Inception star Cillian Murphy was honored in his native Ireland as he picked up a top drama prize at the 2012 Irish Times Theatre Awards.

Murphy was named Best Actor on Monday for his performance as disturbed character Thomas Magill in the one-man production Misterman.

Accepting his trophy, Murphy singled out the show's playwright and director Enda Walsh, who originally gave him his big break in the stage show Disco Pigs.

He told the crowd, "I only have two words for this really: Enda Walsh. Fifteen years ago he gifted me a career with his play Disco Pigs and 15 years later he gifted me the part of Thomas Magill in Misterman."

Misterman was previously staged in New York and at Ireland's Galway Arts Festival; it will next be seen in London's National Theatre in April.