Latest news with #BrendanGleeson
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In Bruges? Don't steal the cobblestones, locals say
Drugs, sex, murder, attempted murder, black humour - all are to be found amid the mayhem that is the 2008 film "In Bruges", starring Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell as a pair of Irish gangsters trying to hide out in the Belgian city famous for its medieval-era heritage and old town. But one thing the flick does not have is people stealing the city's famous cobblestones, which were made from porphyry quarried from Wallonia, a rock prized for its durability. According to city alderman Franky Demon, light-fingered visitors are helping themselves to at least 50 of the cobblestones every month, apparently to take home as souvenirs. "At iconic sites such as the Minnewater, the Vismarkt, the Markt and the Gruuthusemuseum, an estimated 50 to 70 cobblestones disappear every month and the true figure may be even higher still," Demon told Belga, the national press agency. The number of stolen stones probably increases during the summer as visitor numbers soar, according to the official. Not only does yanking the stones out of the ground undermine the city centre's renowned aesthetic, it leaves pedestrians vulnerable to taking a tumble, particularly elderly walkers who can be frail or less nimble than others. "Anyone that walks through Bruges is walking through centuries of history," Demon said, exhorting would-be thieves to "leave the cobblestones where they belong." But perhaps it is not such a surprise that Bruges would be the setting for such acquisitiveness: after all, it was the home town of Doctor Evil from the Austin Powers film series, a character who described himself as the son of a "relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery."
The Sun
24-05-2025
- The Sun
I drove the Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands along the way
IT'S Ireland's answer to Route 66 – only with jaw-dropping natural beauty instead of neon signs along its 1,500 miles of coastal roads. The Wild Atlantic Way hugs Ireland's western coast — and expect soaring cliffs, deserted golden beaches, brooding mountains, crystal-clear waters and mystical islands off the mainland. 5 5 5 The remote Aran Islands offer something truly different. The stunning scenery, deep culture and friendly people are a given — perhaps that's just the luck of the Irish. But Europe's edge — the last islands to the west before you reach America — are shrouded in legend, folklore and myth. It's no surprise they were used as the backdrop for various films including Oscar -nominated The Banshees of Inisherin, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Famed for wild landscapes, distinctive knitwear and pretty cottages, the Irish-speaking Aran Islands offer the chance to disconnect from the modern world. The rugged terrain has a softness to it, as do the locals. Hidden caves The isle of Inis Mor was our first stop — 12.5 miles off the coast of Co Galway. It is the largest of the three in the archipelago (8.7 miles long and 2.4 miles wide) and has a population of roughly 800. The natural elements created a chiselled coastline complete with a seal colony and rare birds which complement the ancient ruins, local cafés and buzzing nightlife. There are plenty of historical sites to see. The underrated city break destination with scenic beaches, £30 return flights and more than 120 festivals a year We took a tour with Aran Hiking and Biking which included Dún Aonghasa, an ancient stone fort perched on the cliff edge above the rolling waves of the Atlantic, and well worth the trek. We stopped by Teach Nan Phaidí for a hearty, homely lunch and one of the best fish pies I've ever had. Afterwards, we nosed around the knitwear shop before heading back on the road for an enjoyable afternoon of more tales and legends. At Aran Islands Goats Cheese, award-winning farmer and cheese-maker Gabriel plied us with doses of lactic decadence. The goat's cheese with seaweed may sound hit or miss but it was a very firm favourite, and kids would enjoy being on this relaxed farm. The ancient Black Fort, Na Seacht dTeampaíll (The Seven Churches), and The Round Tower were also worth the trip, and then it was back to base at the Aran Islands Hotel. 5 5 Every March, the hotel hosts The Friends of Ted Festival — an annual fan convention for the classic Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. For dinner we headed to Joe Watty's Bar & Restaurant for seafood and battled with the freshest crab claws. Our meal was washed down with local tipples accompanied by a live soundtrack of traditional Irish music complete with fiddle. After a ferry back to the mainland we drove north on the winding roads carved into the backdrop of the Connemara National Park. From the jetty at Cleggen we caught a 40-minute ferry to Inishbofin. Arriving was like something out of a pirate film — complete with turquoise waters, white sandy beaches and dramatic cliffs where Cromwell had his barracks and hidden caves were bases for pirates. The island is a sanctuary for bird- life and is much greener and lusher than the starker Inis Mor. After checking in to Inishbofin House Hotel, with views of the harbour, it was on with a wetsuit to go kayaking around the coves. Lunch was a sensationally simple lobster and chips slathered with garlic butter at the Beach Bar overlooking the beautiful bay. Lobster and chips There's a wide variety of activities including walking, hiking, cycling, birdwatching and sea fishing. Or try canoeing, sailing, snorkelling, windsurfing and waterskiing. The rocky coastline hosts a large variety of sealife and you can even pick edible seaweeds. But we opted for a slower-paced afternoon in the meandering lanes to ascend to the peak of Croc Mor with our guide, islander Tommy Burke — our efforts rewarded by the views from atop. Tommy pointed out the unique white face of An Earagail Mountain (Mount Errigal), and seascapes from Cnoc Fola (Bloody Foreland) to distant Toraigh (Tory Island), to the tip of Horn Head. Our evening was spent enjoying yet more excellent fresh seafood at Saltbox, a quirky food truck. In season, it has to be the crab claws or lobster rolls. Tummies full, what better way to end the night than by heading off on a pub crawl of the island's four drinking holes. We wound up gatecrashing a local wedding at Murray's Bar at the Doonmore Hotel only to be made honorary guests. We drank well into the wee hours enjoying Irish folk music, song, dance and, of course, great craic.
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Brendan Gleeson, Rhasidat Adeleke among recipients of Lord Mayor Award
Brendan Gleeson and Rhasidat Adeleke were among several people who received awards from the Lord Mayor of Dublin at a ceremony tonight. The event is held every year to honour citizens of Dublin who have made a real difference. It recognises the achievements of both individuals and groups across all sectors. Some well-known faces and proud Dubliners were among the recipients. Brendan Gleeson, who has won many awards during his career, said as "a Dub" this means a lot. "To get an award from your home city," he said with a smile, adding: "There is a need to get more positive about the place." He commended the positivity of the Lord Mayor Emma Blaine in her role. He said while there is no honours list in Ireland in terms of knighthood, "which is no harm", this is a way of society saying to people "you are not unseen" and recognising "the goodness in people" and work happening in the city. Former Ireland international Johnny Sexton, who also received an award, said it is very special to be honoured in this way. "l think it's a very proud room," he said. He also said his children were delighted to be at the event and getting to sit next to Brendan Gleeson who starred in Harry Potter. Lord Mayor Emma Blaine said the areas of particular interest to her were recognising dementia awareness and women and girls in sport. "I have a couple of recipients tonight that represent those goals and ideals beautifully," she said. Rhasidat Adeleke was one of those given an award in recognition of her achievements in athletics and her role in inspiring a new generation of young female athletes. The 22-year-old's mother accepted her award on her behalf as the Dublin athlete remains focused on training in the US and breaking running records. As well as acknowledging incredible talent, the seven awards presented tonight were focused on recognising the extraordinary work done by people in different ways. Two brothers Allen and Jay Bobinac who are originally from Croatia were honoured for their dedication to helping the homeless in Dublin city. Accepting their award they described the excitement around this event being almost like the Oscars. Úna Crawford O'Brien accepted an award for her and her partner Bryan Murray who were acknowledged for their outstanding contribution to the arts, on stage and on screen, and for raising awareness of dementia. Isobel Henderson was given a posthumous award for her outstanding service and dedication to the Girls' Brigade Ireland. Another important award was given to Team Power of 1 in recognition of their achievement in the World's Toughest Row and for raising awareness and funds for Heart Children Ireland and Children's Heart Centre - CHI Crumlin in memory of Saoirse O'Driscoll.
Geek Culture
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Spider-Noir' Crawls To 2026, Debuts First Look Of Nicolas Cage As Live-Action 'Spider-Verse' Hero
After charming audiences in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its 2023 sequel (albeit in the post credits), Spider-Man Noir is set to swing into their hearts again in Prime Video's upcoming live-action series Spider-Noir . The Nicolas Cage-led project, first announced in February 2023, is now slated for premiere in 2026, with Amazon releasing a first look at the actor in the hero's iconic costume. The black-and-white image brings the hallmarks of the suit worn by his animated counterpart to life, including a fedora, white goggles, black webbed mask, and trench coat. While the look draws from the 2018 movie, the series is based on the comic books tracing back to 2009, telling the story of 'an ageing and down-on-his-luck private investigator (Cage) in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city's one and only superhero.' Joining Cage, reprising his voice role as the titular webslinger, are Lamorne Morris ( New Girl ) as Robbie Robertson, Brendan Gleeson ( The Banshees of Inisherin ) as a mob boss, Abraham Popoola ( The Rig ) as a World War I veteran, Li Jun Li ( Babylon ) as a nightclub singer, and Jack Huston ( Ben-Hur ) as a bodyguard. Notable guest stars include Lukas Haas ( Inception ), Cameron Britton ( The Umbrella Academy ), Cary Christopher, Michael Kostroff ( The Wire ), Scott MacArthur ( The Mick ), Joe Massingill, Whitney Rice, Amanda Schull ( Pretty Little Liars ), Andrew Caldwell ( College ), Amy Aquino ( ER ), Andrew Robinson ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ), and Kai Caster. Harry Bradbeer of Fleabag and Killing Eve fame is directing and executive producing the first two episodes, with Oren Uziel ( The Lost City , 22 Jump Street ) and Steve Lightfoot, best known for his work on Marvel's The Punisher , serving as co-showrunners and executive producers. Original Into the Spider-verse trio Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal are also onboard the development process. Spider-Noir crawls to the small screen in 2026 and will stream in both black and white and in colour. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Times
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Actress Helen Behan: I call Stephen Graham my ‘brother'
When Helen Behan and Brendan Gleeson were jointly given honorary fellowships by the nursing faculty of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in February, she had a confession to make to the older actor. Behan, who started acting after a chance encounter in a pub in Co Meath, could not shrug off her feeling of impostor syndrome. 'I wandered in off the street into acting,' she told him. 'I have this guilt because other people train really hard and maybe don't get the opportunities I did.' Gleeson was having none of it. 'You have to park that feeling,' he replied. 'Accept it and get on with life.' Behan was being honoured for her services as a nurse while Gleeson was being recognised for
