An Post honours Cillian Murphy's Oscar win with gold post box in Cork

Local children Eoin, Saoirse and Aoife Koller were very curious to see a gold wrap being placed on the traditional green postbox outside the Post Office in Ballintemple, Cork, near the childhood home of Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy. Picture: Larry Cummins

A gold post box has been unveiled near Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy's childhood home.

An Post has repainted its traditional green post box outside Ballintemple Post Office a short distance from where Cillian grew up, where his parents still live, and where they celebrated his Oscar success last Sunday night.

The new gold post box has already become a bit of an attraction in its own right, with a steady stream of people stopping to take selfies.

Post Office staff Dee Murphy and Colette Collins, Postmistress, with postwoman Jess Legresley. Picture: Larry Cummins

Ballintemple postmaster Colette Collins said Cillian’s Oscar success has given the country and his native city an incredible lift, which is felt even more in Ballintemple village, where the post office is marking its centenary this year.

“The buzz all week has just been fantastic really. To excel in his business and at that level is remarkable. 

"The pride people have in Cillian is unbelievable, and the fact that his parents are customers here has created a really, great atmosphere. 

"It’s what everybody needed, the whole village is buzzing.” 

An Post has also unveiled a golden post box on O’Connell St in Dublin close to where Oscar-winning production company, Element Pictures, is based.

The post box outside Ballintemple Post Office has been painted gold in honour of Cillian Murphy’s Oscar win. Picture: Larry Cummins

The company, which produced Poor Things, was nominated for 11 Oscars, winning four, including Best Actress for Emma Stone, Makeup and Hairstyling , Production Design, and Costume Design.

A spokesman for An Post said they were delighted to mark Ireland’s achievements at the Oscars, and especially to honour Cillian Murphy’s success in his neighbourhood.

“Cillian and Element have brought gold into our lives and so we are very happy, to in some way, mark this huge achievement,” he said.

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It’s not the first time An Post has painted a post box gold to honour national achievements.

In 2021, the company dedicated a gold box to Olympic hero Kellie Harrington outside the Summerhill post office, close to the boxer's Portland Row family home in Dublin's north inner city.

The company also dedicated a gold box to Cork rowers, Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, who won Olympic gold in the lightweight men’s double sculls final.