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10 Hottest Male Celebrity Exports from Ireland

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10 Hottest Male Celebrity Exports from Ireland Empty 10 Hottest Male Celebrity Exports from Ireland

Post by Admin Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:57 am

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/10-hottest-male-celebrity-exports-from-ireland/58406

By Aida Ekberg, Yahoo! Contributor Network - March 14, 2011 7:14 PM PDT

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here's a look at ten of the hottest male celebrity exports from Ireland. If ladies caught a bit o' the luck of the Irish and got to spend the jolly holiday with these guys after forgetting to wear green, it's very doubtful that they would mind being pinched:

Colin Farrell

This brunette babe was born in Castleknock, Dublin, Ireland on May 31, 1976, and was quite the bad boy early on in his life, getting kicked out of school at age 17. But luckily Farrell redirected his energy into acting, taking America by storm as a recruit trying to avoid going to Vietnam in the 2000 movie "Tigerland." And now America's favorite vampire from across the pond better watch out -- Colin is set to play a smooth-talking bloodsucker with bad intentions in the "Fright Night" movie remake this August.

Damien Rice

This Irish artist was born and raised a daydreamer in Celbridge, County Kildare, where he would hone his musical skills in the band Juniper. Rice left the group in 1999 to give it a go on his own, becoming a star in America when his debut album "O," complete with the powerfully poetic song "The Blower's Daughter," charmed a large audience far from the home that hints of can be heard in many of his songs. When it comes to songs for St. Patrick's Day that capture a little bit of Ireland, his soft and soothing voice will definitely make some Celts homesick.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Another of the best bad boys from Ireland was born on July 27, 1977, in Dublin, Ireland. Like Farrell, Jonathan had a rough teen life, living as a grifter until the luck o' the Irish gave him a nudge in the right direction when he was noticed by a casting director. He would get a considerable amount of attention for his role in the 1998 movie "Velvet Goldmine" for playing a 1970s rocker styled after iconic musicians like David Bowie and Iggy Pop. However, America starting taking more notice of the strikingly handsome actor in movies like "Bend it Like Beckham" and Woody Allen's "Match Point." The Irish eye candy is most recently known for playing the sexiest version of King Henry VIII ever in Showtime's mini-series "The Tudors," and up next he'll star alongside a cross-dressing Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs."

Liam Neeson

One of the most well-known Irish actors was born on June 7, 1952, in Ballymena, North Ireland, to a working-class family. After failed attempts at being a boxer, teacher, forklift operator, and architect's apprentice, this tall drink of Irish spring water decided to try out acting on a whim, finding his true calling. In the late 80's he moved to L.A. to give Hollywood a go, and Neeson began to morph into a star in Sam Raimi's "Darkman." However, the role that made him a household name was definitely Steven Spielberg's 1993 movie "Schlinder's List." Unfortunately, his great success was marred by a terrible tragedy in 2009 when his wife, actress Natasha Richardson, died after injuring her head in a skiing accident. However, he worked through the pain in action movies like "Clash of the Titans" and "Unknown." Up next the Irish actor that Americans once cried with will be hoping that they'll laugh along with him as he plays a tattoo artist in Thailand in the highly-anticipated "Hangover 2," which seems like a movie that captures the St. Patrick's Day spirit.

Pierce Brosnan

This dashing and dapper Irishman was born May 16, 1953 in Navan, Meath, Ireland, where he was raised by a single mom and his grandparents. The actor must have kissed the Blarney stone, because he used his gift of gab to land a job as a commercial artist before discovering acting shortly thereafter. In 1981 he came to L.A. looking for a job, quickly landing the role that would lead him to superstardom in "Remington Steele." But of course this was just a stepping stone to what would become his real role-of-a-lifetime as the next James Bond a decade later. Since he's been replaced by Daniel Craig, he's tried to shake playing the spy, and he just might succeed with the Sundance movie "Salvation Boulevard," in which he plays an evangelical pastor. However, he's yet to find another pot o' gold quite like "Goldeneye."

Michael Fassbender

Fassbender was actually born in Germany to a German father and Irish mother, but his family moved to Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland when he was just two years old. He took up acting in school, going on to win a role in the 2001 HBO series "Band of Brothers," garnering attention from America again in 2006 when he starred in the Roman war flick "300" and in 2009's "Inglourious Basterds," returning to Rome again in the 2010 movie "Centurion." The actor also got national attention when he pulled a Christian Bale and lost a shocking amount of weight to play an IRA prisoner on a hunger strike in the 2008 movie "Hunger." Up next he'll be playing a brooding man with a dark secret in "Jane Eyre," and it shouldn't be hard for ladies to buy the ruggedly handsome and extremely talented actor as a romantic lead.

Bono

You've gotta love a guy who only needs one name and sings about a place where the streets have no name. This singer with a unique voice was born Paul David Hewson on May 10, 1960 in Ballymun, Dublin, Ireland, and he either found a four-leaf clover or got lucky by reducing his name down to four letters, because the U2 front man has since become one of the biggest musicians in the world. His band was formed in 1976, becoming successful with their second album "War" in 1983 and international superstars with 1987's "The Joshua Tree," which featured hits like "With Or Without You." And while girls love an Irishman with lots of green, the fact that this one also gives back makes him much more than a pot o' gold.

Cillian Murphy

This steely-eyed Irish actor was born on May 25, 1976 in Douglas, County Cork, Ireland, briefly joining a band in his younger years before settling down to attend law school. However, it wasn't long before he lost interest in that profession, so he began to focus his attention on acting. After starring in a few films, his big break came in Danny Boyle's 2002 apocalyptic sci-fi horror hit "28 Days Later." The former law student has since teamed up with director Christopher Nolan to play a lawbreaker as the creepy Scarecrow in "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight," most recently playing a man whose dreams are being hijacked in "Inception." Up next the dreamy actor with an unusual look can be seen this October playing a timekeeper in another sci-fi movie entitled "Now."

Kenneth Branagh

This handsome Irishman was born a Shakespeare fan on Dec. 10, 1960 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It wasn't long before he became a familiar face on British TV, performing Shakespeare on the side and directing his own plays. Branagh became an international star thanks to his 1989 movie "Henry VII," in which he directed and starred before coming to America in 1991 and underwhelming with "Dead Again." He returned home shortly after and continued his career of ups and downs, pursuing his passion by directing a plethora of movies based on the works of Shakespeare, including 1993's "Much Ado About Nothing" and 1996's "Hamlet." He returned to Hollywood in 1999 to star as the villain alongside hero Will Smith in "Wild Wild West;" play Franklin Delano Roosevelt in HBO's 2005 movie "Warm Springs;" and star alongside Tom Cruise in the 2008 movie "Valkyrie." However, Branagh might soon be getting one of his biggest breaks -- the man that once hailed as the "new Laurence Olivier" will be playing the legendary actor in the upcoming movie "My Week with Marilyn."

Stuart Townsend

Townsend hasn't had quite the same level as success as some of the other Irish celebrities here (he's more known for dating Charlize Theron than he is for his acting), but the dashing Dublin-born thespian has garnered acclaim of his own for movies like 1999's "Wonderland," going on to make his directorial debut with 2008's "Battle in Seattle." And while he might not have a stellar career, it's unlikely that many would call this ladykiller anything but lucky.

So with so many amazing celebrity exports from the Emerald Isle gracing America with colorful characters and beautiful songs, who needs the pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow?
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:01 pm

http://www.afterelton.com/other/2011/03/ten-hot-irishmen?page=0,3

No Blarney, Here Are Ten Hot Irish Men For Your St. Patrick's Day!
Posted by snicks on March 17, 2011

Michael Fassbender

Remember this face, because you're going to be seeing a lot of Michael Fassbender. He's starring as the young Magneto in the new X-Men film, and then he'll be wielding a sword in the remake of Excalibur. Maybe you recognize him from his award-winning turn as Bobby Sands in Hunger, or as Stelios in 300, but his star is continuing to rise rapidly.

Okay, there's our second round of Irish hotness. Who would you like to add?
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:02 pm

http://cupidsbow.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/jane-loves-celebrations-5/

Jane loves celebrations
Posted on March 17, 2011 by cupidsbow
Happy St Patrick’s Day!

I know it’s a little late in the day, but I thought I’d do a quick post to wish you all a happy St Patrick’s Day! I enjoyed doing my Australia Day post, so I thought I’d do another with my favourite Irish people!

Kenneth Branagh

~ source ~

Michael Fassbender

~ source ~

Evanna Lynch

~ source ~

The Cranberries

~ source ~

Oscar Wilde

~ source~

Liam Neeson

~ source ~

Thin Lizzy

~ source ~

Dara Ó’Briain

~ source ~

And, just because, like most people, I enjoy dancing like a lunatic to C’est La Vie…

~ source ~

Until next time!
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:03 pm

http://www.pajiba.com/miscellaneous/my-favorite-irish-films-no-potatoes-banshees-or-blarney.php


My Favorite Irish Films: No Potatoes, Banshees or Blarney

By Joanna Robinson

As Dustin will attest, after going on a Michael Fassbender Bender a few weeks ago, I started a list called “The Best Irish Films.” Then I scrapped that list because I somehow felt obliged to watch all the Irish films before being qualified to talk about “The Best”. But you can’t watch all the Irish films, folks and when you try, as I did, you end up watching a lot of films on terrorism. And then everything gets a little bleak. And then you have to wash your soul in whiskey and start again. I didn’t make it, friends. I didn’t watch them all. So I’m renaming this list “My Favorite Irish Films” and, to add insult to injury, I’m going to use a fairly loose definition of “Irish” (Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Irishmen Abroad!)

Also, lucky for me, a lovely and comprehensive article about Irish biopics was already published on the site today so I get to winnow down my list a bit. So here they are, my favorite “Irish” films. If I missed yours, tell me all about it over a pint in the comments section. I take my Guinness slightly chilled.


wind-that-shakes-the-barley-0.jpeg11. The Wind That Shakes The Barley Ken Loach’s quiet and moving story about two brothers and the early days of the IRA faced some controversy surrounding its historical accuracy. Whether or not the history is pitch perfect, it’s a finely acted and beautifully shot piece that attempts to paint a small corner of the enormous and complicated picture that is the fight for Irish independence.

Thumbnail image for secret_of_roan_inish008.jpeg10. The Secret of Roan Inish I promised there would be no banshees but I said nothing about selkies (seals who can shed their skins to become human…usually beautiful young women…found nekkid by fishermen…you can see why this is a popular legend). This beautiful fairytale takes advantage of the gorgeous Irish seaside and perfectly captures the wonder and mystery of childhood.

6517d8ab0f9e97a2ebd1cddcafc2bc4a.jpeg9. The Boxer Though Daniel Day Lewis gained more attention for playing Gerry Conlon and Christy Brown, my favorite of his Irishmen is Danny Flynn, a reformed IRA member who attempts to heal the deep rifts in his community through, well, a non-denominational boxing club. Does it sound cheesy? No, it’s tense and gritty and masterfully directed by Jim Sheridan (my favorite Irish director of all time).

Thumbnail image for Picture 7.png8. The Secret of Kells This fictional account of the creation of The Book of Kells is almost too gorgeous to be fully absorbed upon first watch. I kept pausing and soaking in frame after frame of the intricate and unusual animation style. In fact, it should have beat the pants off of Up at the Academy Awards, but that’s a discussion for a different day. This one is on Netflix Instant if you’re sober enough to be movie watching tonight.

waking-ned.jpeg7. Waking Ned Devine I am aware that it is devastatingly uncool of me to admit my love for this movie. It was one in a stream of peppy, feel-good UK exports (Full Monty, Brassed Off, etc.) and not only promotes Irish stereotypes, but also has an extended “elderly naked people are hilarious!” sequence. But, damnitall, some days you need to laugh at a skeletal old man on a scooter. Also, the film features a gorgeous version of “The Parting Glass” that I suggest you sing as you stumble home from the pubs this evening.

Thumbnail image for www.filmofilia.jpeg6. Ondine Neil Jordan’s film is an obvious nod to The Secret of Roan Inish and features a fine Colin Farrell performance. Can we speak for a second about Colin Farrell and how glad I am he seems to be making better and better films after his flirtation with uber stardom? I think he’s a tremendous talent. In this film he’s heartbreakingly humble as a former-alcoholic fisherman who rescues a mysterious young woman from the ocean. It’s a quiet story, but a great one.

commitments_indo_702502t.jpeg5. The Commitments Alan Parker’s fantastic film based on Roddy Doyle’s fantastic book features a fantastic soundtrack. Unconvinced? Give it a listen. They’re the hardest working band you’ll ever bop your head to. Parker cast the film entirely with unknowns and real musicians and made a tremendous discovery in the gravely-voiced lead singer, Andrew Strong (who was only 18 when the film was made) and guitarist Glen Hansard (oh, we’ll get there).

Thumbnail image for 3301969178_173e45324f.jpeg4. Hunger Okay, this is the probably the hardest-to-watch film on this list but is well worth it for Michael Fassbender’s spell-binding performance. The film was directed by artist Steve McQueen who draws outside the lines of conventional biopics in this depiction of Bobby Sands and the 1981 Hunger Strike. There’s dreadful violence and unspeakably graphic depictions of the human body and its baser functions, but at the center of all of that is Fassbender’s performance and a riveting 16 minute static shot of Sands and his priest debating politics, religion and the roots of Irish struggle. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth it.

In-Bruges.jpeg3. In Bruges Now we’ve reached the top three. The films I own and watch over and over again. Listen, I have a weakness for Tarantino-esque violence and foul-mouths, I admit it. But I also hope, in future, we can refer to that ouvre as McDonagh-esque. In Bruges was playwright Martin McDonagh’s follow up to his Oscar-winning short Six-Shooter and his first (and to date, only) feature film. Not only was In Bruges written and directed by my favorite living playwright, but it also features fantastic performances from Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell and a delectably villainous Ralph Fiennes. McDonagh packs more wit and pathos into one scene than Tarantino can fit into an entire film.

Thumbnail image for once.jpeg2. Once It’s a musical? It’s a romance? It’s a musical romance? But it’s not like that. I promise. While the music is gorgeous (they won that Oscar for a reason), and the romance is poignant, it’s the immediacy of this film that makes it stick. Shot digitally and with a deceptively amateurish hand, the film is populated by characters so real you feel as if you are intruding. The lead actors aren’t actors at all, but, rather, musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová and their natural style is enormously compelling. We’re all lucky actor Cillian Murphy pulled out of the lead role, because Hansard’s bearded, shambling woe is just what was needed.

02.jpeg1. In America One of my favorite films of all-time, this is director Jim Sheridan again with a deeply personal story that he wrote with his daughters based on their family life together and Sheridan’s loss of his young brother Frankie. The film’s strong cast features the always wonderful Samantha Morton, Djimon Honsou at his very best, two astonishingly natural young girls Sarah and Emma Bolger (actual sisters) and one of the finest g*&^%$# actors in the business, Paddy Considine. While the story has an arc, and dramatic and filmic things do happen, it’s the tender ordinary scenes (a game of hide-and-seek, cooling the girls off on a blistering day) that linger in the mind and yes, damnit, the heart. This film makes me weep, every time. Atomic fetal weeping. And I keep coming back for more.

So that’s it. My top eleven. I am also enormously intrigued by a project on the horizon which is actor Brendan Gleeson’s directorial debut, At Swim-Two-Birds. The movie is based on a baffling book by Flann O’Brien (all his books are baffling) and features the acting talents of (are you ready? deep breath) Michael Fassbender, Colin Farrell, Gabriel Byrne, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Basically every Irish actor except for Liam Neeson and Paddy Considine. WHERE IS PADDY? Well, happy St. Paddy’s anyway, everyone.

Joanna Robinson, controversially, hates Boondock Saints. That’s all she’ll say about it.
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:05 pm

http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2011/3/17/kiss-her-shes-irish-plus-maureen-ohara-connemara-days.html

Kiss Her, She's Irish. Plus: Maureen O'Hara & "Connemara Days"
DateThursday, March 17, 2011 at 11:44AM

Two generations of screen fame: Maureen O'Sullivan and Mia FarrowHappy St. Patrick's Day to all Irish or Irish-appreciatin' readers out there. There are numerous male Irish actors who get plentiful attention. In fact, there almost always seems to be a new one tearing the screen up. Case in point: Michael Fassbender (Irish/German), who we're suddenly not so sure we're happy about sharing with the entire world. How will there be enough to go round? He's slim as it is and WE SAW HIM FIRST, DAMNIT.

The actresses never get much attention. We seem to go whole decades without an important Irish export winning substantial popularity or acclaim. So why not celebrate today's working actresses?

But first, we must bow to the greatest of them all, Maureen O'Hara. How adorable are these photos which I nabbed from Mothic Flights and Flutterings and Stirred, Straight Up With a Twist who writes of the image to your right...

After a few green beers, this photo of Maureen O'Hara will begin to make sense.

Gah. Don't you just love Maureen O'Hara? The world is totally in need of an O'Hara revival. I must seek her out and beg for an interview or something. POTENTIALLY EXCITING MAUREEN O'HARA NEWS AT THE END OF THIS POST.

Okay, after the jump some current stars. Who do you love?

SAOIRSE RONAN

Claime to Fame: "Yes I saw him. I saw him with my own eyes." She saw him with her own ice blue eyes in Atonement! Other roles: La Pfeiffer's daughter in I Could Never Be Your Woman, a mysterious hanger-on in The Way Back, the dead heroine of The Lovely Bones and the deadly anti-heroine of Hanna (see previous post).

Fiona Shaw and Kerry Condon

Claims to Fame (Fiona): Genuine stage greatness, Harry Potter's auntie, awesome out lesbian, batshit crazy scene stealing in The Black Dahlia.

Claims to Fame (Kerry): The deflowering of James McAvoy in The Last Station. Other notables: Angela's Ashes, Ned Kelly, "Octavia of the Julii" in HBO's Rome.

Brenda Fricker and Evanna Lynch

Claims To Fame (Fricker): Won the Supporting Actress Oscar for My Left Foot (1989). She hasn't been seen much recently but her film schedule is picking back up. She's got four films on the way including Albert Nobbs with Glenn Close.
Claim to Fame (Lynch): "Luna Lovegood" in the Harry Potter franchise. Will she get any real opportunities once that series closes this coming winter or will they mistake her for her eccentric character and deem her difficult to cast? This happens all the time despite the obvious fact that actors are not actually their film characters.

Genevieve O'Reilly and the Bolger Sisters

Claim to Fame (Genevieve): She played Princess Di in the 2007 miniseries and she's also popped up in blockbuster franchises Star Wars ("Mon Motha") and The Matrix films ("Officer Wirtz") and prestige dramas (The Young Victoria) but larger fame is elusive.
Claim to Fame (Sarah & Emma): Played the endearing tiny sisters in In America (2003), two of the best child actor performances of the past decade. They're both still working at 20 and 15 years of age. Sarah Bolger, the elder sister (her IMDb photo is SERIOUSLY out of date. Child stars do grow up.) is definitely on the rise. In 2009 she picked up two 'rising star' type of awards in Berlin and in Ireland and she's had big roles on Showtime's The Tudors and in The Spiderwick Chronicles. Next up three possibly major deals with Locke & Key (TV franchise in development with major behind the scenes powerhouses involved), and lead or co-star roles in two genre outings Moth Diaries and Starbright.

The most intriguing future outing for Sarah, at least for us cinephiles, might be a romantic comedy titled Connemara Days. I don't quite understand the details and the director Kevin Connor's has mostly worked in television. But the plot revolves around the filming of the John Ford classic The Quiet Man (1952) starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. There's no word on who would play those legendary movie stars but they are not the main characters. The film is about a young woman who falls for John Ford's assistant director during the making of. It will be filmed in the same village where The Quiet Man was filmed.

Actors rumored to be involved include Thomas Dekker, Sarah Bolger, Aidan Quinn, Geraldine Chaplin, Brenda Gleeson, Sir Roger Moore and Stacy Keach. The film's Facebook page even says that Maureen O'Hara herself is in the cast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What? This is not confirmed by IMDb but the movie also isn't that close to shooting so who knows. MAUREEN O'HARA HAS NOT MADE A FEATURE FILM SINCE 1991 (Only the Lonely). She is 90 years old.

But back to the Irish actresses. The pickings are slim for major Irish actresses. I'm sure I missed some people but the male stars are plentiful and much much much more famous (Fassbender, Farrel, Murphy, Byrne, etcetera infinity). I've always wondered why that is. Australia (just to name a random example) churns out one female star for every male star, don't they? Why not Ireland?


Last edited by greyeyegoddess on Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:13 pm

http://theberry.com/2011/03/17/afternoon-eye-candy-hot-men-of-ireland-33-photos/

Afternoon eye candy: Hot men of Ireland (33 photos)

March 17, 2011 | Author: Emily | In: Celebrity, Eye candy
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:17 pm

http://alternativechronicle.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/emerald-cinema/

The Pot of Cinematic Gold: 5 Films About The Emerald Isle That YOU Should See

by Matthew Groves

It’s that time of the year again! The one where annually we bring on the green, the ale, and corned beef and hash. While much like Cinco de Mayo and other festive cultural holidays, this great celebration of Irish culture has become no more than just a reason to get really, really drunk. Nevertheless, each year I still hold out that there are some that take this time a little bit more seriously and dig into the history, culture, customs, etc., of the great land of Eire.

One way or the other the Irish and America in many ways historically are inexplicably linked. I know for myself I have a personal vested interest as well having my origins many great grandparents ago from the North Atlantic, so this time of year I get to renew my love and passion for the broader cultural significance of Ireland, its inhabitants, its history, and most importantly, its art.

When it comes to filmic art, there are number of films that use the Irish and Ireland. Many are sadly stereotypical, dull, and frustratingly one-note, but there are a few that break through that mold and deliver an engaging, interesting, and enthralling experience. Most of these films (including the few below) deal with Ireland’s tragic history dealing with the The Easter Rising of 1916, the Irish Civil War, and The Troubles (the subsequent decades after the civil war that did not cease until the Good Friday Agreement in the late 1990’s). Many could argue that these are a bit too serious and somber for such a typically festive time, but tragedy and sorrow are such a part of the Irish psyche and history that there is most definitely a particular importance, whether you see these films on St. Patrick’s Day or any time really. So listed below I have 5 films that are excellent, intelligent, and grand works of art from 5 different auteurs from the North Atlantic (3 British and 2 Irish) that in my mind are the best Irish films I’ve seen.
#5 — Michael Collins (1996)

This Neil Jordan historical drama tells the story of the famous hero of the Irish Rebellion Michael Collins (Liam Neeson) and how he, his best friend, Harry Boland (Aidan Quinn), and Eamon de Valera (Alan Rickman) fought for a free Irish state and the subsequent fallout when political and personal strife got in the way and led to split in the Republican movement. Even though Jordan has become famous for films like The Crying Game, and Interview with The Vampire, this is one of his best and supplies one of Neeson’s best performances as well. The film is not perfect, the ever awful Julia Roberts botches an Irish accent as Boland and Collins’ mutual object of desire, but she’s not in the film enough to derail it. This Golden Lion winner is a bit of a traditional historical drama/biopic and hits all the beats, but it is an exciting, informative and inspiring film about the big players in the Revolution, how there were victories, but also how these things escalated to things even worse.
#4 — Bloody Sunday (2002)

Forget United 93 and the Bourne films, Paul Greengrass presents his talents best in his breakout film all about the tragic day, January 30, 1972, where British soldiers opened fire on unarmed protesters in Derry, Northern Ireland, killing 13 and wounding 13. The film aptly follows the events over the course of one day and follows the soldiers, organizers, and the common people in the march, all which ratchets up the tension as time passes. While many find Greengrass’s common use of extreme jarring, shaky verite-style vexing, here the style works perfectly, giving the viewer the proper amount of dramatic and formal justification for the style. It is a supremely great work and has an exceptional performance by James Nesbitt, an actor that sadly hasn’t taken off as a lead as much as he should. If you need anymore justification, the film garnered an Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival and the Golden Bear from Berlin Film Festival; that and sadly this is the case of a massive crime that the British still haven’t been fully brought to justice over (despite the hollow apology by the current Tory stuffed shirt at the top of the British government).
#3 — In The Name of the Father (1993)

This one I can’t suggest to you enough. Not only is it from the great underrated Irish director Jim Sheridan, who gave us such heartwarming tales such as My Left Foot and In America, but it also stars Emma Thompson in support and the great, underrated, and sadly departed Pete Postlethwaite, and none other than Daniel Day-Lewis (in one of his greatest performances of all-time). Postlethwaite and Day-Lewis play father and son, Giuseppe and Gerry Conlon, who were accused and beaten by British soldiers to confess to pub bombings in Guildford and their long legal road to clear their names and gain back their freedom. Despite the sad and heart-wrenching socio-political drama, at the heart of it it’s a story about a father and son and how their strained relationship turns into an immovable bond. This multiple Oscar-nominated film is worth it for the performances alone, but the courtroom and social drama within it are some of the best and least seen.
#2 — The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006)

This astounding Golden Palm winner, which comes from the mostly neglected master in the states, Ken Loach, is a touching, complex and realistic view of the Irish Rebellion and Civil War, not from the big players of history, but from the fictional, yet authentic ground level. This one follows the story of the O’Donovan brothers, Damien (Cillian Murphy), a doctor and Teddy (Padraic Delaney), a leader of the local chapter of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). Damien is set to go to work at a London hospital, but the torture and death of a friend and local inhabitant by the infamously brutal British “Black and Tans” soldiers forces him to join the revolution for a free Ireland. However, as this film unfolds, the turmoil and split we see in Michael Collins happens in this film, the two brothers are on different sides of the Republican movement, literally pitting brother against brother. Loach and screenwriting collaborator Paul Laverty are afraid to be stalwartly political, yet weave a film that deals with complex issues of killing, war, and at what cost do these things cancel each other out that is fascinating to watch. Truly a film to see even more than Michael Collins to understand what the Irish Rebellion really looked like and is financially and critically one of the most successful independent Irish films ever made.
#1 — Hunger (2008)

This Cannes award winner is quite an artistic and aesthetic piece of work! Easily one of the best films of the past decade and I believe the best film about Ireland and The Troubles that I have seen thus far. The film tells the story of IRA legend Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender), and how he led a defiance against the draconian British government led by the infamous Maggie Thatcher and by going on a hunger strike in order to gain status as political prisoners. Yet, the film by the great and promising video artist Steve McQueen takes a brilliant and darkly beautiful approach to the story. The film is set up in three major chapters. The first is where we are introduced to the prison environment via a guard and a new prisoner. The second is where Sands shows up and has a 20 minute conversation with Republican leader/priest, Father Dominic Moran (Liam Cunningham, who is also exceptional in the aforementioned Loach film), and then Sands’ hunger strike which leads to his death. It is an incredible test case in visual storytelling and is a film that has to be seen to be believed. The film also contains great performances by Cunningham and Fassbender, the latter of which is a bright new face in cinema that is popping up everywhere and proving to be the next great actor!


~ by Matthew Groves on March 17, 2011.
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:53 pm

http://blog.redbox.com/2011/03/ten-irish-actors-who-add-a-little-green-to-redbox.html

Ten Irish Actors Who Add Some Green to Redbox
by Locke Peterseim | Mar 17th, 2011 | 4:06PM | Filed under: DVD Reviews, Movie Lists

Don’t like green beer, parades and big drunken crowds? I don’t blame you.

Don’t care for corned beef and Guinness? I don’t want to know you.

But if you still want to get your Irish on for St. Patrick’s Day without all the fuss and mess, how about a mini redbox film fest with some of the top Irish actors around? (Of course, half the time they’re playing Americans.)


Liam Neeson

Someone asked me last week how many films Liam Neeson now makes a year, and I replied, “All of them.” Last fall I did a round up of Neeson’s movies available from redbox at the time, including Chloe, Clash of the Titans, and After.Life. Well since then, he’s added The A-Team and The Next Three Days, plus Taken is back and available for rental again.

* Reserve Chloe at redbox.com
* Reserve Clash of the Titans on DVD and Blu-ray at redbox.com
* Reserve The A-Team on DVD and Blu-ray at redbox.com
* Reserve The Next Three Days on DVD and Blu-ray at redbox.com
* Reserve Taken at redbox.com
* Reserve After.Life on DVD and Blu-ray at redbox.com

Colin Farrell

I just couldn’t let St. Patrick’s Day go by without once again recommending one of the loveliest (and most Irish) films currently available for rent: Ondine. If you haven’t already, please check it out. And if you need more Colin, he’s also very good as a war photographer in Triage, not to mention his fine work in Crazy Heart as an all-American country superstar.

* Reserve Ondine at redbox.com
* Reserve Triage at redbox.com
* Reserve Crazy Heart at redbox.com

Pierce Brosnan

Brosnan is one of those actors who so often plays iconic British (or American) roles that you forget he’s Irish. He’s a grieving American dad in The Greatest, a British ex-Prime Minister in The Ghost Writer, and… um, a Greek centaur in Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

* Reserve The Greatest at redbox.com
* Reserve The Ghost Writer at redbox.com
* Reserve Percy Jackson and the Olympians on DVD and Blu-ray at redbox.com

Michael Fassbender

As you may have heard, the German-born, Irish-raised Fassbender is on the cusp of becoming a big-star household name. Film lovers may already know his smoldering intensity from Hunger and Inglourious Basterds (if only he’d ordered that Scotch correctly), and we’ll all be seeing a lot more of him this spring as Rochester in the new Jane Eyre and young Magneto in X-Men: First Class. But you can check him out right now as a murderous thug in Jonah Hex and a Roman soldier in Centurion.

* Reserve Inglourious Basterds at redbox.com
* Reserve Jonah Hex at redbox.com
* Reserve Centurion at redbox.com

Brendan Gleeson

One of my favorite Irish actors (I love his pairing with Farrell for the tremendous In Bruges), Gleeson nearly steals the show in Green Zone as an old-school American CIA operative.

* Reserve Green Zone at redbox.com

Michael Gambon

Not only is he a brilliant actor, but Gambon’s such a talented driver he’s the only Star in a Reasonably Priced Car to have a corner on the UK Top Gear race track named after him. You can see him as an American post-apocalyptic survivalist in The Book of Eli, or of course as Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

* Reserve The Book of Eli on DVD and Blu-ray at redbox.com
* Reserve Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince at redbox.com

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Yet another Irishman playing an American CIA agent–no offense to Brendan Gleeson, but The Tudors star Rhys Meyers makes it look a little more exciting and sexier opposite John Travolta in the slam-bang action hoot From Paris with Love.

* Reserve From Paris with Love at redbox.com

Cillian Murphy

I’ve long been a fan of the hollow-cheeked Murphy from his work with director Danny Boyle in 28 Days Later and Sunshine, but he’s probably best known these days for playing the Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies and the mark in Nolan’s Inception.

* Reserve Inception on DVD and Blu-ray at redbox.com

Kenneth Branagh

We may think of him as the quintessential Englishman, but Branagh was actually born in Belfast. He hasn’t been doing a lot of acting lately (busy directing Thor!), but luckily redbox has brought back one of my favorite Branagh performances of recent years: his nerve-wracking work in the kill-Hitler thriller Valkyrie.

* Reserve Valkyrie at redbox.com

Colm Meaney

The one-time Star Trek: Next Generation engineer (Irish instead of Scottish!) has been doing some terrific and varied work under the radar lately, including a tremendous performance in The Damned United, a great comic turn in Get Him to the Greek, and solid work in Law Abiding Citizen (also now back in the redbox kiosks).

* Reserve Get Him to the Greek on DVD and Blu-ray at redbox.com
* Reserve Law Abiding Citizen at redbox.com
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:01 pm

http://hillarygamblin.blogspot.com/2011/03/st-patricks-day.html

Thursday, March 17, 2011
St. Patrick's Day
Last year, I took a class that made me question traditions: can traditions be positive or negative? This questioning began right around the time of St. Patrick's Day, which led me to question my tradition of wearing green and eating lucky charms on St. Patrick's Day. These are fun traditions, but I came to the conclusion that these acts have been stripped of any substantive meaning for most Americans.

It's a hollow tradition.

I didn't want to blindly take part in this tradition any longer, so I went to the library and checked out a book about the celebration of St. Patrick's Day in America. St. Patrick's Day became a holiday in the early 20th century because of the conscious effort of Irish Americans to show their support for the Ireland's movement for independence.

If you don't think I'm nerdy yet, it gets worse. I'm sure my roommates hated me for doing this, but at our St. Patrick's Day feast of dyed green eggs, bacon and pancakes, I brought down a stack of books containing my favorite Irish writers. Then I made them listen to me as I read passages from James Joyce and Yeats.

So here are a few passages to celebrate St. Patrick's Day:

"The Dead"
A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the window. It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on the c o rooked crosses and headstones, on the spears of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.

Hunger
A few months ago I watched this film on Instant Netflix. It is about the hunger strike led by IRA leader Bobby Sands. I was blown away. It is directed by Steve McQueen, written by Edna Walsh (a brilliant playwright whom I love), and acted by the talented, beautiful Michael Fassbender.

You can watch the trailer here.

Click here, to witness some incredible dialogue.


Lakes Isles of Innisfree
W. B. Yeats

I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the mourning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means" - Oscar Wilde
Posted by Musing Elitist at 10:32 AM
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:19 pm

http://barenakedlady.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/more-irish-men/

more Irish men

In honor of St. Paddy’s, more Irish men! Thank you Swoonworthy, by the way.

Michael Fassbender (you remember, he gave horses erections…)

Stuart Townsend (for B, because I know he loves The Fabulous Baker Boy (from Will and Grace) )
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Post by Admin Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:14 pm

http://beaut.ie/blog/2011/50-fine-things-2011-1-10/

50 Fine Things 2011: #1 – #10
by Aphrodite, March 17th, 2011 in Beauty News & Links |

1 (1) Tommy Bowe
Tommy hits the G Spot again this year with TWICE as many votes as his nearest contender, Colin Farrell. This wasn’t just a Triple Crown Victory for him – it was a winning Lions tour a Grand Slam and beating the All Blacks single handed. We don’t know what you’re doing to them – but you’ve got a hell of a fan club and they all want to rip those white shorts off you. With their teeth.

2 (3) Colin Farrell
We like it, like it, come on. Although you might have your hands full with your new squeeze we’d say you’re well able for her. The hellraiser roides again wha’? We love our bad boys and you’re still the boyo we’d most like to have a few pints with. Just don’t be going too far and doing a Charlie Sheen on us will you?

3 (4) Rob Kearney
Roberto we still love you – lots. You’re a handsome bastard and you can brings us down in a tackle ANY day. ( In case of confusion we mean that in the worst possible taste). You’re one of the most popular searches on Beaut.ie – yeah we don’t know how that happened either. Could it be because the women of Ireland are just plain crazy about you?

4 (14) Liam Neeson
Never has a man aged better and still kept so many hearts throbbing like you have. You’re back where you belong, in the Top Ten and we think it must be all down to the reports of the Big Langer. Or the extreme handsomeness. Or the dignity in the face of terrible tragedy. Whatever you’re doing you’re doing it right – we love you.

5 (24) Jamie Heaslip
Jamie – can we just say that you’re ALL MAN. When we saw how quickly you grew your tache for Movember we nearly killed ourselves laughing. With more testosterone in his little finger than most men accumulate in a life time and with thighs that actually make us go weak at the knees we’re delighted to welcome you into the Top Ten.

6 (7) Cillian Murphy
Soft spoken he may be, but Cillian still has considerable power to flutter our heaving bosoms due to those big, soulful eyes. And we love him even more this year it seems, because he’s moved up a position in the ranking too.

7 (11) Jonathan Rhys Myers
Yay! You’re back. There was a terrible blip last year when you receded outside the top ten – but honestly you’re the best looking bit of stuff the Real Capital has ever produced. To say we fancy the leather jerkin off you is the understatement of the century. And forget about Anne Boleyn keeping herself chaste until the wedding night. The girls who voted for you would last exactly ten minutes.

8 (10) David Wallace
Oh! David Wallace! Sea! Six Pack! Striding! Manliness! And that’s clearly all we need to say.

9 (9) Aidan Turner
Being Human has definitely helped this smouldering hunk of love. We love him on the telly box and so do you, remaining faithful to his curly dark looks over the last year and keeping him in at number 9.

10 (2) Michael Fassbender
Oh Fassbender! Even a turn as Bobby Sands couldn’t dull the memory of your muscles in 300. But you’d want to keep an eye on things as that 8 point slippage this year could result in a relegation to the top 20 in 2012.

Numbers in () denote last year’s ranking. (-) denotes a new entry
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Post by Admin Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:29 pm

http://www.ranker.com/list/the-top-20-hottest-irish-guys/brooke-wilson?page=3&format=BLOG

The Top 20 Hottest Irish Guys
By Brooke Wilson

Irish men are some of the hottest looking men in the world. They've got the boyish charm, those wistful eyes and the heavy sex appeal we're all looking for in a man. So with St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, it's time to honor these hot guys for housing such great, um, assets. Here are the 20 hottest Irish guys who give you a reason to splurge on a green beer.

Michael Fassbender

Keep your eye out on this guy (and have fun while you're at it) because Michael Fassbender is soon taking over Hollywood. He's most known for playing Lt. Archie Hicox in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds" but this year his plays Mr. Rochester in the Jane Eyre film featuring Mia Wasikowska and has been chosen to play Magneto in the upcoming summer X-Men: First Class film. He's also set to star in Prometheus, a big-budget film directed by Ridley Scott, in 2012. Fassbender is of Irish descent from his mother's side and German descent from his father's. Apparently his mother is the great-great-niece of Michael Collins, an Irish leader during the War of Independence which kind of makes him a hero in our eyes (that are still on him and having a hard time stopping).

Wet and ready to rumble HERE .

Taking off his Gucci (yes, we see the label) jacket HERE .
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