Latest news with #Dubliner
Irish Post
29 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
From Disco Pigs to adapting Sing Street for the stage, Enda Walsh tells all
ENDA WALSH is an Irish writer, playwright and screenwriter. He cast Cillian Murphy in his first play Disco Pigs and recently worked with him on the film Small Things Like These. In his latest project, Enda takes us back to the 80s with an adaptation of his book, Sing Street at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, West London. He chatted to CLAUDIA REDMOND about the show, being mistaken for a Corkonian, and what it was like being taught by Roddy Doyle. Enda Walsh has adapted his book Sing Street for the stage So what are you up to? We are here today at a rehearsal showing of Sing Street. I think it is pretty joyful: it is set in 1984-1985 in Ireland. A group of school kids put a band together, they go from their school uniforms to dressing up like Duran Duran. It is pretty chaotic but they end up finding their voices. It is a story about friendship and community. It's a beautiful film that John Carney made. It's a beautiful story and a real honour to put it on stage. It is bitter sweet at times, it's all the Irish stuff, it's quite chaotic, funny, a little bit sad: that sort of vibe. What was your look back in 1985? The thing about the 1980s was every sort of three months there seemed to be like a different style of dress. I went through the early electronic sort of stuff, Duran Duran, Gary Numan all that sort of thing, and Human League. But by 1985 I was probably into The Smiths, so there were a lot of cardigans. Roddy Doyle was one of your teachers at school. What was he like and was he strict? He was an extraordinary teacher. Roddy got us all into English, I turned out a writer but there were other people in my class who were probably better writers: I just stuck with it. It seemed like we did the curriculum and then he opened up this cabinet at the end of the room, and it was full of these books. A lot of American literature. He introduced us to a whole range of different writers, and it was true we used to sort of bum cigarettes off one another in the yard and talk about Charles Bukowski or whoever it was. What is your favourite Roddy Doyle book? When I read Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha he talks about the estate Kilbarrack being built that was just behind my house. So I know that terrain really well as a very young boy. It's a beautiful book: the story of a relationship breaking down, a divorce, but through a kid's point of view. What are your Irish roots? I am a Dubliner but a lot of people in Ireland think that I'm from Cork because I started making work in Cork. I had a play called Disco Pigs when I was a younger man, and a Dublin man moving to Cork was a bit of a strange move. They gave us a civic reception, and when the Cork people found out that I was a Dublin man they almost took it away from me. There was a bit of 'What!? You're actually a Dub! Jesus!' But I loved that city. Cork is an amazing City, it's always been great, the scale of it is fantastic. The shape of it is like an amphitheatre, so to me as a Dubliner moving down there it was always very theatrical. Cork people themselves because it is the second city they've got a lot to prove, so I've always loved their attitude. Cork star Cillian Murphy You're well known for giving a famous Cork man, Cillian Murphy, his start. How did that come about? Cillian was in a band not unlike the Sing Street guys. He was 18 at the time and in a band called The Sons of Mr Green Genes. They were like kids just like these fellas here, a fantastic band and they were just about to be signed to an Acid-Jazz label and I had a play called Disco Pigs that we were casting. I wrote it for Eileen Walsh this great Cork actor, and she was very young at the time, she was 18, but I had seen her in a play and thought she was extraordinary. Then we were looking for this guy and we were all obsessed with Cillian in this band. He just had this magnetism and it just turned out that he could act, so I auditioned him, gave him the role. We've made a ton of work since: he's just got something. What is the next project you have in mind to work on together? We always want to work with one another. We made a movie last year: 'Small Things Like These.' When you work with friends the shorthand is there, it's quite joyful and fun and I'm sure we will work again together. The cast of Sing Sing (Pic: Richard Southgate) What is your favourite theatre in Ireland? It's just about to be pulled down, and it's barely a theatre. I love Galway a lot, and I've premiered a lot of my own shows in the Black Box in Galway, which is in a car park. I remember bringing producers from around the world, they would come to see my shows and they would walk through this car park asking, 'what are you doing here?' But the venue itself has an amazing atmosphere and that is my favourite place. I have made a ton of shows in there and now they are pulling it down which is super sad. How do you think theatre is doing in Ireland at the moment? I don't live there, but I go back. We've always had incredibly strong actors but I think now we've got really great directors, so I think the work has become really quite dangerous and expressive and unusual, and I'm really proud of that. It's changed a lot in the last 15 years, a lot of young companies. But it's hard work. It's hard to keep it going I think for all of them. But it's always been like that. Even when I was a boy in my twenties it was always a difficult profession to be in and to stay in. I am excited though when I go back and see these really quite arresting productions. The Irish are taking over London at the moment, with Conor McPherson having back to back productions at the Old Vic with The Brightening Air and Girl from the North Country and yourself of course. Are you surprised? Yes and Mark O'Rowe at the Kiln Theatre with Reunion. When I play in America and they say 'Why are there so many Irish writers?' I think it has to do with our geography. I think it has to do with the fact that we're on the edge of Europe so a lot of the work is to do with identity and self-analysis, about who we are. Who we are in relation to Britain used to be the old plays, or who we are in relation to America, a whole load of plays about that. Back in the day in the 1700s, back in the villages you had the Seanchaí in the town who would stand up and proclaim who we were at the time and talk out these stories. It's all about where we are, who we are, what we're doing, what we want to do, and that's a very island mentality. Irish people have always been like that. That is why there are a ton of writers, poets, and musicians. What is your favourite memory as a child back in Ireland? I grew up in Dublin and on a Sunday we would go on a walk around Howth: it's very beautiful. If anyone is in Dublin they should take the DART out there, get off at the harbour and there is a great chipper at the end of the harbour. I have had so many conversations with my mother walking up there, and she used to take all of us. I still do it with my brother or friends, it is a ritual thing. What advice would you give to aspiring writers? It is tricky, but when I was in Dublin in my twenties and starting out, I worked with friends at the back of pubs, or the centre of pubs. In Cork we were given the Triskel Arts Centre to do shows and it was just trying out material. Over the course of three years we got our Arts Council funding and we took it very seriously. Young people just need to persevere and have a go at it. A lot of it is luck, most of it is luck. I have been incredibly fortunate. You have to be ready for the luck so you have to show up a little bit. What's your next project? I'm doing a lot of film at the moment. I am working for MGM on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a new version of it, which is really fun, so I'm writing that at the moment, so my head is in that incredibly weird, dark, funny world. Sing Street runs from the July 8 to August 23 at the Lyric Hammersmith. Click here for tickets. See More: Cillian Murphy, Disco Pics, Enda Walsh, Sing Street
RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Pádraig Harrington clashes with on-course reporter but still shares US Open lead
Pádraig Harrington holds a share of the lead at the US Senior Open at Broadmoor Golf Club - although he was involved in a post-round spat with former PGA Tour player and NBC golf analyst Roger Maltbie. The Dubliner shot his second successive round of 67 to move to six-under par for the tournament, leaving him tied at the top with American Stewart Cink and Australia's Mark Hensby. Cink's 66 was the best score so far at the tournament in Colorado Springs. "I've played pretty good golf but nothing spectacular," he said afterwards. Harrington, who won this event in 2022, is getting steady overall results, but his luck on individual holes was a little more disparate. He balanced six birdies against three bogeys. "Most of Thursday and Friday is jockeying for position, keeping yourself in the tournament, trying not to lose the tournament, but after the start I had today, I could have got some daylight between myself and the field and got out there," said Harrington, who birdied three of his first four holes. "I just have to go and do it all again the next two days." Alone in fourth place is Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, who sits three strokes behind the leaders after shooting a one-under-par 69. Darren Clarke has moved into a tie for seventh following a fine second-round 68 to sit on one-under par with fellow Ulster man Chris Devlin three strokes back on two-over – well inside the cut-line. Post round, Harrington and Maltbie had a verbal disagreement in front of fans, and captured on social media, apparently over a lost ball.
Extra.ie
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Irish Love Island star dumped from villa in shock twist
Irish Love Island contestant Megan Forte Clarke has been dumped from the villa in a shock twist during Friday's episode. Following a public vote, the Dublin native lost her place on the hit ITV show alongside fellow Islander Remell. After being asked to vote for their favourite Islander, the public sadly gave Megan the fewest votes out of the girls. Irish Love Island contestant Megan Forte Clarke has been dumped from the villa in a shock twist during Friday's episode. Pic: ITV This came as a shock to many, with Megan previously being an early favourite to win the show when she coupled up with Tommy. However, Megan's split from Tommy and subsequent romance with with fellow Irish contestant Conor left her falling from favour with fans at home. Megan Forte Clarke is a 24-year-old Dublin native who is currently based in Brighton. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Love Island (@loveisland) The brunette beauty is a musical theatre performer and energy broker who told producers she was looking for 'someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously.' She graduated from The Brighton Academy with a First Class Honours in 2024. Before heading into the villa, Megan boasted 10.8k followers on Instagram and 22.1k on TikTok, with the Dubliner previously likening herself to a 'modern day Bridget Jones.' Taking to TikTok, Megan said 'Can I hold a man down? Don't be silly. Have I just been ghosted again? Absolutely. Am I still funny af with great t*ts? Obvs.' Megan has previously attributed her rise in TikTok followers to a 2021 Derry Girls skit she did with one of her friends, which amassed more than 12,000 likes on the video sharing app.
The Irish Sun
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
RTE 2FM star in floods of tears following Joe Duffy's final Liveline show as he cries ‘I'm in bits'
AN RTE 2FM star has been left in tears after listening to Joe Duffy's final Liveline show. Emotions ran high as the legendary host 2 Carl Mullan was left in floods of tears after Joe Duffy's final show Credit: Instagram 2 Carl shared a clip of his reaction on Instagram Credit: Instagram The emotional programme was filled with friends, fans and unforgettable past callers sharing their fond memories and praising Joe for being the "voice of the people". And "Love you all. It's been a privilege. Slán go fóill." Radio star , READ MORE IN CARL MULLAN The 2FM host took to Duffy 's farewell. In the video , the Dubliner's lip quivered as he listened to Joe's final statement. The dad-of-three held onto a whiskey glass as tears ran down his face. Carl dramatically shook his hands which made the ice in the glass clink. Most read in The Irish Sun He then lifted the whiskey and walked into the next room with a shocked look on his face as the tears continued to fall. The Joe Duffy bids farewell to listeners Carl captioned his clip: "Ah lads I'm in bits after that. WE LOVE YA JOE." Saddened fans all reacted to Carl's clip with similar emotion. Maggie wrote: "Ah a legend in his lifetime on 'BIG SHOES TO FILL' Tina said: "Couldn't listen, heartbroken." Bruce joked: "Big shoes to fill there Carl HA." Amanda remarked: "So emotional, he will be so missed. We love you Joe." While Lorna added: "I was the same Carl, tears were flowing." And Suzanne commented: "He's a legend."
RTÉ News
16 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Angel Ayora one clear of the field at the Italian Open; Conor Purcell misses the cut
Angel Ayora shot a bogey-free round of 65 to put himself atop of the leaderboard after day two of the Italian Open, with Ireland's Conor Purcell missing the cut. Englishman Dan Bradbury held the clubhouse lead heading into the second day, but he sits a shot behind in a tie for second despite going two under par for the day. Ayora was two shots behind the leader coming into the second day in Monte Argentario and after the 20-year-old started with eight straight pars, he holed four successive birdies from the ninth to reach nine under. Bradbury's day got off to the worst possible start as he double bogeyed the first, but he recovered with five birdies, along with another dropped shot, to remain in contention on Saturday. A triple-bogey eight on 12 would ultimately prove costly for Dubliner Purcell at the Argentario Golf Club. His round of 74 left him at four over, two shots beyond the cut mark. Sitting in second alongside Bradbury at eight under were the trio of Martin Couvra, Andreas Halvorsen and Marcel Schneider. Frenchman Couvra fired the lowest round of the day, hitting eight birdies and a bogey in his 63 to sit in the chasing pack behind Ayora. Adrien Saddier is sitting alone in sixth after he produced his lowest round of season so far with a six-under 64 to catapult his way into contention for a maiden DP World Tour win. Spanish pair Ivan Cantero and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, and Italian Francesco Laporta are all tied in seventh on six under par
