Latest news with #ColinFarrell
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
‘We Irish were never homogeneous. Always hybrids, always mongrels'
For a generation of TV viewers growing up in the early 1980s, the history of Ireland will be forever sketched by the soft, Oxbridge tones of historian Robert Kee in his magisterial series, Ireland: A Television History. The landmark 13-part 1981 series sought to explain Ireland's past during the height of The Troubles, firstly, to an English audience left ignorant by 'the distorting lens of unquestioning assumptions laced with post-imperial incomprehension', as his obituary later described. From Sunday, June 8th, a new telling of Ireland's story from its very first inhabitants to the present day, narrated by Dublin-born Hollywood film star Colin Farrell , will begin on RTÉ . Entitled From That Small Island, the four 50-minute programmes, filmed in 17 countries from Barbados to Australia, are written and produced by Bríona Nic Dhiarmada and directed by Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy. READ MORE From the off, the series seeks to merge the skills of historians, archaeologists and scientists to tell the island's history in fresh ways that will both inform and challenge many long-held readings of the past. In the first episode, viewers will come face to face with 'Rathlin Man', whose Bronze Age remains were discovered on the island off the North Antrim coast in 2006 during the clearing of land for a pub driveway. In the past, an artist's impression would have been used to convey to viewers what he looked like in life, but today, advances in ancient DNA sampling mean that an accurate facial reconstruction is possible. 'We know this man's face, the muscles, the structure, the colour of his hair, the colour of his eyes. He's got the gene for haemochromatosis , the supposed Celtic disease. He was lactose tolerant, which shows his diet was very much dairy,' says Nic Dhiarmada. History professor Jane Ohlmeyer is the series' historical consultant and associate producer, as well as the co-author with Nic Dhiarmada of an accompanying book to be published next year by Oxford University Press. The very first people to come here were hunter-gatherers. We don't know where they came from, but they came by sea. That's the only thing that we're sure about — Bríona Nic Dhiarmada Sitting in Ohlmeyer's office in Trinity College Dublin, Nic Dhiarmada and Ohlmeyer enthusiastically describe the origin of the TV series. The idea grew from conversations the two had when they met in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2016, where they agreed to work together to tell a new history of the island from a time without written records – 'pre-history' to historians – up to today. The search into the past was not only useful, but necessary to throw light on the present: 'Gabriel Cooney, the eminent professor of archaeology at UCD, says that what comes before determines what comes after,' says Nic Dhiarmada. The two have clearly enjoyed the experience of nearly 10 years of work and the hundreds of hours of recorded interviews gathered by Nic Dhiarmada: 'Do you know how much fun it is? It's work, but it's powerful craic as well,' says Ohlmeyer. Old shibboleths will be tackled: 'This homogeneous Ireland idea, this little Catholic thing, was never the case. We were never homogeneous. Always hybrids, always mongrels. We didn't set out to prove that, but that's what came out,' Nic Dhiarmada says. [ Northern Ireland youth keen on a more integrated society but feel it is a long way off Opens in new window ] The people who built Newgrange and the other megalithic creations that are so much part of Ireland's international image of today left monuments of stone behind them, but they did not leave behind a DNA heritage, disappearing from history. 'The very first people to come here were hunter-gatherers. We don't know where they came from, but they came by sea. That's the only thing that we're sure about,' says Nic Dhiarmada. [ The Irish passport at 100: Not just a travel document but a declaration of hope and of reclaiming identity Opens in new window ] 'They stayed here and then they just disappeared. They left things behind them like fish traps, or cremated remains, but the latter are not that useful because you can't extract DNA from them.' Then, the first farmers came, having migrated from Anatolia in modern-day Turkey, leaving behind in the boglands of the Céide Fields in north Mayo the earliest signs of organised agriculture found anywhere on Earth. In time, the Anatolian migrants almost entirely disappeared from the DNA record, too, though a skeleton of one of them, known as 'Ballynahatty Woman', was found in a townland near Belfast in 1855. 'They knew she had dark, sallow skin and brown eyes. When I asked what these people looked like, I was told, 'Go to Sardinia, they look like contemporary Sardinians,'' Nic Dhiarmada says. The excavation of the island's megalithic inheritance, especially the most famous of its tombs, Poulnabrone in the Burren in Co Clare, led to the discovery of the remains of a six-month-old child. From That Small Island: Kiloggin Castle From That Small Island: Leuven records 'When they analysed the DNA, they found that she had the chromosomes which showed that she had Down syndrome, had been breast-fed for at least six months and was buried in honour,' says Nic Dhiarmada. Throughout, the TV series will show how the island's history shares common threads with elsewhere, but also where it fundamentally differs from the rest of Europe, largely because it is an island. 'Being an island is hugely important because you're isolated to a degree, or things will come later, or in a different way,' says Ohlmeyer. Nic Dhiarmada interjects: 'Compared to Britain, which has pretty much the same climate, pretty much on the same geographic line, we have 40 per cent less flora and fauna than they do. 'We don't have toads, we don't have snakes, or vipers. Snakes. It wasn't because of St Patrick. They never came, they never got here, because getting to an island is much more difficult.' The later episodes will tell the often-grisly story of colonisation. 'The Catholic Irish in the 17th century suffered enormously. The expropriation of eight million acres of land, a third of the land mass. And it's the best land. And then this transplantation of people to Connaught, effectively into reservations,' Ohlmeyer says. 'That's what we saw later in America in the 19th century. So, all of this happened in Ireland for hundreds of years. Ireland is the playbook for imperialism as it unfolds around the world later. That is something that hasn't been fully appreciated.' However, the narrative so often told in Ireland today that 'we were oppressed for 800 years, that we were always very good, that we never did anything bad, that we suffered under the English yoke is not necessarily true, either,' says Nic Dhiarmada. Instead, the history of Ireland is full of endless contradictions, which need to be understood today: 'We are this exception to everything else. We were a colony, but we were agents of empire – we were colonisers as well.' In the 17th century, thousands of Irish were sent as 'press-ganged' indentured servants to the Caribbean. Many died because of the brutal conditions. 'They all suffered tremendously,' says Ohlmeyer, 'but at the end of the day, their whiteness does afford them some privilege. Over time. In Barbados, some Irish such as the Blakes and Kirwans from Galway profited hugely from sugar.' If they survived, the indentured servants were given plots of land. Some prospered. Others did not; their equally poor descendants today in Barbados are known as 'Redlegs', or 'the Ecky Beckies', as the programmes will show. I think Ireland is having a conversation in a very actually mature way that has paved the way for a very difficult conversation around empire and the legacy of empire — Jane Ohlmeyer 'On the one hand, you have people who are desperately poor, who remain desperately poor. On the other, you have people who go on to become very effective overseers on the plantations and plantation owners themselves,' she says. In Jamaica, the records are filled with stories of the Irish who made good on the backs of others – 'the Kellys, who are as rich as any other plantation owner in 18th century Jamaica, investing it in conspicuous consumption back home in Ireland'. Nic Dhiarmada says: 'The people on the island of Ireland were oppressed, were colonised. They often then went out and did the same thing to others, working for the British Empire, Dutch Empire, French Empire, particularly the Spanish Empire. Ricardo Wall, whose parents had left Limerick, 'ends up running the Spanish Empire in the 18th century, and not only is he running it, he's also then the most amazing patron for other Irish people', she says. Often, they argue, 'the abused became the abusers', particularly in the Caribbean where 'people who themselves had been transported and hideously abused go on to be the most violent and aggressive overseers themselves', says Ohlmeyer. [ 'Nobody knew things were going to get so bad': Catholic RUC officer's defaced headstone at centre of Troubles exhibition Opens in new window ] The challenges posed by the series will not just be for Catholics, or those with a Catholic cultural identity: 'For some Protestants, the 17th century or 18th century issues will be hard. To this day, some don't accept that Ireland was ever a colony,' says Ohlmeyer. Yet, equally, the rigid framing of history for nearly 200 years has hidden stories of Protestants suffering during the Famine, who were written out of the narrative: 'Cholera made no religious distinction,' as one US academic puts it. Any idea that only Irish Catholics suffered in the Famine is 'rubbish, absolutely untrue, a myth', says Nic Dhiarmada, one propagated by some in the Orange Order more comfortable with a framing of history that laid the blame for hunger at the door of 'feckless' Catholics. Jane Ohlmeyer and Bríona Nic Dhiarmada and at Duncannon Fort, Co Wexford Layering on the complications, the two tell the story of the Irish Catholics in India who formed two-thirds of the British military forces there working directly for the Crown, or the East India Company. 'Within the British Army, they were treated as if they were indigenous, just like the Indian sepoys. They could never get promoted, even though they enforced British rule,' Nic Dhiarmada says. For decades, historians shied away from telling the fuller story of Ireland's past, especially during The Troubles when everything was politicised 'by both sides in a very unhelpful way, so historians avoided it like the plague', says Ohlmeyer. 'We're in a very different space now. I think Ireland is having a conversation in a very actually mature way that has paved the way for a very difficult conversation around empire and the legacy of empire. 'History muddies the water. Were we the good guys, or the bad guys? We were both. We were the good guys and the bad guys. We had harm done to us, and caused harm to others,' she concludes. From That Small Island begins on RTÉ 1 next Sunday, June 8th at 6.30pm
Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Fans all saying the same thing as trailer for new Colin Farrell flick drops
Fans are all saying the same thing as the trailer drops for Colin Farrell's highly anticipated new film A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a romantic drama, directed by Kogonada and starring Margot Robbie alongside the Irish star. The flick is described as an original story about two strangers brought together by an extraordinary emotional journey. Fans are all saying the same thing as the trailer drops for Colin Farrell's highly anticipated new film Pic: Lisa O'Connor/Shutterstock for SAG A 10-second teaser trailer was released this week, and it's safe to say fans are more than excited to see these two take to the screen together. 'Robbie and Farrell? Yes sir,' one user wrote, while another added: 'The chemistry is real.' 'Colin farell means I'm seated,' a third shared while a number of fans made reference to the star's past cinematic crossovers. 'Penguin & Harley Quinn in another universe,' one penned, while another joked: 'Does the Joker know that Harley Quinn and Penguin are hanging out?' Sony pushed the film's release from May 9 to September 19, with plot details having been kept tightly under wraps. However, sleuthy fans have deduced that the film follows two strangers who meet at a wedding and set off on a GPS-guided adventure which involves time travel and a lot of romance. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a romantic drama, directed by Kogonada and starring Margot Robbie alongside the Irish star. Pic: Karwai Tang/WireImage This marks Margot's first acting role since the 2023 box office sensation, Barbie, while the Dublin native follows up his award-winning performance in The Penguin. The pair join a star-studded ensemble cast including Lily Rabe, Jodie Turner-Smith, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Hamish Linklater. Looks like we'll be running to the cinema come September, how about you?
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Colin Farrell looks smart in a navy blue suit as he films for season two of Apple TV series Sugar in Los Angeles
Colin Farrell looked smart as he filmed scenes for season two of his Apple TV series Sugar in Los Angeles on Friday. The Irish actor, 48, who stars as lead character John Sugar in the neo-noir mystery drama, wore a navy blue suit as he got in character. He completed his look with a black tie and added a pair of brown leather dress shoes. Colin shielded his eyes with a pair of square-framed sunglasses and was seen chatting with other members of the cast. The series follows private investigator John as he investigates the disappearance of a wealthy movie producer's granddaughter. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. It comes after Colin revealed the reason behind his decision to place his adult disabled son into care - explaining that he wants to ensure his son's care is properly managed while he and his ex-partner are still alive, and to provide him with a strong sense of community. The actor previously explained how son James, 21, was heartbreakingly misdiagnosed with cerebral palsy before doctors eventually confirmed he was suffering from Angelman syndrome. Angelman syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that primarily affects the nervous system, causes severe physical and intellectual disability. Speaking to Candis Magazine, Colin revealed he and his ex Kim Bordenave have made a decision and plan to settle James into a long-term care facility. He said: 'It's tricky, some parents will say: "I want to take care of my child myself." And I respect that. 'But my horror would be... What if I have a heart attack tomorrow, and, God forbid, James' mother, Kim, has a car crash and she's taken too – and then James is on his own? 'Then he's a ward of the state and he goes where? We'd have no say in it.' He and Kim are hoping to 'find somewhere we like where he can go now, while we're still alive and healthy, that we can go and visit, and we can take him out sometimes'. Colin continued: 'We want him to find somewhere where he can have a full and happy life, where he feels connected.' WHAT IS CEREBRAL PALSY? Cerebral palsy is the name for a set of conditions affecting movement and co-ordination stemming from a problem with the brain that takes place before, during or soon after birth. Symptoms are not typically obvious immediately after a child is born — but instead normally become noticeable after two or three years. They include delays in reaching development milestones, such as: not sitting by eight months; not walking by 18 months; appearing too stiff or too floppy; walking on tip-toes; weak arms or legs; fidgety, jerky or clumsy movements; random, uncontrolled movements; Difficulty speaking, swallowing or seeing — along with learning difficulties — can also be symptoms. Cerebral palsy symptoms can be caused by a number of things and are not necessarily an indication of the condition, which can occur if a child's brain does not develop normally while in the womb, or is damaged during or soon after birth. Causes include bleeding in the baby's brain, reduced blood and oxygen supply, infection caught by the mother while pregnant, asphyxiation during a difficult birth, meningitis or a serious head injury - though the precise cause is often not clear. There is no cure currently, but physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and medication are often used as treatment. Each person living with the condition is affected in a different way, but generally speaking most children live into adult life and some can live for many decades. The Phone Booth actor previously discussed his first-born son's condition and said medical advice was sought after James missed developmental milestones and struggled to sit up or crawl as a baby. Colin explained how many sufferers of the rare syndrome are often misdiagnosed with cerebral palsy due to both conditions having similar symptoms. He told People: '[James] couldn't sit up. He wasn't crawling. I think he was a year and a half when we took him to get really checked out, and he was diagnosed as having cerebral palsy.' Cerebral palsy is the name for a set of conditions affecting movement and co-ordination stemming from a problem with the brain that takes place before, during or soon after birth. Difficulty speaking, swallowing or seeing — along with learning difficulties — can also be symptoms. Colin said: 'It was a common misdiagnosis, because it shared a lot of the same characteristics. And that was a downer for sure.' The Oscar nominee revealed that, when James was only about two and a half years old, a pediatric neurologist suggested he be tested for Angelman syndrome. Recalling the moment he received the diagnosis, he shared: 'I remember the first two questions I asked were, "What's the life expectancy and how much pain is involved?" 'And the doctor said, "Life expectancy, as far as we can tell, is the same for you and for me, and pain, no."' A doctor had noticed an unusual symptom that prompted him to test for Angelman syndrome. Colin explained: 'One of the characteristics of Angelman syndrome is outbreaks of laughter. And the doctor saw that James was laughing a lot and doing this movement [he waves his hands],' the father-of-two shared. Angelman syndrome is also characterized by seizures, which Colin - who also shares son Henry Tadeusz, 15, with Polish actress Alicja Bachleda-Curus, 41 - said is 'one of the things that parents struggle with greatly'. He added: 'Thankfully, James hasn't had a breakthrough seizure now in about 10 or 11 years, but I've been in the back of ambulances, I've been in the hospital with him. 'I've done Diastat [a sedative] up his rectum to get him out of a seizure that lasted longer than three minutes. Finding the right amount of medication that doesn't have adverse effects — that's all very tricky business.' The actor is now launching the Colin Farrell Foundation to provide support, education, and advocacy for adults with intellectual disabilities. 'This is the first time I've spoken about it, and obviously the only reason I'm speaking is I can't ask James if he wants to do this,' he said. The proud dad stated that his eldest son 'has worked so hard all his life, so hard'. He said: 'Repetition, repetition, balance, his jerky gait. When he started feeding himself for the first time, his face looks like a Jackson Pollock by the end of it. But he gets it in, he feeds himself beautifully. I'm proud of him every day, because I just think he's magic.' Colin also described watching his son take his first steps just before his fourth birthday. Detailing the 'profound' moment to People, Colin said: 'I knew they [James's carers] were working on walking. And I stood over there, and she let him go, and he just came to [me]. He shares his younger son Henry with Ondine co-star, Polish actress Alicja Bachleda-Curus (pictured, in 2010) whom he dated from from approximately late 2008 to early 2010 'It was so profound. It was magic. 'I'll never forget just the face of determination on him as he walked toward me. He took, like, six steps, and I burst into tears.' James's condition is severe enough that he is nonverbal and requires the help of a live-in caregiver to accomplish his day-to-day tasks. When James was four, Colin went public with his Angelman Syndrome, saying his son had demonstrated 'amazing courage' in the face of his condition. Shortly before James turned 18, Colin and Kim filed to obtain a conservatorship of him, noting he still needed help with tasks like getting dressed and making meals. He later went on to reveal that he and James's mother make sure to share in the smallest victories and enjoy the milestones whatever age they happen - including James's first words aged six, being able to feed himself at 19, and getting his seizures under control. Colin has maintained a very private life and has not spoken about his son in great detail until recently, although he told InStyle he first decided to 'talk publicly about the pride and joy I had in our son' while attending the 2007 Special Olympics. He said: 'He has enriched my life, but I don't want to minimize the trials that so many families go through; the fear, consternation, frustration, and pain... When you're the parent of a child with special needs, it's important to feel that you're not alone.' Discussing being a parent to a child with disabilities, the Hollywood star said that James was the main reason he was able to get sober. Colin and James's mother Kim dated from 2001 to 2003. He later had Henry with his Ondine co-star Alicja, whom he dated from from approximately late 2008 to early 2010. What is Angelman syndrome? Angelman syndrome is a genetic condition that affects the nervous system and causes severe physical and learning disabilities. A person with Angelman syndrome will have a near-normal life expectancy, but they will need support throughout their life. Characteristics of Angelman syndrome A child with Angelman syndrome will begin to show signs of delayed development at around six to 12 months of age, such as being unable to sit unsupported or make babbling noises. Later, they may not speak at all, or may only be able to say a few words. However, most children with Angelman syndrome will be able to communicate using gestures, signs or other systems. The movement of a child with Angelman syndrome will also be affected. They may have difficulty walking because of issues with balance and co-ordination (ataxia). Their arms may tremble or make jerky movements, and their legs may be stiff. Several distinctive behaviours are associated with Angelman syndrome. These include: * frequent laughter and smiling, often with little stimulus * being easily excitable, often flapping the hands * being restless (hyperactive) * having a short attention span * trouble sleeping and needing less sleep than other children
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Colin Farrell traces 8,000 years of Irish history in new series on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
Colin Farrell narrates From That Small Island - The Story of the Irish, a new four-part documentary series coming to RTÉ One and RTÉ Player next month. Premiering on Sunday 8 June at 6:30pm, the series will bring to life "the extraordinary story of the Irish people, from the island's very first inhabitants to the global diaspora that now numbers over 80 million people". From That Small Island is created by the writer and filmmaker Bríona Nic Dhiarmada and produced by the award-winning team behind 1916: The Irish Rebellion. Along with filming across the island of Ireland, the programme makers have also travelled "from Barbados to Belgium, Singapore to Switzerland, UAE to the United States". "In the first episode, viewers are taken back to the ancient Céide Fields and introduced to the earliest settlers, including the remarkable discovery of the remains of a baby with the Down Syndrome gene, cared for and breastfed over 5,000 years ago," says the team. "The series then moves through millennia, from the Viking invasions and Christianisation of Ireland to the modern era, all while spotlighting personal stories and seldom-told truths." Highlights from the series include: The television debut of the face of 'Rathlin Man', a 4,000-year-old ancestor whose face was reconstructed using cutting-edge DNA technology. The first written reference to hurling. Darker chapters of Irish history, from cannibalism and plague to Irish involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. Forgotten Irish explorers: a Galway man on Columbus's 1492 voyage and two more on Magellan's circumnavigation. A Mayo-born general who rose through the ranks to lead the Argentinian army. The Irish-language printing press in Leuven, Belgium, and the Longford priest who heard the final confession of King Louis XVI. From That Small Island - The Story of the Irish is a COCO Content production written and produced by Bríona Nic Dhiarmada and directed by Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy. It begins on Sunday 8 June on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Saltburn star Barry Keoghan opens up about his drugs battle saying 'I'm an addict'
The Irish actor, who also found acclaim in films such as The Banshees if Inisherin opposite Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, spoke about his own drugs experiences as well as the loss of his family members as a result of their own addictions. Saltburn star Barry Keoghan has opened up about his drug addiction battle admitting he is considers himself an addict. The Irish actor, who also found acclaim in films such as The Banshees of Inisherin opposite Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, spoke about his own drugs experiences as well as the loss of his family members as a result of their own addictions. He said: 'I'm not in denial anymore." The actor said that his "curiosity" after his family's history of addiction was "detrimental," as well as sharing where he is now in his sobriety journey. He opened up about his struggles with substance abuse and his family's history of addiction, which took the lives of not just his parents but several family members. "I'm not in denial anymore. I understand that I do have an addiction, and I am an addict," Keoghan, 32, said. "You know, when you accept that, you finally can move on, and learn to work with it." In an interview with Hollywood Authentic he detailed growing up in Dublin as he revisited the home he and his brother, Eric, lived in following years of foster care amid their mother's struggles with addiction. Keoghan's mother, Debbie, passed away in 2003 from a heroin overdose. "I remember being kids here and hearing my mum scream through the letterbox, asking for us, while she's battling addiction, while she's looking for money to score," Keoghan said. "And we were just told to stay in bed. We weren't to go down and hug her." He added: "My father passed away as a result of similar and I lost my mum to it. I've lost two uncles and a cousin to drugs. That should be enough to go, 'OK, if I dabble here, I'm f--ked," he said. "Your curiosity is a powerful thing," Keoghan, who shares son, Brando, two, with ex Alyson Sandro, added ."Sometimes it's beneficial, and sometimes it's detrimental. For me, it was detrimental. 'Even my own son coming into this world didn't stop me from being curious. You know, you go to LA, you go to Hollywood, wherever the big scene is. 'There's an enormous amount of pressure, and a different lifestyle that is good and bad for you. You're around the scene. You just happen to be the one that ends up doing it." During the interview, Keoghan rolled up his sleeves, revealing scars on his arm. "I've got scars here to literally prove it. They're a result of using," he said. "I'm at peace now, and responsible for everything that I do. I'm accepting. I'm present. I'm content. I'm a father. I'm getting to just see that haze that was once there -- it's just a bit sharper now, and colourful." Keoghan said: I feel like I've arrived. I apologise, too, mainly to myself more than anything else for all the pain I've put people and myself through." He also credited his driver, Niall, for taking him to a rehab facility to get treatment. "Niall literally drove me and put me on a plane himself, came with me and brought me to the rehab in England," Keoghan said, adding that he returned to the treatment centre. "It was nice to see the staff again and for them to see the change in me. They were quite emotional about it." "I'm forever grateful. When I say that Niall is the best, I mean it, because no one else put me on the plane, by the hand, literally got on the plane with me," he added. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
