Jimmy Murphy (playwright)
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Murphy is an Irish
playwright
living in Dublin.
He is a former writer in residence at NUI Maynooth (2000–01), a member of the Abbey Theatre
’s Advisory Council and a recipient of three Bursaries in literature from the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon. He is a member of Aosdána
.
Murphy was born to Irish parents in Salford, Manchester
. When he was six, his family returned to Dublin, settling in the South inner-city district of Islandbridge. He first went to school in nearby Inchicore
, attending the Oblate Fathers’ primary school there, then moved to Ballyfermot
, a working-class heartland of suburban Dublin, in his teens. There, he attended secondary school at St. John’s De La Salle College. Having failed the Intermediate Certificate, a now-defunct state examination, Jimmy left school to pursue an apprenticeship in painting and decorating, taking his Junior and Senior Irish trade certificates and the City and Guilds of London exams in Bolton Street.
His stage plays include Brothers of the Brush
(Dublin, The Peacock, Dublin Theatre Festival 1993), which was awarded best new Irish play; A Picture of Paradise (The Peacock, 1997); The Muesli Belt (Dublin, The Abbey Theatre, 2000); Aceldama (1998), The Kings of the Kilburn High Road
(Waterford, Red Kettle Theatre Company, 2000), and The Castlecomer Jukebox (Red Kettle, 2004)
His plays for radio include Mandarin Lime (BBC Radio 4, 1995) and Peel’s Brimstone (BBC Radio 4, 1995).
His awards include The Stewart Parker Award in 1994.
His play The Kings of the Kilburn High Road was adapted by Tom Collins
as the Irish language film Kings (film)
, and was selected as Ireland’s entry for best foreign-language film for the Academy Awards by the Irish Film and Television Academy.
Three of his plays have been presented at the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival
: Brothers of the Brush (2001 Festival, presented by the Tara Players of Winnipeg
), The Kings of the Kilburn High Road (2005 Festival, first North American production, presented by the Irish Players of Rochester
, and The Muesli Belt (2008 Festival, presented by the Toronto Irish Players
Murphy's new play, with an all female cast; The Hen Night Epiphany, premiered at The Focus Theatre
, Dublin in September 2011 and was published by Oberon Books
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
living in Dublin.
He is a former writer in residence at NUI Maynooth (2000–01), a member of the Abbey Theatre
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre , also known as the National Theatre of Ireland , is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. The Abbey first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904. Despite losing its original building to a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the present day...
’s Advisory Council and a recipient of three Bursaries in literature from the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon. He is a member of Aosdána
Aosdána
Aosdána is an Irish association of Artists. It was created in 1981 on the initiative of a group of writers and with support from the Arts Council of Ireland. Membership, which is by invitation from current members, is limited to 250 individuals; before 2005 it was limited to 200...
.
Murphy was born to Irish parents in Salford, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. When he was six, his family returned to Dublin, settling in the South inner-city district of Islandbridge. He first went to school in nearby Inchicore
Inchicore
-Location and access:Located five kilometres due west of the city centre, Inchicore lies south of the River Liffey, west of Kilmainham, north of Drimnagh and east of Ballyfermot. The majority of Inchicore is in the Dublin 8 postal district...
, attending the Oblate Fathers’ primary school there, then moved to Ballyfermot
Ballyfermot
Ballyfermot is a suburb in the city of Dublin.Celebrities such as the famous Furey Brothers and the brilliant Keenan family have all resided in Ballyfermot.Ireland, located 7 kilometres due west from the city centre, and to the south of the Phoenix Park...
, a working-class heartland of suburban Dublin, in his teens. There, he attended secondary school at St. John’s De La Salle College. Having failed the Intermediate Certificate, a now-defunct state examination, Jimmy left school to pursue an apprenticeship in painting and decorating, taking his Junior and Senior Irish trade certificates and the City and Guilds of London exams in Bolton Street.
His stage plays include Brothers of the Brush
Brothers of the Brush
Brothers of the Brush is a play by Jimmy Murphy, first produced by the Abbey Theatre at the 1993 Dublin Theatre Festival where it went on to win Best New Play. The play deals with house painters working in the black economy in Ireland in the 1990s....
(Dublin, The Peacock, Dublin Theatre Festival 1993), which was awarded best new Irish play; A Picture of Paradise (The Peacock, 1997); The Muesli Belt (Dublin, The Abbey Theatre, 2000); Aceldama (1998), The Kings of the Kilburn High Road
The Kings of the Kilburn High Road
The Kings of the Kilburn High Road is a play by Irish playwright Jimmy Murphy first produced by Red Kettle Theatre Company at the Garter Lane Theatre Waterford Ireland in 2000. The first American production was staged by the Rochester Community Players of Rochester, New York, in April 2005...
(Waterford, Red Kettle Theatre Company, 2000), and The Castlecomer Jukebox (Red Kettle, 2004)
His plays for radio include Mandarin Lime (BBC Radio 4, 1995) and Peel’s Brimstone (BBC Radio 4, 1995).
His awards include The Stewart Parker Award in 1994.
His play The Kings of the Kilburn High Road was adapted by Tom Collins
Tommy Collins
Tommy Collins, sometimes referred to as Tom Collins M.A., Dublin City University, is an Irish filmmaker.- Biography :Born in County Donegal, he moved as a child to nearby Derry, Northern Ireland...
as the Irish language film Kings (film)
Kings (film)
Kings is a 2007 Irish film written & directed by Tom Collins and based on Jimmy Murphy's play The Kings of the Kilburn High Road. The film is bilingual, having both Irish and English dialogues. It was premièred at the Taormina Film Festival in June 2006, and was selected as Ireland's official...
, and was selected as Ireland’s entry for best foreign-language film for the Academy Awards by the Irish Film and Television Academy.
Three of his plays have been presented at the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival
Acting Irish International Theatre Festival
The Acting Irish International Theatre Festival is an annual festival of full-length Irish plays performed by North American Irish community theater companies. The festival was started in 1994 and is performed in a different city each year...
: Brothers of the Brush (2001 Festival, presented by the Tara Players of Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
), The Kings of the Kilburn High Road (2005 Festival, first North American production, presented by the Irish Players of Rochester
Rochester community players
The Rochester Community Players , the oldest community theatre in New York State, is a local professional theatre group in Rochester, Monroe County, New York, in the United States....
, and The Muesli Belt (2008 Festival, presented by the Toronto Irish Players
Murphy's new play, with an all female cast; The Hen Night Epiphany, premiered at The Focus Theatre
Focus Theatre
The Focus Theatre in Dublin is a small but respected theatre which offers a variety of plays from new and established writers.The theatre was founded in 1967 by the late Deirdre O'Connell, and opened on 29 September with a production of Doris Lessing's Play With a Tiger.The Focus Theatre has been...
, Dublin in September 2011 and was published by Oberon Books
Oberon Books
Oberon Books is an independent publisher which specialises in drama and the performing arts. Whilst the majority of Oberon's catalogue is made up of play texts, in recent years it has begun to publish theatrical biographies as well as books on ballet, opera, illustration, photography and...
Works
- Brothers of the BrushBrothers of the BrushBrothers of the Brush is a play by Jimmy Murphy, first produced by the Abbey Theatre at the 1993 Dublin Theatre Festival where it went on to win Best New Play. The play deals with house painters working in the black economy in Ireland in the 1990s....
(Dublin, The Peacock, Dublin Theatre Festival 1993, published London, Oberon Books, 1994), which was awarded best new Irish play; - A Picture of Paradise (The Peacock, 1996,included in The Dazzling Dark, London, Faber&Faber, 1996);
- Aceldama (Black Box Theatre, Dublin, 1998);
- The Muesli Belt (Dublin, The Abbey Theatre, 2000, published in New plays from the Abbey Theatre 1991-2001, Syracuse University Press, 2003);
- The Kings of the Kilburn High RoadThe Kings of the Kilburn High RoadThe Kings of the Kilburn High Road is a play by Irish playwright Jimmy Murphy first produced by Red Kettle Theatre Company at the Garter Lane Theatre Waterford Ireland in 2000. The first American production was staged by the Rochester Community Players of Rochester, New York, in April 2005...
(Waterford, Red Kettle Theatre Company, 2000, published with Brothers Of The Brush, London, Oberon BooksOberon BooksOberon Books is an independent publisher which specialises in drama and the performing arts. Whilst the majority of Oberon's catalogue is made up of play texts, in recent years it has begun to publish theatrical biographies as well as books on ballet, opera, illustration, photography and...
, 2001); and - The Castlecomer Jukebox (Waterford, Red Kettle Theatre 2004).
- What's Left of The Flag (Theatre Upstairs @ The Plough 2010)
- The Hen Night Epiphany (Focus Theatre 2011) published London, Oberon BooksOberon BooksOberon Books is an independent publisher which specialises in drama and the performing arts. Whilst the majority of Oberon's catalogue is made up of play texts, in recent years it has begun to publish theatrical biographies as well as books on ballet, opera, illustration, photography and...
Awards
- The Stewart Parker Award for best first play in 1994, and
- 3 Bursaries in Literature from the Arts Council of IrelandArts Council of IrelandThe Arts Council of Ireland was founded in 1951 by the Government of Ireland to encourage interest in Irish art and channel to funding from the state to Irish artists and arts organisations...