Patrick Murphy

Patrick Murphy (1834–1862) was an Irish giant and fairground performer, potentially the tallest man ever recorded.

Early life Murphy was born in Killowen, County Down on 15 June 1834 of parents James and Peggy Murphy (née Cunningham). His father was a smallholder. As a child, he had an unremarkable physique. Some sources state he also worked as a hotel waiter, but quit due to the crowds and attention he drew. It was only when he returned to Ireland after a year to stay with his mother, that the locals in Warrenpoint became aware of his new height. He was over 8 feet (2.44m) tall when he reached his early 20s. His height recorded in the parish register after his exhumation was 8 feet 1 inches (2.46 m), which is taken as the most credible record in some biographies. This height would make him the tallest man in the world during his lifetime and one of the tallest ever recorded. It was noted that he did not suffer from any excess bone growth or associated muscular atrophy which is generally seen in cases of giantism linked with hypersecretion of the growth hormone, somatotrophin. After a European tour, he purchased a small farm in Kilbroney, near Rostrevor but after he was evicted, he resumed touring Europe. He was buried at Kilbroney cemetery on 18 June 1862.