Mary Hickson on Cillian Murphy: 'I can't imagine a better person to represent Ireland'

Cork-based events organiser Mary Hickson has worked with Cillian Murphy on numerous projects through the years. Here, she writes about some of them, and what makes Murphy such a pleasure to collaborate with 

Mary Hickson in Cork with Cillian Murphy and the other Sounds From A Safe Harbour organisers Enda Walsh, Aaron Dessner, and Bryce Dessner.

Our parents were good friends so we have been around each other most of our lives but it was definitely later in life that we became close. I remember pulling pints in the Half Moon [venue at back of Cork Opera House] while his band were on stage on many occasions. I also remember Disco Pigs [Murphy's breakthrough play] when it happened in and to Cork and the huge impact that had on us all. I remember Misterman and going to Galway to witness that immense brilliance.

When I was back working at the Opera House (in the bar when studying Music around 94-97at UCC and then as CEO between 2010 and 2015) I wrote a wish-list of shows I wanted to invite during my time and Ballyturk was top of the list.