Tánaiste Micheál Martin says he is cheering on his fellow Corkman Cillian Murphy as the countdown to Oscars gets underway.
The 47-year-old actor, who is nominated for Best Actor for his lead role in Oppenheimer, attended St Anthony’s National School in Ballinlough, Cork from 1982 to 1988.
When the Tánaiste and former teacher arrived to cast his ballot in the referendums at the school yesterday, he paused to read a questionnaire Cillian had filled in for current pupils at the school.
Cillian told the youngsters that he lived in Dublin with his parents for a period before they moved back to his native Cork and joked that biggest challenge in his early years at St Anthony’s involved, "trying to understand the Cork accent."
The Ballintemple father of two said he "wasn’t very good at maths" as a youngster and that although both his parents were teachers and his grandfather a headmaster, he had never wanted to follow in their footsteps.
"I knew from an early age what a hard profession it is, and how much dedication you need. I don’t think I ever had the vocation." He said on the questionnaire.
He also said that he didn’t attend drama classes or have any formal training in acting as a younger man.
"In fact, I didn’t have any interest in acting until I was 19. I was much more interested in music and wanted to become a musician during my youth.
"Then I discovered theatre when I left school after seeing after seeing a production of A Clockwork Orange by Cork theatre company Corcadorca. I was hooked from then on in."
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste admitted that he was awaiting the outcome of the Oscars with "bated breath."
"I heard him (Cillian Murphy) on Morning Ireland and I just said to the principal that it would be a great win for St Anthony’s. The first Oscar for St Anthony’s."
When I was Minister for Education I worked with Cillian’s father, Breandán Ó Murchú, who was a school inspector.
"At that time school inspectors would create the draft speeches for the Ministers for Education when you went to schools around the country. I had a very close friendship with the inspectorate in Cork, among which Breandan was one.
"I met him recently. It is fabulous for the family. They are a very modest family and I think all of Cork is waiting with bated breath and we are wishing him the best."
Mr Martin added, Oppenheimer is one of those films that will stand the test of time given the subject matter and given so ever present he is from the beginning to the end of the film. It was an extraordinary performance. And I think it merits the Oscar.
"When you look back through his Cillian’s career, coming up with Corcadorca, it’s testimony to the importance of supporting the Arts at the early stages and the Cork Corporation and others, who gave Corcadorca support in the early days, it shows what talent can emerge.
"And I am in 100 percent agreement with Cillian in terms of his favourite Corkman Roy Keane. I might add (hurling manager and former hurler) Jimmy Barry Murphy as well."
Olivia Kelleher
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