The Irish are coming
It is a golden era for Irish acting talent on the small screen. Donal O’donoghue reports
At Netflix’s recent preview of upcoming shows, there was a lot of green on the screen. Top billing was the news that Steven Knight, creator, and writer of Peaky Blinders, had signed up to do e House of Guinness (a working title that we predict with 0.0% certainty will end up as e Guys from the Black Stuff ).
This eight-part drama, chronicling “one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties”, starts lming this summer with a cast yet to be named. Of course, that didn’t stop the rumour mill spinning the possibility of Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy reuniting with Knight. But the Oscar winner has enough on his plate, with a lm version of Peaky Blinders in the pipeline as well as his own co-production with Netflix, Steve, adapted for the screen by Max Porter from his heartbreaking novella, Shy.
In any case, there is unlikely to be a shortage of Irish talent ready to step into the House of Guinness. For some time, the Irish have been coming and right now it’s nigh impossible not to bump into someone from this island of stars and scholars on the small screen. Currently, you will nd the talented Mister Andrew Scott in Ripley (Netflix); the fabulous Nicola Coughlan in Big Mood (Channel 4, and also back in season three of Bridgerton next month); the Bafta-nominated Máiréad Tyers in Extraordinary (Disney+); the “magnificent” (per the Guardian) Louisa Harland in Sally Wainwright’s Renegade Nell (Disney+); the compelling Anthony Boyle in Manhunt and Masters of the Air (both Apple TV+) and the brilliant Róisín Gallagher, Bafta nominated for The Lovers, returning shortly to RTÉ with a second season of The Dry.
And then there’s the revelatory Éanna Hardwicke (another Irish Bafta nominee, for e Sixth Commandment) who pops up later this year in the mini-series, A Very Royal Scandal (all about that infamous Prince Andrew interview); fellow Corkonian, the irresistible Siobhán Mcsweeney in Extraordinary; the indestructible Liam Cunningham ( 3 Body Problem) and the prolific Chris O’dowd, whose Small Town, Big Story, lmed in his home patch of Boyle last September, debuts on Sky this autumn. Add to that Sharon Horgan (also up for a Bafta on April 28), Niamh Algar and so on. In other words, Small Island, Big Talent and lots more to come with the other big Netflix Irish news that Marian Keyes’ bestseller, Grown Ups, will start production in 2026. By then, there will most likely be even more green on the screen and behind the scenes.