Cillian Murphy’s teenage band had the potential to be Fontaines D.C. or U2, according to his old guitar teacher.
Before the Peaky Blinders star became one of Ireland’s most celebrated actors, he was a teenage guitarist with serious promise — and according to Cork musician Mark O’Leary, his early band had the makings of something special.
O’Leary opened up about his time teaching music in Cork during the ’90s, recalling the moment Murphy walked into the Wright Music Centre “on a wet, windy Saturday afternoon” wearing a parka, telling Echo Live: “I was wondering who he was.
“The class was a bit unruly. But he had an aura and presence. People were going, ‘this guy is gifted.’”
O’Leary described the 49-year-old Oscar-winner as “a handy guitarist” and revealed that he introduced him to another student — a talented bass player — which led to the formation of a short-lived band. Though the group never made it past local gigs, O’Leary believes they had serious potential.
He said: “Having taught him, I could be prejudiced, but the band was at that mezzanine level between Fontaines D.C. and U2. He could have had that.”
Murphy’s musical journey didn’t end there. He later formed Sons of Mr Green Genes, a funk-rock outfit named after a Frank Zappa track, and was even offered a five-album deal by Acid Jazz Records — which he turned down to pursue acting.
O’Leary noted that Murphy briefly got into acid jazz before pivoting to theatre, landing his breakout role in Disco Pigs.
He said: “The acid jazz ship had sailed. His timing was good. He’s a determined guy.”