A family at war
Paul Brennan is sure he knows best when it comes to his son Oisín’s relationship with Charlotte Bishop. However, they might see things differently. Julie Lordan chats to all three and hears some different versions of who’s right and wrong
Fair City’s Paul Brennan is sure he knows best when it comes to his son Oisín’s relationship with Charlotte Bishop. Julie Lordan meets all the actors involved to find out more
Tony Tormey (Paul Brennan)
Fair City’s Paul Brennan is, according to one fan that actor Tony Tormey encountered on a family day out, “a male slut”. Tony has been with the show from the start, and after 30 years he’s well used to being recognised by the public.
“You get used to it”, he says. “I embrace it and enjoy it and like the fact that as an actor you’re making an impression. But when it impinges on your family life then, no, I don’t welcome that.”
His character has had an eventful life. His first love, Helen, died; he has had two broken marriages (Niamh and Nicola), several affairs and four children by four different women: Rachel (Helen); Oisín (Nicola), Callum (Jane) and Ruth (Yvonne).
Tony believes that playing someone with such a complicated past would be more difficult for a female actor. “Yeah, for a woman to have four children with four different men, numerous relationships and affairs, would probably not be as acceptable as it has been for Paul, sadly.”
Lately, Paul has been all about money and business, but according to Tony, Paul’s obsession with money is all about his family. “Ever since Paul met Nicola, way back when, his whole modus operandi has been money”, says Tony. “Nicola was very ambitious for Paul. That rubbed off on him big time. As he sees it, money will keep his family safe.”
For all his devotion to his family, Paul seems to have little confidence in the ability of his sons – Oisín and Callum – to run Vinos restaurant, or to manage their own love lives. Tony believes it’s all about power. “Paul thinks that everything he does is right. He wants to be across everything, involved in everything.”
So, it’s not that he thinks they are useless?
Tony laughs, “Well, there’s a bit of that as well.”
And maybe some over-protectiveness? “Paul thinks he knows all the pitfalls,” Tony says, “but this is a fairly natural thing for a father. Sometimes with my own kids, I have to stop myself saying they’re wrong, because a lot of the time, they’re not wrong. It’s knowing when to pull back, and I don’t think my character, Paul, has that filter.” Then of course, it is not a traditional family. “You can say that again, it wouldn’t have happened in Tolka Row!”
Tony is married to Kate and has two children, Max (15) and Issey, (12). So far, neither has an inclination to follow their dad into acting.
“I knew from a very young age that acting was what I wanted to do,” says Tony. “I would have no objections to my own kids going into the business, even with all its insecurities, but it’s not something they’ve ever shown an interest in.” Tony enjoys the security that comes with working on Fair City, but recognises the drawbacks too. Most notably, an assumption from casting agents that he is rarely available for other work, in particular theatre and film.
Like any experienced actor, he doesn’t take his job for granted. Of course, the decisions about what happens to his character is up to the writers and producers, but so far he says, “I have been so, so lucky”.
Isn’t it about time that his character had some new romance in his life? “Paul has been hurt and humiliated so much by Niamh,” says Tony, “and he really wants someone to fulfil that family ideal he holds to. But for now, it’s all about trying to get himself back on track. And if romance happens, it happens, but I don’t think he’s going to be emotionally invested in anyone the way he was with Niamh.”
Is St Valentine’s Day a major occasion in Tony’s life? “Not in the slightest,” he says. “I feel the same about New Year’s Eve. It’s all forced and
commercially driven. I will cook a nice meal at home on the night, with Kate and the family.”
As for fictional romance, Paul is busy trying to split up the relationship between Charlotte Bishop and his son, Oisín. This too has its complications as Oisín is up to his usual manoeuvres and Charlotte still has feelings, apparently, for old-flame Callum.
Couldn’t Paul let his sons make up their own minds? “It’s not even about them”, says Tony. “It’s Charlotte herself and her interference in Paul’s family. Especially with Paul’s daughter, Ruth. “As close as Charlotte thinks she is to the Brennans, as far as Paul is concerned, Charlotte is never going to be family. She’s a Bishop and Paul has always thought she wasn’t good enough for his son. He will do whatever he can to get her away from him and his other kids. Charlotte has overstepped the mark, especially in her involvement with Ruth, who is the apple of Paul’s eye.”
This being Carrigstown, Paul’s efforts to get rid of Charlotte backfire spectacularly and drive Oisín and Charlotte together, with the added complication of Callum being on the scene.
“The trouble with Paul is that he doesn’t see the bigger picture. Getting rid of Charlotte might just be out of his control. But that aspect of Paul’s personality is what makes the character so flawed, and also so interesting,” says Tony.
“When Charlotte and Oisín plan to get married and go to London, Paul knows it has backfired but he also is more determined to get rid of her. In his heart, Paul knows what he is doing is wrong but in his mind he is doing it for the greater good of the family.
“The thing is,” says Tony, “Paul thinks he is a great father, just brilliant. He adores his kids, no doubt, but he might show his love in the wrong ways. I would love if Paul could get back to the way he was before Niamh took him apart,” he says, “but it’s a great role to play. As long as the writers keep giving me storylines, I’m happy.”
I don’t think he’s going to be emotionally invested in anyone the way he was with Niamh Tony Tormey
Martha Fitzpatrick (Charlotte Bishop)
The much-maligned Charlotte has her own take on events in the Brennan family which directly affect her. According to Martha, it’s Paul who is the problem. Especially when it comes to Charlotte’s relationship with his kids. “Charlotte is very aware that Paul and herself have had a rocky history but over the past few months, we’ve seen them actually get on quite well. So, his recent behaviour has caught her off guard. Charlotte is only trying to look out for his daughter Ruth. It’s coming from a place of goodness so she doesn’t see cause for Paul to start the war that he does,” says Martha. Of course, Charlotte is a Bishop and Paul might rue the day he messes with a Bishop. “Well Charlotte’s been through a lot, and it’s only made her stronger. So when she has something to defend, she does it with ferocity. What she loves and who she loves are extremely important to her. Good luck to anyone who tries to mess with that. She’s a force to be reckoned with. I wouldn’t recommend picking a fight with her! However, even Charlotte must be very hurt when she realises that Oisín only proposed to get at Paul? “I think there’s a huge amount of embarrassment, being used in a revenge ploy. She’s loved Oisín for a long time and it’s awful to realise that maybe it won’t work out. And then there’s perhaps confusion and relief. The doubt that has slowly crept in, as a result of Oisín’s childishness, is definitely hanging over Charlotte,” says Martha. To say nothing of her possible feelings for Callum? “Callum has always encouraged her to be herself. Could she have been overlooking what was right in front of her with him? We’ll all have to wait and see!” says Martha.
Martha thinks that Charlotte is unsure what she really wants. “Her relationship with Oisín has always been up and down, it’s the push and pull that I think keeps Charlotte interested. He can be loving when he wants to be, but lacks the maturity or the ability to put her before himself. Callum, meanwhile, seems to be the relentless protector, the guy who compliments her, wants more for her and challenges her to be better. But I don’t think she’s allowed herself to even consider him because she’s being loyal to Oisín. I actually believe she loves both of them, but who can she be happily in love with, that’s what she needs to figure out,” she says. Well if she ends up with either brother, she could have Paul as a father-in-law. Martha laughs “I think she’d enjoy the idea of torturing him over Christmas dinner! Haha! If Paul is a consequence of being with the man she loves, so be it!”.
Whatever about Paul’s boys, isn’t Charlotte going too far in interfering with how he is rearing young Ruth? “She knows it annoys him but I think she’s more concerned about doing right by Ruth. She knows how important a female role model is. In Charlotte’s mind, Paul will thank her one day when Ruth is a happy, well-rounded individual and until then, he’ll have to get over it,” says Martha.
This St Valentine’s Day doesn’t look like it will be all love and romance for Charlotte, says Martha: “Given all that’s going on, Charlotte will be dealing with a lot of mixed emotions on Valentine’s,” says Martha.
As for Martha herself: “Valentine’s has never been high on my list of holidays. It’s a chance to really show someone what they mean to you and that’s sweet! That’s not to say that Valentine’s is the only day to do that. A bunch of flowers, an unexpected coffee or a sweet text message: they’re for all year round! So if you want to make it a big thing, more power to you and if not, that’s perfectly fine too,” she says.
Meanwhile, Martha is very happy to be playing Charlotte. “I’m really lucky that Charlotte’s life always ventures off in ways I never expect and I’m always delighted by it. Part of me will always want her to be happy, because I’ve lived alongside this character for so long, but I’ll expect the unexpected and be ready for whatever’s in store for her.”
Patrick Ball (Oisín Brennan)
Of all the characters in Fair City, Oisín Brennan is probably the best able to look out for himself. He certainly thinks about himself enough. His selfishness definitely impacts his relationships with his brother, his girlfriend and his father. Says Patrick “Oisín’s relationship with Callum is actually pretty good at the moment. Working together in Vinos’, without Paul’s help, has brought them together a bit more.”
Oisín’s dad, Paul, thinks he can manipulate his son. Getting him the job in London, splitting Oisín and Charlotte up, undermining his work in Vinos. Does Patrick think Oisín’s relationship with his dad is ever going to have a healthier outlook? “Oisín doesn’t really have healthy relationships. Any time someone gives him a chance he tends to sabotage it,” says Patrick, in what could be an understatement.
Paul considers himself to be a brilliant father. What would Oisín’s take on that be? “Not at all. Oisín’s opinion on that would be the opposite. Things have never been good between them. When he was younger, Paul would only be a father to him financially, and I don’t think much has changed,” says Patrick.
But of all his relationships, Patrick thinks that Oisín does really care for Charlotte. “Yeah, he really does. The relationship is toxic, but he can see that Charlotte is the only one who actually knows him,” explained Patrick. Of course, the Bishops are not a family to mess with, and Decco in particular is protective of his sister, Charlotte: Oisín should tread carefully. “I think Oisín is taking a leap without thinking about it, so he might regret his impulsiveness,” says Patrick.
Despite Oisín’s bad behaviour, the public seems quite understanding and Patrick doesn’t get much criticism when he’s out and about. “Yeah, the reaction from people is largely positive. I think the fans just like to hate Oisín,” says Patrick. Patrick agrees that Charlotte shouldn’t expect much romance from Oisín on St Valentine’s Day. “Yeah, Oisín is a cynic, who sees Valentine’s as commercial rubbish.” And Patrick is keeping quiet about his own plans for Valentine’s, except to say “Thankfully I’m not as cynical as Oisín.”