A former homeless drug addict has completely turned his life around and has now helped raise thousands for The Whitechapel Centre through Liverpool’s Primal Live song contest. Niall Murphy, 38, was addicted to crack cocaine and heroin but has been clean for 11 years and is now a drug rehab support worker and talented musician.
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On Sunday 20th April, Niall aka ‘Man On The Run’ took to the stage in front of hundreds at the huge Primal Live charity song contest at Camp & Furnace. He performed a song called ‘It’s All Good’ — a bittersweet tribute to his late sister who died suddenly in 2018. His performance was met with rapturous applause, yet was something completely unimaginable to him some 11 years ago.
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Originally from Dublin, Niall got in with the wrong crowd and went down a dark, dangerous road of addiction. Using crack cocaine and heroin daily and living in crack dens and hostel, he was eventually disowned by his family and ended up moving to Liverpool to try to start a new life. Recovery was very much on and off as he battled his addiction, that is until music saved his life.
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In and out of The Whitechapel Centre for the homeless and fighting his addiction, he discovered Recovery Inc — a music recording project for recovering addicts ran by Dan Sef. Through this he swapped his addiction to drugs with an addiction to music and began making music — he has since been on an awe-inspiring journey of self-discovery and redemption.
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Niall explained: “I’ve always been into hip-hop but went down a very dark road and hit rock bottom. Things got really bad, to the point where my family completely rejected me until I got straight but even in the darkest times, listening to the likes of Tupac got me through. Completely moving away to Liverpool helped and The Whitechapel Centre was amazing but it’s music that completely saved me in the end.”
He continued: “Recovery Inc was an incredible project and helped me swap my addiction to drugs for music. I started nailing down tracks and went to study Music Technology at City Of Liverpool College. To be part of the Primal Live song contest and help raise thousands for The Whitechapel Centre is a great way of giving back for me and to perform the song I wrote about my sister who passed away made it just perfect.”
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Niall’s redemption runs far deeper than music and raising money for the homeless, however. He is now a support worker at RISE, based at the local YMCA, and dedicates his life to helping addicts on their journeys through recovery. It is here that he met his wife, Kerry.
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Niall summarised: “It’s been some journey but if I can hit rock bottom and come back then anyone can. We should never underestimate the power of music — having a creative outlet gave me something to focus on and now I’m committed to helping others through addiction. To perform on stage at Primal Live and give back to The Whitechapel Centre was amazing — something I could never have imagined 11 years ago.”
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS TO PRIMAL LIVE OR TO REGISTER AS AN ARTIST VISIT THE WEBSITE
A former homeless drug addict has completely turned his life around and has now helped raise thousands for The Whitechapel Centre through Liverpool’s Primal Live song contest. Niall Murphy, 38, was addicted to crack cocaine and heroin but has been clean for 11 years and is now a drug rehab support worker and talented musician.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS TO PRIMAL LIVE OR TO REGISTER AS AN ARTIST VISIT THE WEBSITE
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