A disturbing movie by Peter Mullan on what happened to the "wayward" women of Ireland. Peter Mullan's The Magdalene Sisters opens ironically with a wedding scene. But it is not a happy occasion. Margaret is lured by her cousin Kevin to an upstairs room where he rapes her. Kevin is chastised, but it is Margaret who has "shamed" her family and is carted off the next morning by … [Read more...] about The Magdalene Sisters
Patricia Harty
Up Close with Pierce Brosnan
The Santa Ana winds raise dust clouds as I drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu in a car hastily borrowed from my friend Tom, who responded with alacrity to my alarm that my Pierce Brosnan interview had been changed from the Irish DreamTime office in the MGM building, ten minutes from my hotel in Santa Monica, to Coogie's coffee shop in Malibu. The beauty of the … [Read more...] about Up Close with Pierce Brosnan
First Word: Operation James
"He was just a kid, he wasn't an enemy. This is what I signed up to do, to help people." –Pfc. Joseph Dwyer, 7th Cavalry ℘℘℘ As we go to press Pierce Brosnan's latest James Bond movie Die Another Day is set to open in the U.K. (May 2 and in the U.S., June 2). Brosnan wasn't interested in discussing 007, however, when he met with Irish America recently. The … [Read more...] about First Word: Operation James
First Word: The Things They Carried
"The Irish carry their culture around with them like snails with their houses on their backs." – Denis Clarke Let me start with an apology. I'm sorry if some of your favorites are not on this list. I'm sorry that some of my own favorites are not on this list. Indeed, there are one or two on this list that I don't think I would enjoy having a pint with. But overall I have to … [Read more...] about First Word: The Things They Carried
A Personal Odyssey
The making of the movie Bloody Sunday was a tremendous undertaking for all involved. For actor James Nesbitt it was the beginning of an extraordinary journey that become much more than just about acting. ℘℘℘ James Nesbitt is an actor who has had great success in comedic roles such as Adam in the TV series Cold Feet and the pig farmer in Waking Ned Devine, but his latest movie … [Read more...] about A Personal Odyssey