Mary Hickson on Cillian Murphy: 'I can't imagine a better person to represent Ireland'
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.
So when I had the chance to bring this to the Opera House and have Cillian on the main stage was a real moment, for both us. Imagining us years earlier, both working at the back of the house – me in the bar and him with his band Sons of Mr Green Genes. It was a real memory for us both and our parents, I think.
After Ballyturk we just stayed close and when Sounds from a Safe Harbour was brewing, he offered to interview Bryce Dessner about the vision and the plans. Cillian came on board with us as a curator and also came to the festival in 2017 and got involved in many things; he did a public interview with Bryce and Aaron [Dessner, of The National]; and he performed with them in an event at the Everyman Theatre – reading words by Enda Walsh. He also interviewed Fionn Regan at the Roundy that year and was really generous with his time and ideas.
Since the outset he has been a huge supporter of the festival and of me. He’s an incredible resource when it comes to music and projects that can involve music – which is essentially what SFSH is at its core.
He’s a realist, incredibly honest and massively creative, so that makes him the best kind of sounding board for some of the mad ideas that I throw around.
In 2023 he came back to the festival and was involved so many aspects of it. He was an integral part of the residency and added ideas and his voice to many things. He even got to spend some time being a musician this time out in 2023, which has always been the dream.
As an artist on the 37d03d residency during SFSH23 Cillian was making music with other artists. In addition to music collaboration he also made a short film with Talos, Olafur Arnalds, Peadar Gill, Max Porter and myself which opened the finale event hosted by Ye Vagabonds at Cork Opera House. He contributed some spoken word (Max’s) for the Vernon Spring’s 'Earth on a Good Day' event. He really dove into the collaborative space and loved every minute, and while he gave a lot, he got a lot from it too. That’s how these things work, you get what you give. It’s not for everyone but when it connects with you it’s incredibly powerful.
I am thrilled that we get to do this together and am excited about the new adventures to come with Cillian for SFSH.
Outside of SFSH we stay close to each other’s work and were fortunate enough to create a film together for Manchester International Festival in 2021 called All of This Unreal Time – which we presented in the Triskel at Sounds from a Safe Harbour. This project was my first time working with Max Porter and having seen what Cillian and Enda created in response to his novel Grief is The Thing with Feathers, I was bursting to get involved with them on something.
Max sent the monologue to Cillian who sent it to me and then we built a team of creative collaborators in Aoife McArdle, Bryce and Aaron Dessner, and Jon Hopkins, then very quickly set about shooting the film in London during the lockdown - commissioned by Manchester International Festival. It was presented in Manchester Central as part of MIF21 and it was a revelation. We are excited to get it seen by more people soon.
This is a huge moment for Cillian, but thinking about it and him, none of us are surprised. He has always had the most inspiring work ethic and I don’t think I know anyone else more dedicated to a goal than he. Max Porter and I visited him when he was preparing for Oppenheimer and were so incredibly blown away by how deeply he had immersed himself in the man – the gestures, the pipe action, the walk, the everything – and so many books! He really gives absolutely everything to these characters.
I cannot imagine a better person to represent Ireland right now, to be a role model for my children. Cillian is proud of his heritage, he is private, does not engage with social media, cannot tolerate nonsense, is incredibly bright, creatively generous and open, encouraging, a hugely reliable and caring friend.
I love him deeply and hope for all of us, for Ireland, for Cork that he brings it home. He would be the first actor to win an Oscar for a lead role that was born in Ireland – this is a huge moment for all of us.
