Murphy and Lister/Lyster/Leicester of Offaly/King's County

My Great Grandfather James Murphy said he was born to John Murphy and Bridget Lister on Dec 26th 1846/50 (on reception to Nazareth House 1850, but on Marriage in Sept 1881 he said 34 yrs old, so maybe 1846 - by lack of hair on photo, the more likely!) at Doon King's County.

This was at the height of the famine.

There are no other Murphys in King's - well very few. There are no Listers! (or Lyster or Leicester)

So ... with SUCH a common name to research I seemed to be on a winner with the birthplace and mother.

On Marriage in 1881 he said his father was John Murphy, Farmer of Ferbane, King's County, deceased.

Ferbane is 10mls south of Doon - a Hamlet.

On Griffith’s Valuation - 1856 John Murphy  has two plots – either side of the present Hill Street - 3 miles east of Cloghan and 5 south of Ferbane, Co Offaly. My cousin who lives in Ireland feels this is unlikely to be same lad, I don't see why not ... being the only Murphy, nevermind John Murphy.

James and his wife Mary O'Shea had a horrendous life in the wage slavery of Wigan's dark Satanic Mills and mines.  Of five children, only one son survived to old age, my Grandfather Patrick, who told his 8 children NOTHING of his parents.

Tiny bits came through - 'James had a Bull neck. He came from King's Co, his wife from Queen's - Laoise (She didn't she was from Baltinglass, Wicklow).  'He was a miner, injured, ended up in Nazareth house.' True. But ''there was some sort of talk of James and a brother being the only ones surviving the famine and coming to Lancashire together.' I find no evidence. No relation to either James or Mary has anything to do with their marriage or Godparenting 5 children.

So - anybody looking for Murphys in the Northern part of Offaly, King's County 1840s?