Ruby Murray was a child performer who grew into one of the most successful popular singers of the 20th century, with a long string of enduring chart hits to her name.

Born in Moltke Street, just off the Donegall Road, Ruby was only six weeks old when she underwent surgery for swollen glands. It’s believed that this operation may have somehow contributed to her distinctively velvety singing voice. By the age of five Ruby was already performing in concerts around Belfast and by the age of twelve, she had already made her first national TV performance.

It was only a matter of time before Ruby had her first hit, with ‘Heartbeat’ in 1954, which reached number three in the charts. This was followed by ‘Softly, Softly’, which reached number one and stayed in the charts for 22 weeks. The same year Ruby Murray became a world record-holder, with no fewer than five recordings in the top twenty in the same week.

Taibheoir páiste a bhí i Ruby Murray a d’fhás aníos le bheith ar na hamhránaithe is rathúla san 20ú haois, a raibh liosta fada d’amhráin sna cairteacha aici.

Rugadh Ruby ar Shráid Motke, giota ó Bhóthar Dhún na nGall, agus ní raibh sí ach sé seachtaine d’aois nuair a chuaigh sí faoi scian mar gheall ar bhorrfhaireoga. Creidtear go raibh tionchar éigin ag an obráid seo ar an ghuth bhog ar leith a bhí aici. Fám am a raibh sí cúig bliana d’aois, bhí Ruby ag ceol i gceolchoirmeacha ar fud Bhéal Feirste agus nuair a bhí sí dhá bhliain déag d’aois, bhí a céad léiriú náisiúnta teilifíse déanta aici cheana féin.

Ní raibh ann ach ceist ama sula raibh an-ráchairt ar amhrán de chuid Ruby, bhain ‘Heartbeat’  uimhir a trí sna cairteacha amach sa bhliain 1954. Ina dhiaidh seo bhí ‘Softly, Softly’ a bhain barr na gcairteacha amach agus d’fhán sé ansin ar feadh 22 seachtain. An bhliain chéanna, bhí curiarracht dhomhanda ag Ruby Murray, bhí cúig amhrán as na fiche ceann ag barr na gcairteacha aici in aon tseachtain amháin.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s Ruby kept touring and kept producing hits. In her later career, as her style of music was eclipsed by pop and rock and roll, she retained a strong fan base and continued to perform in smaller venues and nightclubs throughout the UK and overseas to entertain troops.

Ruby’s extraordinary story has been immortalised in not one but two stage plays in her hometown, and in 2019 a Blue Plaque commemorating her was installed at 337 Donegall Road. Her name also lives on in an unexpected way, which is said to have amused her greatly: a ‘Ruby Murray’ is today Cockney rhyming slang for a curry!

Le linn na 1950í agus na 1960í, choinnigh Ruby de bheith ar camchuairt agus ag déanamh amhráin chlúiteacha. Níos moille ina gairm, agus a stíl ceoil imithe i léig ag popcheol agus rac-cheol, d’fhan a lucht leanúna leí agus lean sí de bheith ag seinm in ionaid níos lú agus i gclubanna oíche ar fud na RA agus thar lear le siamsaíocht a thabhairt do ghrúpaí.

Tá cuimhne Ruby buanaithe in dhá dhráma ardáin ina baile dúchais, agus sa bhliain 2019, cuireadh Plaic Gorm i gcuimhne uirthi ag 337 Bóthar Dhún na nGall. Maireann a hainm ar bhealach eile spéisiúil: deirtear ‘Ruby Murray’ mar nath ríme Cocnaise ar churaí - agus deirtear gu bhain sin gáire aisti.