show which meant a very early start but also had me back home in the early afternoon. My husband Louis was at home later in the mornings so, all told, it was a much better situation. "The time is now!" I said to Louis, and that's how Murphy came into our lives."

Murphy is a Lhasa Apso named after his owner's maiden name and joined the household when work schedules allowed in 2015. He lives with the narrator, husband Louis, son Dara, and later daughters Eliza and Bonnie, appearing in family milestone photos. Murphy sleeps in many places, often on Eliza's bed, and his snoring grows louder each year. He is described as highly intuitive and communicative with his eyes, offering comfort and companionship that helps counter loneliness and strengthens family bonds, including a connection to Teddy, his canine uncle.

Read at Irish Independent