He also expresses his frustration at "the reductive nature of most journalism nowadays", which offers a "dumbed-down" version of cinema and most subjects.

On his new film project, The Party which looks at the fractured state of modern politics in Britain by way of an upper-class family gathering, he talks about its role as both an amusing story and an allegory.

"I'm very interested in films that are entertaining and funny, but which also have intelligent ideas and ask questions. [Director Sally Potter] smuggled those questions in really brilliantly; questions about society, about the gap between what people may want intellectually and what they want instinctively."

On the startling result of the Brexit referendum that took place while filming, he added, "we went to bed thinking it would be one result and woke up in shock."

"Sally wisely didn't try to shoehorn it into the script after, becase the film already implicitly speaks to how people were feeling at the time".

On moving back to Ireland after living in London for fourteen years, Murphy said, "It was just time. It's the Irish narrative in a way - you do a stint away and then you come home."

The new Hot Press starring The Waterboys is available in stores now (October 26)– or you can order it now direct from hotpress.com. or via download in the iOS app