REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Cheese and onion crisp entrepreneur dies aged 78

The Irish entrepreneur credited with the invention of the cheese and onion flavoured crisp has died at the age of 78. Joe "Spud" Murphy founded crisp company Tayto in Dublin in 1954 and steered the firm to become one of the best-known brand names in Ireland. The cheese and onion crisp, which was conceived from Murphy’s boredom with the salted crisps available, was launched to great success in the late 1950s.

November 5, 2001

The Irish entrepreneur credited with the invention of the cheese and onion flavoured crisp has died at the age of 78.

Joe “Spud” Murphy founded crisp company Tayto in Dublin in 1954 and steered the firm to become one of the best-known brand names in Ireland. The cheese and onion crisp, which was conceived from Murphy’s boredom with the salted crisps available, was launched to great success in the late 1950s.

Murphy sold his stake in the company in 1983 and retired to Spain.