RTÉ Drama
RTÉ Television has commissioned a new feature-length drama to be broadcast early next year. Adapted by renowned author Edna O’Brien from her novel, Wild Decembers, this is an interlocking story of land and love set in a rural community in contemporary County Clare. Starring Owen McDonnell (Single Handed, Conspiracy of Silence), Matt Ryan (Collision, The Tudors) and Lara Belmont (The War Zone, Henry VIII), the drama features a stellar cast of Irish actors from stage and screen including Sean McGinley, Hugh O’Connor, Jane Brennan and Pauline Cadell.
Directed by IFTA Award Winning director, Anthony Byrne (Single Handed, How About You) and produced for RTÉ by Touchpaper Television with Irish Co-producer Octagon Films, the 90 minute drama features a wealth of production talent including producer, Clare Alan, DOP, John Conroy, Production Designer, Derek Wallace and Costume Designer, Judith Williams.
The drama which began shooting in Bray, Co. Wicklow on Monday 10th November, tells the story of Michael Bugler (Ryan) who inherits his uncle’s dilapidated mountainside farm in County Clare. His arrival re-ignites a centuries-old feud with his neighbour Joseph Brennan (McDonnell), a feud over land, which even Bugler’s love for Joseph’s young sister Breege (Belmont) cannot heal.
Jane Gogan, Commissioning Editor, RTÉ TV Drama said, “I’m honoured to bring the work of one of Ireland’s greatest writers to RTÉ’s audiences. Edna O’Brien’s television adaptation of her own novel is a powerful piece of work that brings something quite exceptional to Irish drama. The impressive calibre of cast and crew makes this an exciting proposition for our viewers. At the heart of great drama is a great writer and RTÉ is privileged to have dramas by both Edna O’Brien and Frank Deasy currently in production to appear in our schedule in the coming year”.
Rob Pursey, Executive Producer, Touchpaper Television said, “Following on from the success of ‘Single-Handed, it’s a real pleasure for us to be working again with RTÉ, and with an extremely talented Irish production team. We also feel privileged to be bringing Edna O’Brien’s remarkable script to the screen.”
Last month, RTÉ announced that it had co-commissioned a major new four-part drama written by Emmy-Award winning writer Frank Deasy. Father & Son, co-produced with ITV, is currently in production and also will be broadcast on RTÉ Television next year.
Date: Thursday 20 November, 2008.
Contact: Sharon Brady, Senior Press & Publicity Officer, RTÉ Television tel: 01-2083161/087 6858975
Editors’ Notes
Pic entitled “RTÉ Commissions Drama by Edna O’Brien” will be sent to all pic desks
Edna O’Brien biog
Lauded by Philip Roth as “the most gifted woman now writing in English,” Edna O’Brien is the author of eleven novels, as well as numerous collections of stories, plays, non-fiction, and biography. She has received several literary awards, including the Kingsley Amis Award for fiction in 1962, the Yorkshire Post Novel Award in 1971, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in 1990. She has also written many film and TV dramas including “The Country Girls”, “Zee and Co”, and “Girl with Green Eyes”. This is her first drama for RTÉ Television.
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