FROM President Biden to Pierce Brosnan, a new documentary film is examining and celebrating what it means to be Irish.
Quintessentially Irish features a star-studded cast, with “a veritable who’s who of Irish and political royalty” led by Brosnan and three heads of state – Irish President Michael D Higgins, Joe Biden and Prince Albert II of Monaco, who discusses the Irish heritage of his film star mother Grace Kelly.
Also featuring shots of some of Northern Ireland’s best known beauty spots including the Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle and the Giants Causeway - the Irish premiere was held in Carlow on Sunday at the George Bernard Shaw Theatre.
Other big names appearing onscreen include Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons, Bob Geldof, Ripley star Andrew Scott and Siobhan McSweeney (Derry Girls).
Appearing alongside his long-term Irish agent Ricky Simms, Olympic sprinting icon Usain Bolt even considers the similarities between Irish and Jamaican culture.
Rory Guinness, the great-great-great grandson of Guinness founder Arthur Guinness, also appears as well as a cameo from One Direction star Niall Horan.
The filmmakers were granted exclusive access to the White House on St Patrick’s Day, to the Palace of Monaco as well as Aras an Uachtarain during the State visit of Joe Biden in April 2023.
The third film directed by Carlowman Frank Mannion, it follows Sparkling: The Story of Champagne featuring Stephen Fry and the sleeper hit Quintissentially British with Ian McKellen and Judi Dench.
“We have some lovely aerial shots of world-renowned beauty spots including the Dark Hedges and the Giants Causeway. We also look at the significant Northern Irish links to Saint Patrick and filmed in Downpatrick and on Slemish Mountain where St Patrick was a shepherd,” said Mannion.
Quintessentially Irish will be available in cinemas and on streaming in the UK and Ireland from April 29th.
