Lighting Designer & Events Producer Rupert Murray Dies

Rupert Murray, lighting designer and events producer, died Thursday August 17th in Dublin, Ireland. He was 55. He died after a long, fiercely fought battle against Cancer.

Born in the UK, Murray went to Trinity College Dublin and had lived in Dublin ever since. He worked as a freelance lighting designer and theatre producer. He was most closely associated with his lighting design for Riverdance and the rejuvenation of the St Patrick's Day celebrations in Ireland in the 1990s.

He started his career in the Project Arts Centre, Dublin, where he lit over forty productions. His work has been seen in all of Ireland's major theatres as well as internationally.  Murray lit the award-winning production of Juno and the Paycock on Broadway with Donal McCann and John Kavanagh.

As a producer, he co-ordinated the 1991 Beckett Festival in Dublin, seen in New York at the Lincoln Centre in 1996, and produced a series of independent theatre productions between 1992 and 1996. From 1996 to 2000, Murray was Festival Director of the St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, where he was responsible for the organization of this annual national celebration. In June 2003, he was Creative Director of the Opening Ceremony for the Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Croke Park, Dublin. He was also executive producer for DruidSynge which only last month played to packed houses at the Lincoln Center Festival. At the time of his death, he was still busy as Creative Director of the events and ceremonies associated with Ireland's hosting of The Ryder Cup.

 Rupert is survived by his wife Sheelagh and daughter Rachel.

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