At St Anthony’s National School in Ballinlough, Cork, there was a palpable sense of pride amongst the staff today. This followed the news that a former student, Cillian Murphy, had become the first Irish man to secure a win in the Best Actor category at the Academy Awards.
This morning, the school was a flurry of activity as teachers collected balloons emblazoned with “Cillian”, sending the younger students into a frenzy of excitement. Their celebration was captured by a camera crew from RTÉ who arrived to document their Oscar festivities.
Principal Sean Lyons explained that the pupils were bubbling over with joy as they entered the school on Monday. He recalled how Junior and Senior boys eagerly greeted him with the news of Murphy’s win.
At 47 years old, Murphy, whose parents, Mary and Brendan, reside in Ballintemple in the city, was a student at the school from 1982 to 1988.
The actor, famed amongst the boys for his part in Peaky Blinders, previously took part in a Q&A for the current pupils. In it, he divulged that his family had lived in Dublin for some time before relocating back to Cork, his place of birth. He joked about his early struggles to understand the Cork accent while studying at St. Anthony’s.
Although both his parents were teachers and his grandfather a school head, Murphy admitted that he was never inclined to pursue a career in education. Describing teaching as a challenging profession that demands immense dedication, he acknowledged that he lacked the calling.
Murphy revealed that he didn’t partake in drama classes or receive any formal acting training as a young man. He didn’t even consider acting until he reached 19. Misic was his passion during his Youth, and he aspired to become a musician. His interest in acting was ignited after graduating from school. After witnessing a performance of A Clockwork Orange by Corcadorca, a Cork theatre company, he discovered his love for theatre and his life took a different turn from then onwards.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin, a resident of Ballinlough like the celebrated Mr Murphy, was among the individuals who said a few words honouring Cillian Murphy’s Oscar victory for his portrayal of J Robert Oppenheimer, the renowned theoretical physicist, in the film ‘Oppenheimer’. Martin labelled Cillian’s Oscar a “greatly worthy accolade” which has caused the entire country of Ireland to celebrate.
“Cillian’s win is entirely merited. His acting in Oppenheimer was truly unparalleled, as was the whole film. It’s a film that will withstand the passage of time. The inhabitants of Leeside and Cork are utterly thrilled for him and his splendid family.”
During his recent visit to St Anthony’s School to vote in the referendums, Martin took a moment to delve into a questionnaire completed by Cillian for the school boys. He mentioned to the head teacher that Cillian’s Oscar win will mean a resounding victory for St Anthony’s.
“When I was the education minister, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Cillian’s father, Breandan Ó’Murchu, a school inspector of the time. Those inspectors used to draft speeches for the education ministers while touring schools across the nation. I developed a close kinship with the Cork inspectors, among whom Breandan was one. I had the pleasure to recently meet Breandan and I can confidently say that this moment is a wonderful triumph for the family as they are quite humble. Cillian’s performance was simply marvelous.
Looking back at Cillian’s career and his start with Corcadorca, it’s evident that early support for the arts, from entities such as the Cork Corporation and others who provided support to Corcadorca in its initial days, is crucial for unearthing such talent.”
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, acknowledged Cillian’s humility amidst his success. “The whole of Cork holds immense pride in Cillian and I eagerly await the opportunity to formally acknowledge him in the City Hall in the near future. He is an artistic legend who stays grounded and serves as a significant source of inspiration for other aspiring artists from Cork, and Ireland at large, who are attempting to make their mark in the local, national and globally recognised cinema industry.”
David Barry, headmaster of Presentation Brothers College (PBC), the secondary school Cillian Murphy attended, couldn’t hide his elation following Murphy’s best-actor Oscar triumph. He said this moment of glory was significant not just for their institution, but it also put Cork City on the map.
The academy plans to invite the Peaky Blinders star, originally from Ballintemple, to visit his secondary school again when it suits him. A portrait honouring Murphy’s Tommy Shelby character adorns the school. The headmaster acknowledged that all staff who worked during Murphy’s schooling years in the 1990s have since moved on, but he held onto the hope that the busy actor would return based on their invitation.
Interestingly, Murphy’s English teacher at PBC was the poet William Wall, who also celebrated his former pupil’s monumental achievement. Wall still remembered the ease with which Murphy understood poetry, Shakespeare, and literature. He was equally expressive about the talent he saw in Murphy’s musical performances during his time at the school. Their surprise yet pride in Murphy’s journey was evident when he revealed during a recent presentation in an Italian school that he had actually taught the successful actor.
In addition to Wall’s academic influence, Murphy’s artistic inclination was evident, making it easy for him to inspire the young man to delve into the arts. He firmly believes that Murphy’s accomplishment was long overdue, and now, being an Oscar-winning actor, nothing can hold him back.
“When I acknowledged the truth, several individuals were taken aback by the realization of being around someone who had been in the company of Cillian Murphy,” I recall. My experiences with Murphy during his school years painted him as someone balancing rebellion with a profound interest in arts and culture. He almost commanded the role of a leader in his class, pushing boundaries with thought-provoking queries. It wasn’t the awkward student, but the one posing complex questions.
His musical stint as a member of ‘The Sons of Mr Green Genes’ warrants appreciation as well. Their demo tape, once gifted to my spouse – a maths teacher at their school – was excellent. However, one day we found that our son had overwritten the entire tape with summer tunes.
From the very beginning, I had a hunch that Murphy would find his path in the creative realm. Despite venturing into law studies in college, which was met with surprise, I was never doubtful about his capabilities to excel as a lawyer too. I imagined him as an expressive barrister at the Four Courts in Dublin.
Eventually, I anticipated his digression into art. Thus, when “Disco Pigs” was released, it hit me – this man had found his true calling. Highly meticulous, Murphy always handpicks his scripts, highlighting his deep commitment to his craft.
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