Tributes have been paid to actor Cillian Murphy in his native Cork after he secured a Golden Globe win for his leading role in Oppenheimer.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin posted on X that it was a "richly deserved award" for a "supremely talented actor."
"A superb performance by Cillian in a year of some incredible Irish screen performances."
Richly deserved award for a supremely talented actor. A superb performance by Cillian in a year of some incredible Irish screen performances. https://t.co/qI0JklL4Os
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) January 8, 2024
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, also offered his congratulations to Murphy (47) following his win in the Best Actor category.
“[Murphy is] such a talented actor but also such a hard grafter from community theatre to Hollywood movies, a very well deserved award.”
He said he hoped that Murphy would “enjoy the awards season” where many more accolades are expected to come his way for his performance as the American theoretical physicist, Robert J Oppenheimer.
Murphy is a past pupil of Presentation Brothers College in Cork city. The principal of the school, David Barry, said they were very pleased to see their past pupil excel on the world stage.
“We are delighted for Cillian and his family today. I spoke to his mentor and his former English teacher Billy Wall this morning and Billy reminisced about the great times he had in school with Cillian.
“He taught Cillian English and he really ‘got’ English in terms of poetry and drama and novels, etc. He said that not many boys would be able to get into the levels that he did but Cillian was very good at it.”
Mr Wall also told Cork’s RedFM that Billy Wall had introduced the actor to drama.
“There was a drama module developed by Liz Kirwan in the school in transition year. They brought in [theatre director] Pat Kiernan from Corcadorca so Cillian got involved in that in transition year and his talent could be seen from a very early stage.
“He was also involved in a band here in school. I think they were called ‘The Sons of Mr Green Genes.’ They did lunchtime concerts.”
Meanwhile, local Green Party Councillor Cllr Dan Boyle said he was "delighted" for the actor.
“What a journey he has had since [his performance in the Enda Walsh play] Disco Pigs. I had the privilege of being at that first performance. [It was] obvious then that this was a special talent.”
Raised in Ballintemple in Cork city, the actor had early stage success with independent theatre company Corcadorca. His first significant film role was in 2002 in 28 Days Later, which was directed by Danny Boyle.
He has starred in six films directed by Christopher Nolan including Oppenheimer, Batman Begins, The Dark Night and Inception. Murphy has also played the lead role of Tommy Shelby in the hugely popular TV show “Peaky Blinders.”
Murphy, his artist wife Yvonne McGuinness and their two children now live in Dublin, having previously been based in London. The family moved back to Ireland in 2015.
