My Weekend: I love having friends or family over

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I’m Luke Murphy, the owner of Waking Dreams Media, a video production company. We turn big ideas into simple explainer videos. It’s really for any business who has something new to show the world and needs to explain why.

I’m from Killarney, Co. Kerry, but I moved to Cork to study Film and Screen Media in UCC five years ago. I recently moved to Dublin but commute between the two cities for work. I’m the youngest of five by nine years, so maybe I had to start my own business to avoid being bossed for a few years.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

My girlfriend and I recently moved to a new area and have been making the most of our nights in. Fortunately, we’re both good cooks and Friday lends the time to test a longer recipe. Recent favourites include a Massaman Curry and Sausage Ragu.

Lie-ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

I’m usually up at 6.30am and I’ve managed it by using an app called Alarmy. It’s an alarm that continuously rings until you complete a challenge. 

My chosen punishment is taking a picture of this gaudy giraffe picture in my sitting room. 

You’ll see it if we ever end up on a Zoom call. Just know I was standing there bleary-eyed and half-dressed that morning.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Intentionally so. Only till 10am though. It’s the best bit of silence to work on stuff that gets pushed down the priority list. The non-urgent, important tasks like planning what the business will look like in one month, six months, one year, five years from now and how I plan to get it there.

If money was no object where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

My sister has been loving skiing holidays recently. It’s a genre of holiday I’ve never gone on. Switzerland, being cosy in a log cabin, good hot chocolate, colliding with Gwyneth Paltrow on the slopes. Yeah, sign me up for some of that. 

Is my entry added to some Echo Live raffle for one by any chance?

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

This year I’ve started walking in a park near my apartment after the first work session at 10am. It’s a great chance to clear my head, think through a difficult work problem clearly and vicariously have a dog by watching the ones in the park.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

We’ve been loving the spare bed in our apartment.

It’s an amazing piece of social credit that you can just be like “shur, you can stay with us.” We’re getting a good start on hosting in preparation for our 30s, when it’s a serious business.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

One great initiative that my friends started last year is 5-a-side soccer. Our crew gained a bit of popularity and I think the group chat has about 30 people now. 

It’s great to add aspects to your life that are just pure childish fun.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter do you have a signature dish?

I love having friends or family over. One dish I’ve practiced enough to get particularly good at is Carbonara. My secret is the Parmesan used and this garlic-Italian seasoning mix by Schwartz. Also, chorizo is an amazing variation on the usual pancetta. I’ve watched video after video on the recipe and made it probably 100 times at this point. 

The fallout is that I can no longer get it in restaurants as I’m too critical.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork - where are your go to spots for coffee/lunch/ special meal?

I think I have dedicated places depending on the person I’m with.

My friend and I are cult followers of Brendan’s Burritos, which is at the Black Market. We usually get the breakfast nachos, which are top NOTCH-O!

We loved Café Paradiso last time we were there. It’s a 10/10 experience and Denis, the owner, is a lovely guy.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

Sunday is usually a Big Big Movie night. Usually includes a pre-amble walk to the local Tesco to poach an ice-cream on Clubcard offer.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

6.30am, as mentioned above. After coming to grips with consciousness via a coffee, a shower and poking my head outside, I usually start work at 7am at my home office.

Anything else you are up to right now…

I’ve made a short film in a school in Cork city with my good friend Alana Daly Mulligan. We were commissioned by the Bank of Ireland Business to Arts fund. The first public screening is at Cork City Library on Grand Parade on Thursday, August 3, from 1pm-3pm. It’s a free event and all are welcome.

You can find out more about the project at https://www.alanadaly mulligan.com/homofónia.

We hope to screen it at film festivals across the country over the next year.