Rupert Charles Francis Murray: Rupert Charles Francis Murray, who has died, was one of the most accomplished lighting designers in Irish theatre. In his 32 years in the business he designed the lighting for hundreds of shows, including Riverdance, which became an international hit. His work earned him numerous awards and much acclaim.
Rupert Murray was born on February 3rd, 1951, in Bath, England. He attended All Hallows Prep School and Downside Public School in Stretton on the Foss, one of Britain's most distinguished Catholic schools.
A life-long sportsman, Rupert excelled at all sports during his school days, especially cricket and rugby. He also captained the boxing team.
In his adult life he continued to play cricket with the Theatrical Cavaliers and Merrion Cricket Club, and golf as a member of Woodenbridge Golf Club.
He was particularly passionate about his golf and last February he played his last round in Porter Valley in Los Angeles, where, despite being very ill, with characteristic determination he completed 18 holes.
In 1970 Rupert went to Dublin to study psychology, history and economics. It was during his final year in 1974 as a member of Trinity Players, Trinity College Dublin's drama society, that he began to experiment with theatre lighting. This was also the year that he met his future wife, Sheelagh Power, a student in Trinity.
His transfer to professional theatre and to his life's career began with an invitation from Jim and Peter Sheridan to light a show in the fledgling Project Arts Centre.
Rupert went on from there to light more than 40 productions in the Project, supplementing his meagre income from the theatre by working as a house painter.
In 1978, with fellow designer Andrew Leonard he set up Stage and Location Lighting, a lighting equipment hire company that he co-managed with Andrew and Bernard Griffin for six years before leaving to pursue an independent career.
Over the years, Rupert worked for every theatre company in Ireland.
His work was seen around the world with touring productions, particularly Riverdance and productions from the Gate Theatre, including Joe Dowling's Juno and the Paycock, which ran on Broadway with Donal McCann and John Kavanagh, and I'll Go On with Barry McGovern.
Recent lighting designs included, for the Gate Theatre: the Pinter Festival, comprising Old Times and Betrayal, Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, Tennessee Williams's The Eccentricities of a Nightingale and Mark O'Rowe's Crestfall; for the Abbey and Peacock Theatres: Seán O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars, Arthur Miller's All My Sons, Tom Murphy's The Gigli Concert and Dion Boucicault's The Shaughraun; for Druid Theatre Company he designed Christian O'Reilly's The Good Father; for b*spoke Theatre Company: Tom Murphy's adaptation of The Drunkard; and for Landmark Productions David Hare's Skylight and Edward Albee's The Goat.
The last show he designed was The Taming of the Shrew for Rough Magic in the Project.
His lighting designs earned him two best lighting design nominations in the Harvey's Theatre Awards, as well as three Irish Times/ESB Theatre Awards nominations (he won best lighting design in 2004 for Crestfall in the Gate). In 2001 he was nominated for a National Broadway Theatre Award for his lighting of Riverdance on Broadway. In 1988 Rupert became production manager for the Gate Theatre and in 1991 he co-ordinated the Beckett Festival in Dublin for the Gate (and also at the Lincoln Center, New York, in 1996), his first major work as a producer. He then produced a series of independent theatrical productions between 1992 and 1996, including The Risen People in the Gaiety, which saw him collaborating once more with the Sheridan brothers.
From 1996 to 2000 Rupert was festival director of the St Patrick's Day Festival, where he is widely credited with playing a key role in the rejuvenation of the event.
From 1998 to 2003 he produced the opening ceremony for the Wexford Opera Festival. In June 2003, he was creative director of the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics, held in Croke Park, Dublin. In 2004- 2005 he was executive director of DruidSynge - the Druid Theatre Company's presentation of the JM Synge canon of work - and at the time of his death he was creative director of the events and ceremonies associated with Ireland's hosting of the Ryder Cup.
Rupert was widely loved and respected in both his professional and private lives, as evidenced by the outpouring of praise and lamentation at his loss during his memorial gathering in Trinity last Wednesday.
He is survived by his wife Sheelagh and daughter Rachel.
Rupert Murray: born February 3rd, 1951; died August 17th, 2006.