Alex Murphy of The Young Offenders Cast as Garda in New Irish Language Drama

Alex Murphy, known for his role in The Young Offenders, is transitioning from his previous attire to an Irish police (garda) uniform for his upcoming part in a new Irish language drama series. The drama, titled Crá (which means torment in Irish), centers on a murder inquiry in a rural village in County Donegal. This investigation begins after the remains of Garda Conall Ó Súilleabháin’s mother, who vanished 15 years prior, are found in a local bog. Prohibited from participating in the investigation, he collaborates with true crime podcaster Ciara-Kate to uncover further details regarding the case. This series, which includes English subtitles, is a collaborative cross-border initiative involving BBC Gaeilge and the Irish-language public broadcasting service TG4. Murphy, portraying the recently graduated garda Barry Roche, expressed that it was “very enjoyable” to embody a law-abiding character for a change, contrasting with his portrayal of the delinquent Conor MacSweeney in The Young Offenders. He remarked to BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra programme, “I’m on the other side of the law this time – the irony wasn’t lost on me.” “It was very funny filming and people would recognise me from the Young Offenders but of course I’m either sitting in a squad car or have the jacket on so there were lots of double or triple takes.” The 26-year-old actor characterized his role as a “blow in,” a newcomer who endeavors to earn the confidence of the local residents while operating under Conall’s guidance. He clarified, “We’re very much opposites.” “I’m more to the letter because I’m fresh out of Garda college and [Conall] knows the ins and outs of how to be a garda in small-town Ireland, and I’m his puppy and I’m just trying to impress him the whole time.” Filming for Crá took place over nine weeks in Gweedore, an Irish-speaking (Gaeltacht) district situated on Donegal’s northwest coast. This marks Murphy’s initial undertaking entirely in the Irish language, which he referred to as a “big challenge.” He commented, “When I first read it, I just really enjoyed the story and the script, and then it was just the icing on the cake then to hear it’s going to be in Irish.” “I did Irish in school but I wasn’t particularly good at it.” “When you’re young, it’s very easy to just not care and you think it’s a bit ridiculous and ‘why am I doing this?’, which is such a shame.” “But now that I’m a bit older and I wanted to learn Irish and I have an incentive to, it came a lot easier to me.” Murphy further mentioned that despite acknowledging he is “by no means fluent,” the availability of tutors who provided classes months beforehand and offered on-site assistance contributed to a “rewarding” experience. Crá represents the newest addition to a series of prominent Irish language productions, building on the success of the Oscar-nominated film An Cailín Cúin (The Quiet Girl) and the self-titled feature film by west Belfast rap-trio Kneecap. Murphy observed that the Irish language currently appears to be “quite trendy.” He also stated, “I wouldn’t be able to put my finger on it, exactly why that’s happening.” “For me I suppose it is that thing that when you’re younger it’s not as interesting and when you get that bit older you realise it’s quite important to know the language and the history of it all.” “When you find it on your own, it’s a lot more interesting.” Although the series is presented entirely in Irish, Murphy urged viewers who possess cúpla focal (a few Irish words) or those completely unfamiliar with the language not to be deterred. He clarified, “There’s no lie to say that for a lot of people this would be a foreign language TV show and if you’re not used to reading subtitles or watching foreign films, that might be daunting.” “I love watching foreign films because you forget about the subtitles, you’re reading along but that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment.” Crá is scheduled to premiere on Sunday, 17 November, broadcasting on BBC iPlayer and BBC One Northern Ireland at 22:30 GMT. The complete series will be accessible for viewing on BBC iPlayer soon after its initial broadcast. The complete interview with Alex Murphy will be available to hear later on BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra programme. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding their policy on external linking is available.