UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 02 MAY
The first UK screening of Quintessentially Irish, a full-length feature documentary directed by Birmingham City University (BCU) lecturer Frank Mannion, was hosted in Birmingham’s MAC Theatre last week.
Exploring what it means to be Irish in the modern world, the film boasts a star-studded cast including Pierce Brosnan, Jeremy Irons, Bob Geldof, Andrew Scott, Siobhan McSweeney and Olympic Gold medallist Usain Boltas well as a cameo from musician Niall Horan.
“Birmingham is the most Irish place in the UK, with over 2% of the population claiming Irish heritage”, explains Frank Mannion, Senior Lecturer in Film at BCU.
"It is also home to a rich Irish cultural scene, with the St Patrick’s Festival, the Pairc Festival and the Birmingham TradFest being popular annual events. I hope that Quintessentially Irish will surprise people with unexpected stories of Irishness around the globe.”
Major heads of state, including Irish President Michael D Higgins, US President Joe Biden and Prince Albert II of Monaco, also feature in the film.
There is also exclusive footage from inside the White House and the US Capitol on St Patrick’s Day, the Palace of Monaco and Aras an Uachtarain (the Irish Presidential Mansion) during the State visit of Joe Biden in April 2023.
Rory Guinness, the great-great-great grandson of Guinness founder Arthur Guinness, business tycoons John Magnier and Dr Michael Smurfit, conservationist and filmmaker Randal Plunkett, Grand National winning jockey Rachael Blackmore, best-selling writer Emma Dabiri and Celebrity Masterchef winner Riyadh Khalaf also explore their heritage throughout the film.
The documentary, produced by Swipe Films, has already been released in the United States, where it was described as a “lush valentine to everything great and Irish” by the Daily Mail and “fast paced and entertaining” by the Sunday Times.
It is the third film directed by Irishman Mannion, after his acclaimed debut 'Sparkling: The Story of Champagne', featuring Stephen Fry.