Latest news with #Cushla
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Channel 4's 'moving' new period drama about forbidden love story hailed 'the best'
Channel 4's new period drama starring Gillian Anderson is based off Louise Kennedy's 2022 best selling novel. Channel 4 is set to release a brand new period drama which has already been branded as one of the "best". Trespasses starring Gillian Anderson is based on Louise Kennedy's 2022 novel of the same name and is set during The Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s. Starring alongside the X Files actress in the role of Gina, who's described as a 'glorious wreck', is Lola Petticrew, as the role of Gina's daughter, Cushla, who she is constantly sparring with. Tom Cullen, Martin McCann and Gerard McCarthy also star in the upcoming series, which wrapped up filming in Belfast in December last year. While a release date has not yet been set the show will be coming to Channel 4 later this year and it's already been hailed as 'the best' by Red Magazine reviewers. The broadcaster's synopsis reads: "1975, in a town outside Belfast. "Whilst working one night behind the bar of her family pub, serving a mixed crowd including the locally stationed soldiers, Catholic schoolteacher Cushla meets Michael, an older Protestant married man, who often defends IRA suspects and is friends with cultured Bohemians who enrage and intrigue Cushla. "Worlds apart, Cushla knows a relationship like this spells all kinds of trouble, but they are irresistibly drawn to one another. "In a place where loose lips cost lives and danger lurks in the shadows, amidst the fear and paranoia, this illicit affair between Cushla and Michael ignites and burns bright..." Those who have read the book, which was also shortlisted for the Women's Prize 2023, have heaped praise among the novel with one fan describing it on Amazon as very "moving". Another reviewer said: "Trespasses by Louise Kennedy is an exceptionally well-written, intense novel. This is not an easy read, and you know from the very beginning that there can be no happy ending for these characters. "The prose is direct and at times brutally honest while describing the societal distinctions, violence, divisiveness, bigotry and politics in Northern Ireland during the early years of the Troubles. "I was completely immersed in this novel. The authenticity shone forth and wrapped me in its spell. This is an extremely well-written book that presents both political and emotional complexities in the most straightforward of plots. "There is nothing ornate or clever here, but the author's dedication to truthfulness and organicity broke my heart many times while stoking outrage and tenderness in equal measure." A third described it as: "A passionate but everyday love affair has repercussions not just for Romeo and Juliet but contributes to both implosions and explosions for families, the community and Ireland at large. These are characters and narratives that are etched deeply into my gut. Thank you for this humble yet riveting masterpiece, Ms. Kennedy! Brava." Trespasses will be available to stream on Channel 4 later this year.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Channel 4's 'moving' new period drama about forbidden romance hailed 'the best'
The upcoming series is coming to Channel 4 later this year (Image: Steffan Hill/Channel 4) Channel 4 is set to release a brand new period drama which has already been branded as one of the "best". Trespasses starring Gillian Anderson is based on Louise Kennedy's 2022 novel of the same name and is set during The Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s. Starring alongside the X Files actress in the role of Gina, who's described as a 'glorious wreck', is Lola Petticrew, as the role of Gina's daughter, Cushla, who she is constantly sparring with. Tom Cullen, Martin McCann and Gerard McCarthy also star in the upcoming series, which wrapped up filming in Belfast in December last year. While a release date has not yet been set the show will be coming to Channel 4 later this year and it's already been hailed as 'the best' by Red Magazine reviewers. The broadcaster's synopsis reads: "1975, in a town outside Belfast. Gillian Anderson plays a leading role in the show (Image: Channel 4) "Whilst working one night behind the bar of her family pub, serving a mixed crowd including the locally stationed soldiers, Catholic schoolteacher Cushla meets Michael, an older Protestant married man, who often defends IRA suspects and is friends with cultured Bohemians who enrage and intrigue Cushla. "Worlds apart, Cushla knows a relationship like this spells all kinds of trouble, but they are irresistibly drawn to one another. "In a place where loose lips cost lives and danger lurks in the shadows, amidst the fear and paranoia, this illicit affair between Cushla and Michael ignites and burns bright..." Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Those who have read the book, which was also shortlisted for the Women's Prize 2023, have heaped praise among the novel with one fan describing it on Amazon as very "moving". Another reviewer said: "Trespasses by Louise Kennedy is an exceptionally well-written, intense novel. This is not an easy read, and you know from the very beginning that there can be no happy ending for these characters. "The prose is direct and at times brutally honest while describing the societal distinctions, violence, divisiveness, bigotry and politics in Northern Ireland during the early years of the Troubles. "I was completely immersed in this novel. The authenticity shone forth and wrapped me in its spell. This is an extremely well-written book that presents both political and emotional complexities in the most straightforward of plots. "There is nothing ornate or clever here, but the author's dedication to truthfulness and organicity broke my heart many times while stoking outrage and tenderness in equal measure." A third described it as: "A passionate but everyday love affair has repercussions not just for Romeo and Juliet but contributes to both implosions and explosions for families, the community and Ireland at large. These are characters and narratives that are etched deeply into my gut. Thank you for this humble yet riveting masterpiece, Ms. Kennedy! Brava." Trespasses will be available to stream on Channel 4 later this year.
The Guardian
10-08-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Dining across the divide: ‘I expected to be portrayed as an old gammon and paired up with some radical with coloured hair'
Occupation Works in software Voting record Cushla, who came to the UK from New Zealand in 1999, voted Labour in the last election. Describes herself as centre-left Amuse bouche Was the singer in a band in the 90s. She describes them as 'Enigma remixed by Einstürzende Neubauten' Occupation Retired photographer Voting record Reform in the last election, probably Reform in the next. Describes himself as right-of-centre Amuse bouche Martin once told the then Prince Charles an anecdote about an encounter with Liam Gallagher in a nightclub toilet. The future king was 'completely bemused' Martin I was expecting the Guardian to portray me as an old gammon and pair me up with some radical with coloured hair. Then she walked through the door with blue hair, which was rather amusing! She was lovely from the outset – friendly and interesting. We started with some shredded prawn rolls and deep-fried lotus root. Cushla We were both a little wary. I decided to set him at ease by saying: 'Don't worry, my partner voted for Brexit.' He said: 'Why are you here, then? You dine across the divide every evening!' I was expecting a grumpy old man. You can create a two-dimensional stereotype in your brain, and Martin wasn't that. The place was lovely. Martin I have seen a significant change in crime and general disorder even in the last couple of years – people jumping the barriers in the tube, shoplifting, phone-snatching, seemingly without repercussions. To get a grip on crime, you need to start tackling it at the lower level, otherwise people start thinking they can get away with it. Cushla Martin is training to become a magistrate and talked about his experience of watching people come in and out of court. I think he's far more in favour of imprisonment. I countered by saying: let's look at doing more restorative justice – giving offenders the chance to really encounter the impact of their crimes. Martin Some people who break the law, generally more white-collar criminals, are not best served by prison. But for severe crimes – violent, sexual – I think people should be kept in a lot longer than they are, away from society. It requires more cross-party planning, though. Investing in a prison is a 10- or 15-year project; governments don't want to put money into that because they'll be out of power by the time the prison is built. Cushla I think I would be a different kind of magistrate, but I say that from a position of hopeful naivety. I know the justice system is broken, that there is insufficient money. Martin We shared how much we despised the Tory government after 14 years of incompetence and were incredulous that the Labour party think the way to make things better is to cut disability payments and not revoke the two-child benefit cap. Cushla It surprised me that we agreed that the cap should be removed. When you're poor, you're poor, and the early stages are when the most good – and most damage – can be done. Martin Governments across all political parties have consistently promised to tackle illegal immigration and completely failed to do so. It's a cliche, but you're letting people into your house without knowing who they are. I'd favour some kind of holding and assessment system – more like the solution Australia came up with where they housed everyone on an island while they processed their applications and determined who should be let in and who shouldn't. Cushla I'm frustrated by the tag 'illegal'. People are not born 'illegal'; we're creating the conditions for them to become so. I came here on an ancestry visa so I am 'legal' by an accident of birth. What makes my accident of birth any better or worse than someone else's? And given the UK's history in the world, the UK does actually have a very particular moral obligation, whether it likes it or not. Martin It was great to meet someone with different views but also to be able to have a conversation, rather than just throw opinions at each other. I think it's society that demands we take extreme positions, and really, we're not far away from each other in what we think. Cushla When people think differently you don't tend to hear why or get the opportunity to actually challenge your own thinking. What this has taught me is you have to listen to rather than talk. Additional reporting: Kitty Drake Cushla and Martin ate at Xi Home Dumplings Bay in London E1 Want to meet someone from across the divide? Find out how to take part
The Guardian
10-08-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Dining across the divide: ‘I expected to be portrayed as an old gammon and paired up with some radical with coloured hair'
Occupation Works in software Voting record Cushla, who came to the UK from New Zealand in 1999, voted Labour in the last election. Describes herself as centre-left Amuse bouche Was the singer in a band in the 90s. She describes them as 'Enigma remixed by Einstürzende Neubauten' Occupation Retired photographer Voting record Reform in the last election, probably Reform in the next. Describes himself as right-of-centre Amuse bouche Martin once told the then Prince Charles an anecdote about an encounter with Liam Gallagher in a nightclub toilet. The future king was 'completely bemused' Martin I was expecting the Guardian to portray me as an old gammon and pair me up with some radical with coloured hair. Then she walked through the door with blue hair, which was rather amusing! She was lovely from the outset – friendly and interesting. We started with some shredded prawn rolls and deep-fried lotus root. Cushla We were both a little wary. I decided to set him at ease by saying: 'Don't worry, my partner voted for Brexit.' He said: 'Why are you here, then? You dine across the divide every evening!' I was expecting a grumpy old man. You can create a two-dimensional stereotype in your brain, and Martin wasn't that. The place was lovely. Martin I have seen a significant change in crime and general disorder even in the last couple of years – people jumping the barriers in the tube, shoplifting, phone-snatching, seemingly without repercussions. To get a grip on crime, you need to start tackling it at the lower level, otherwise people start thinking they can get away with it. Cushla Martin is training to become a magistrate and talked about his experience of watching people come in and out of court. I think he's far more in favour of imprisonment. I countered by saying: let's look at doing more restorative justice – giving offenders the chance to really encounter the impact of their crimes. Martin Some people who break the law, generally more white-collar criminals, are not best served by prison. But for severe crimes – violent, sexual – I think people should be kept in a lot longer than they are, away from society. It requires more cross-party planning, though. Investing in a prison is a 10- or 15-year project; governments don't want to put money into that because they'll be out of power by the time the prison is built. Cushla I think I would be a different kind of magistrate, but I say that from a position of hopeful naivety. I know the justice system is broken, that there is insufficient money. Martin We shared how much we despised the Tory government after 14 years of incompetence and were incredulous that the Labour party think the way to make things better is to cut disability payments and not revoke the two-child benefit cap. Cushla It surprised me that we agreed that the cap should be removed. When you're poor, you're poor, and the early stages are when the most good – and most damage – can be done. Martin Governments across all political parties have consistently promised to tackle illegal immigration and completely failed to do so. It's a cliche, but you're letting people into your house without knowing who they are. I'd favour some kind of holding and assessment system – more like the solution Australia came up with where they housed everyone on an island while they processed their applications and determined who should be let in and who shouldn't. Cushla I'm frustrated by the tag 'illegal'. People are not born 'illegal'; we're creating the conditions for them to become so. I came here on an ancestry visa so I am 'legal' by an accident of birth. What makes my accident of birth any better or worse than someone else's? And given the UK's history in the world, the UK does actually have a very particular moral obligation, whether it likes it or not. Martin It was great to meet someone with different views but also to be able to have a conversation, rather than just throw opinions at each other. I think it's society that demands we take extreme positions, and really, we're not far away from each other in what we think. Cushla When people think differently you don't tend to hear why or get the opportunity to actually challenge your own thinking. What this has taught me is you have to listen to rather than talk. Additional reporting: Kitty Drake Cushla and Martin ate at Xi Home Dumplings Bay in London E1 Want to meet someone from across the divide? Find out how to take part
Irish Times
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
New Irish albums reviewed and rated: Paddy Hanna, Lullahush, Cushla, Maria Somerville and Danny Groenland
Paddy Hanna: Oylegate (Strange Brew ) ★★★★☆ Paddy Hanna has been a critics' darling for years. Oylegate, his fifth album, may not help him cross the line to commercial success, but if there is some contentment in writing songs that make the weight of the world less burdensome, then he has achieved that, at least. Produced by Daniel Fox of Gilla Band, the album features silky-smooth – which is strikingly ironic given that the songs' lyrics are influenced by 'the crushing lows and euphoric highs of parenthood' and 'by an artist embracing change rather than fighting it', as Hanna puts it in the album notes. [ Self Esteem on the music business: 'It's things like dressing rooms with only a urinal which make women give up' Opens in new window ] Lullahush: Ithaca (Future Classic) ★★★☆☆ The Athens-based Dubliner Daniel McIntyre, aka Lullahush, is on to something with Ithaca, his paganistic marriage of traditional Irish music and twitchy electronica. The album is a brazenly multilayered piece of work, by turns serious and skittish. Irish colloquialisms and spoken word sit beside spine-tingling sean-nós (Saileog Ní Cheannabháin's An Droighneán Donn), Hawaiian guitars, techno drones, the vocals of Maija Sofia (radiant on Jimmy an Chladaigh) and the most imaginative version of Patrick Kavanagh's Raglan Road you're likely to hear. Occasionally messy it might be, but McIntyre has fashioned something different here, something bold, something else. Cushla: Tech Duinn (Foehn Records) ★★★☆☆ Cushla's debut album, Tech Duinn, a collaborative project between the Wexford-based producer Marc Fernandez, the Co Kilkenny composer and remixer Leo Pearson and the Co Cork Gaeltacht singer Nell Ní Chróinín, pleasingly ventures to places we're becoming very much accustomed to. Tracks such as The Mountain, 7 Years, Aisling, Fós and Geantraí nimbly fuse sean-nós with soft drum-machine pulses, synthesiser embellishments and engrossing ambient music. Maria Somerville: Luster (4AD) ★★★☆☆ Maria Somerville has never been reticent about drawing influences from her native Connemara, but what marks her out as an original is the way she complements the uneven, magnificent wilderness of the landscapes with lush shoegaze and slow-motion postpunk. She wrote and recorded most of Luster at home, close to Lough Corrib, with notable contributions from Ian Lynch of Lankum, who provides uilleann-pipe drones on Violet, and Margie Jean Lewis, who plays violin on Flutter. READ MORE Danny Groenland: Burning Rome (self-released) ★★★★☆ Danny Groenland's album Burning Rome brings influences of Steely Dan, Weather Report, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and D'Angelo to its meticulously executed soul/jazz. The narrative focus may not be joyful – themes include homelessness, inequality, mental health, police brutality, climate change, racism and genocide – but not one song on the album is a drag to listen to. From soulful summer heat (Somewhere) and Steely Dan-style silkiness (Work Out) to piano ballads (Never Going Home) and positive vibes (Chip In), Burning Rome sizzles from start to end.
