BARRY WARD

DATING AMBER (2021)
Starring Fionn O'Shea, Lola Petticrew, Sharon Horgan, Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, Evan O'Connor, Ian O'Reilly, Emma Willis, Lauryn Canny and Peter Campion. Directed by David Freyne.

Set-in Ireland during the mid-90’s, Eddie and Amber decide to stage a relationship in order to stop everyone speculating about their sexuality. Eddie is keen to follow his Dad into the military, while Amber dreams of moving to the liberal hub of London.

However, their ‘ideal’ arrangement begins to fall apart, forcing Eddie deeper into denial as Amber realises that a perilous future awaits her best friend unless she intervenes.

REVIEWS Dating Amber - Gay coming-of-age film shines with a unique spin on a familiar trope

JIMMY'S HALL (2014)
Starring Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, Jim Norton, Andrew Scott, Brían F. O'Byrne, Francis Magee, Karl Geary, Shane Cullen, Sean Fox and Sorcha Fox. Directed by Ken Loach.

James Gralton is the only person to be ever deported from Ireland. Gralton was an Irish communist leader who took U.S. citizenship after emigrating there in 1909. However, he returned to Ireland and started a dance hall in Effrinagh, County Leitrim and used the venue to propagate his political views. This was opposed by the Catholic clergy and eventually led to a shooting. This led to Gralton being arrested and deported to the U.S. in 1933 by the government led by Éamon de Valera.