Introduction
MICHeáL Ó SIOCHRÚ
How does Cromwell deserve to be remembered in the annals
of Irish history? For the great English historian A. J. P. Taylor,
writing on the 300th anniversary of Cromwell’s death, Ireland
was the ‘one great blot’ on the great man’s reputation, and his
actions there ‘beyond all excuse or explanation’. In fact, Taylor
believed that the ‘curse of Cromwell’ would still be remembered when all his other achievements had been forgotten. In
Ireland itself, the Protestants of Ulster, uncomfortable perhaps
with his reputation as a regicide, choose to commemorate William of Orange instead, while for many Catholics he remains a
figure of hate, guilty of crimes against humanity. Few would attempt to justify his record during the nine month military campaign in 1649–50, or the inequities of the subsequent land settlement.
Despite possessing many exceptional qualities, Cromwell’s dealings with Catholic Ireland mark him out as a man of his times.
He shared the racial, cultural and religious prejudices of his fellow Englishmen. His contempt for Irish Catholics ‘rationalised a
desire to exploit’, and he found little difficulty in excusing
shockingly brutal acts, such as the massacres at Drogheda and
Wexford. Ireland brought out the worst in Cromwell, and provided little outlet for his undoubted talents as an inspirational
leader and radical reformer. He subscribed unhesitatingly to the
doctrine that ‘error has no rights’, and treated the Catholic
Irish accordingly.
In the mid-seventeenth century, a lethal combination of racial
superiority and religious bigotry, reinforced by a genuine sense
of outrage at events during the initial months of the Ulster rebellion, created the ideal conditions for Cromwell’s campaign of
terror against Irish Catholics.
Cromwell’s conduct shocked contemporary opinion, not
only in Ireland, but also on the Continent, and almost certainly prolonged the war by a number of years. This conflict
resulted in a catastrophic loss of life, both soldiers and civilians, alongside the destruction of much of the country’s
economy and infrastructure.
As commander-in-chief of the army, the responsibilities for
the excesses of the military must be laid firmly at his door,
while the harsh nature of the post-war settlement also bears
his personal imprint. Cromwell was no monster, but he did
commit monstrous acts. A warrior of Christ, somewhat like
the crusaders of medieval Europe, he acted as God’s executioner, exacting revenge and crushing all opposition, convinced throughout of the legitimacy of his cause, and striving
to build a better world for the chosen few. In many ways,
therefore, he remains a remarkably modern figure, relevant
to our understanding of both the past and the present,
somebody to be closely studied and understood, rather than
revered or reviled.
Micheál Ó Siochrú
Dr. Micheál Ó Siochrú lectures in History in Trinity College Dublin.
Ó Siochrú worked as a journalist in Hong Kong and as a Political
Officer for the UN in Bosnia. In addition to the two books he previously published on Ireland in the 1640’s, Ó Siochrú has just published a full-length study of Cromwell’s military campaign in Ireland,
God’s Executioner. (Faber & Faber).
Extract from God’s Executioner by Micheál Ó Siochrú, published
by Faber & Faber. Extract used courtesy of Faber & Faber.
CGI graphics re-create the Siege of Drogheda
CROMWELL IN IRELAND examines that great nemesis of Irish history: Oliver Cromwell.
Starring Owen Roe as Oliver Cromwell, Declan Conlon as Hugh Dubh O’Neill and Catherine Walker as Elizabeth Price, Cromwell in Ireland (A Tile Films Production for RTÉ) is directed by two-time IFTA winning director Maurice Sweeney and presented by leading historian Dr Micheál Ó Siochrú.
Airing to coincide with the 350th anniversary of Cromwell’s death on 3rd September 1658,
the series consolidates Ó Siochrú’s fascinating take on this crucial time in Irish history. An
estimated 500,000 Irish people died from war, plague and famine during Cromwell’s military
campaign, making it one of the greatest catastrophes ever to befall the country. But strikingly, Micheál reveals how ‘God’s Englishman’ helped to lay the foundations for the modern
Ireland that we know today.
Many see Oliver Cromwell as a champion of modern democracy, the man who executed a
tyrannical king 140 years before the French Revolution. He was a military genius, the father
of the modern army, and he influenced everyone from Napoleon to Vladimir Lenin. For others he was a despot, militarily naïve and morally corrupt.
Shot on High-Definition, Cromwell in Ireland recreates one of the most bleak, brutal and wartorn eras in history. Large-scale dramatic reconstructions are combined with groundbreaking CGI to recreate the set piece sieges and battles that shaped Irish history for centuries to come. Owen Roe as Oliver Cromwell gives an emotional performance that does
much to humanise the man.
Exploring the human cost of war, the violent impact of ethnic conflict on a ravaged population, Cromwell in Ireland has a stark relevance today.
Combining drama and action with a poignant reflection on the horrors of war, Cromwell in
Ireland is a unique take on a man who has cast a dark shadow on the bloodstained backdrop
of history.
Cromwell in Ireland was commissioned by RTÉ Television in association with The
History Channel, and with support from the BCI. It was produced for RTÉ Television by
Tile Films.
About
The series
CGI graphics re-create the attack on Limerick
The Production
Steve Lynch, composer and producer from Stellarsound, joined forces with the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra to record the soundtrack to Cromwell in Ireland. Lynch travelled to Slovakia to record the documentary score at Bratislava Radio Studios. The
score for Cromwell in Ireland is haunting, an attempt to draw as much emotion as possible out of the subject matter, to emphasise the sorrow as well as the
darkness of Cromwell. The title theme was composed using the letters of his name and their alphabetic position to generate the musical phrase, literally spelling
out ‘Cromwell’ through music. While in Slovakia, Lynch also recruited the orchestra to record the score for Brian Durnin’s short film Of Best Intentions, which
explores broken hearts, shattered dreams and the destruction of the Earth’s ozone layer. The short premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh. Lynch is currently
working on the soundtrack for Mint Productions documentary on the History of the Irish Horse, also for RTÉ.
The music
CGI
Cromwell in Ireland recreates one of the most bleak, brutal and war-torn eras in
history. Large-scale dramatic reconstructions are combined with ground-breaking
CGI to recreate the set piece sieges and battles that shaped Irish history for centuries to come. The CGI scenes were created by the BAFTA Award
winning company Red Vision, a Manchester-based company who created the award winning Ai characters for the BBC series Battlefield Britain. Technical
and creative experts Sue Land and Warren Osbourne from Red Vision were on location with the crew when filming took place in Richmond and Middleham Castles in North Yorkshire in December last year. The Red Vision team worked closely with director Maurice Sweeney and DOP Richard Kendrick and 35 re-enactors (including cavalry) from The Sealed Knot Living History Group to create the CGI scenes.
Lynne Williams and Boyd Rankin set up their Living History Re-enactment company
Irish Arms in 1996. The company has expanded to encompass all areas of Irish and
worldwide historical reproduction for museums, heritage centres, re-enactors, film and
TV production companies and history enthusiasts. Creating the costumes for Cromwell in Ireland involved producing over 160 sets of clothing covering several
distinct and disparate populations, military and civilian, urban and rural. Each of these groups needed to be recognizable as different, and yet be true to the time
period and fit the overall “look” of the production. Perhaps the most straightforward set of characters were the most prominent, namely Oliver Cromwell
himself and the other well-known historical characters that were to carry the action along with spoken dialogue. These costumes were produced using original
portraits as reference and largely cut and assembled using period techniques (no Velcro! Ever!). The native Irish clothing posed the greatest challenge and was based on a very small amount of
archeological evidence (namely the Dungiven costume, Ulster Museum and the Killery coat, Shinrone gown, etc., National Museum of Ireland), and very sketchy contemporary descriptions.
wardrobe
Tile Films is a leading factual documentary production company, specialising in high end,
High Definition local and international documentaries for RTE and international broadcasters. Tile Films productions have won numerous awards and honours for their
work. The production team are an eclectic mix of creative, technical and business people, guaranteeing the delivery of compelling factual documentaries. Tile Films most recent productions
About Tile films
for RTÉ include Cromwell in Ireland, Death or Canada (2 x 52 min HD docu-drama. RTE, History Channel UK, History Television Canada - 2008), Ireland’s Nazis (2 x 52 min HD documentary series. RTE, History Channel UK - 2007), and The Ghost’s of Duffy’s Cut (1 x 52 min HD documentary. RTE - 2006).
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER STEPHEN ROOKE Managing Director, Tile Films With Tile Films Senior writer/researcher David Ryan, Stephen devised and developed the initial treatment and pitch for Cromwell in Ireland in August 2005. Says Stephen: “It has taken us three years to bring this monumental story to screen and we are very proud of the finished programmes”.
Stephen has directed many internationally renowned and award-winning series for RTE, including Waterways, Voyage and Legends of the Isles and The Ghosts of Duffy’s Cut. | EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER DAVE FARRELL Director of Development, Tile Films David was appointed a Director in 2002 and took up the fulltime position of Development Director/
Producer in 2003. He executive produced Tile Films internationally acclaimed 6 x 25 minute HD co-productions Heaven on Earth and The Lost Gods. Dave produced RTÉ / Tile Films
IFTA nominated documentaries The Ghosts of Duffy’s Cut and Ireland’s Nazis.
The Cast
One of Ireland’s busiest actors, Owen Roe has played many regular roles on TV such as Kevin Flaherty opposite
Pauline Collins in The Ambassador (BBC) and the devious pub landlord in the long running and internationally successful Ballykissangel (BBC). On stage he has performed in numerous productions throughout Ireland. Arguably his most notable work has been with The Abbey Theatre
(Ireland’s National Theatre) in productions such as Tom Murphy’s The Gigli Concert (which was chosen to tour Australia in celebration of the Abbey’s centenary year). He
played Vanya in the celebrated Gate Theatre production of Brian Friels’ version of Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov. Roe was awarded Best Actor at the Irish Times Theatre Awards 2007 for his performances in The Taming of the Shrew, Catastrophe and Festen. Roe starred in Prosperity, RTÉ’s highly acclaimed four-part drama series in
2007. As Oliver Cromwell in the RTÉ / Tile Films production Roe gives a towering, emotional performance that does much to humanise the man. This Autumn on RTÉ
he will also star in Whistleblower, the brand-new drama series from Saffron Pictures, alongside RTÉ’s new two-part drama Single-handed. Later this year Roe will play the
challenging role of twins in Gerry Stembridges greatly anticipated new film Alarm.
Owen roe
Declan Conlon gives gravitas and credibility to the character of ‘Hugh Dubh O’Neill’ – the legendary Irish general
whom he plays in Cromwell in Ireland. Conlon is now one of Ireland’s most prolific actors with numerous appearances
at the Abbey and Peacock theatres to his credit. He starred in Julius Caesar at the Abbey Theatre and played John Proctor in Patrick Mason’s acclaimed production of The
Crucible also at the Abbey Theatre. Conlon co-starred with Catherine Walker in the Project Theatre’s production of Miss Julie. In the highly acclaimed Recruiting Officer
directed by Lynne Parker at the Abbey Theatre, Conlon played the lead role of Plume. He has recently starred in Tom Murphy's play The Sanctuary Lamp. In the ITFA
Award winning TV drama series The Tudors – Season I, Conlon played Mendoza and will be continuing his role in Season II.
DEClan conlon
Catherine Walker plays the real life character of Elisabeth Price (who’s five children are massacred by Catholic Rebels
in the Rebellion of 1641) with compassion and restraint. Walker trained at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin. She
won the Best Actress Award at the Irish Theatre Awards in 2006 for her role as Bridgie Cleary in Alan Gilsenan’s play What Happened Bridgie Cleary at the Abbey Theatre. She has played a variety of roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London. She appeared alongside Owen Roe in the Gates Production of Uncle Vanya in 2007
and with Declan Conlon in Miss Julie, 2008. Walker played Elenor Tilney in Granada’s highly acclaimed production of Northanger Abbey and has had recurring roles on
Waking the Dead, and Holby City for BBC. She recently starred in RTE’s successful ninety minute drama Bittersweet and she will be continuing her role as Alice O’Brien in
this seasons series of The Clinic.
Catherine walker
Credits & Cast
Director Maurice Sweeney | Presented by Dr Micheál Ó Siochrú | Oliver Cromwell Owen Roe | Elizabeth Price Catherine Walker | Hugh Dubh O’Neill Declan Conlon | James Butler, Marquis of Ormond | David
Heap | Mayor of Clonmel Patrick Fitzsymons | Owen Roe O’Neill Boyd Rankin | Henry Ireton Duncan Lacroix | Sir Arthur Aston Dermot O’Neill | Producer Rachel Towell | Executive Producers Dave Farrell
Stephen Rooke | Written by David Ryan Maurice Sweeney Dr Micheál Ó Siochrú | Director of Photography Richard Kendrick | Editor Mick Mahon | Sound Fiachra O’Hanlon | Composer Steve Lynch | Senior
Researcher David Ryan | Line Producer Niamh Maher | Drama Reconstructions Irish Arms, Ireland & The Sealed Knot, UK | Production Design Lynne Williams | Wardrobe Hair & Make-up Patsy Giles | Trainee
Wardrobe Lee Davis | Set Construction & Props Colin Farrell | Armourer Boyd Rankin | Production Assistants Claire Corrigan Anne Marie Campbell | Camera Assistant Declan King | Trainee Camera Assistants
Shane Corry Matthew Kirrane | Gaffer Will Cash | Electricians Con Dempsey Jr Craig Hudson | 1s Assistant Director John Wallace | 2nd Assistant Director Rebecca O’Malley | 2nd Unit Camera Emmet Harte
Fergal O’Hanlon | Stills Photographer Gary Doherty | Boom Operator Mark Barry | Trainee Sound Sean Cuthbertson | Additional Sound Dave Fannin Stephen Mc Dowell | Voice Coaching Deborah Pearce | Irish
Poetry Pat Butler | Voice Over Recording Tony Kiernan | Post Sound Supervisors Allan Fung & Tom Bjelic | Sound Designer Kevin Howard | Re-recording Mixer Steve Cupani | Assistant Sound Editor Josh Machado |
Post Production Supervisor Dee Collier | Post Production Assistant Iseult Nolan | Assistant Editor Orla Malone | Online Editor Dominic Lord | Colourist Eugene McCrystal | Ireland Map Paul O’Neill | Graphics and
CGI Red Vision | Executive Producer for The History Channel Richard Melman | Executive Producer for RTÉ Kevin Dawson
Maurice Sweeney
director
Maurice Sweeney graduated from Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design with a BA Hons Degree in
Film Direction. His graduate film won him awards both in Ireland and Europe. Initially directing commercials, Sweeney was the first Irish director to win a Gold Shark at the International Advertising Festival in Kinsale 1999, for a series of commercials on Deaf awareness. He worked for a time in West
Africa, as a developer and trainer of local television directors and cameramen. He then went on to
direct the first Meet the Family series and the highly acclaimed nine part series on disability in Ireland,
Three 60. Sweeney directed the That Was Then, This is Now, a ninety minute documentary specially
commissioned as part of RTÉ’s celebrated Time of Our Lives season. In 2006, Sweeney won the IFTA
for Best Sports Feature for RTÉ’s Micheál: The Sound of Sunday and that same year he also won the
IFTA for Best Single Documentary for Flann O’Brien: The Lives of Brian, also for RTÉ. Cromwell in Ireland
is Sweeney’s most impressive and challenging work to date. The high-end two-part series highlights his
skills as writer and as a talented drama and documentary director. He is now co-directing a ten-part
series for TG4 on the social history of the GAA.
Rachel Towell
Producer
Head of Production for Tile Films, Rachel runs their prolific production department. Working with a
crew of twenty, featured cast of ten and over one hundred extras, cavalry, musketeers, a skilled CGI
team, Cromwell in Ireland was her most challenging and exciting role as producer to date. Her credits
include the RTÉ / Tile Films IFTA nominated documentaries Ireland’s Nazis and The Ghosts of Duffy’s Cut
for RTE. She production managed the Tile Films internationally acclaimed and award winning six part
HD series The Lost Gods (for TG4, S4C, Vision TV, Suisse TV, YLE Finland). Rachel is currently completing Tile Films latest two part HD docu-drama on the Irish Famine called Death or Canada for RTÉ,
The History Channel UK and History Television Canada.
Kevin Dawson
Executive Producer, RTÉ
Says Kevin Dawson: “Cromwell in Ireland kicks off RTÉ Television’s Hidden History season with an indepth profile of perhaps the number one villain of Irish history, a figure who has never been confronted, to this extent, on television before. There is probably no other figure and no other episode
in Irish history, prior to the Famine, capable of capturing the attention of the modern Irish public as
Cromwell’s story does. The reason for this, as Dr Micheál Ó Siochrú so deftly illustrates, is that
Cromwell’s story is our story. His actions resonate down to the present in the very structure of Irish
society; his legacy resonates in our culture and politics, in our sense of nationhood and self. Produced
by Tile Films and directed by Maurice Sweeney, these programmes address Cromwell’s Irish invasion
with strong production values, including CGI work and extensive dramatisations. Cromwell in Ireland
also launches a new presenter talent in Dr Micheál Ó Siochrú, who contends that the impact of the
Cromwellian episode, in which up to a quarter of the population perished, was even greater than that
of the Famine.”
Series Consultants
John Morrill Professor of History Cambridge University
John Morrill of Cambridge University is an expert
on 17th-century Irish and British history. He is
currently completing a major study on Oliver
Cromwell.
Jane Ohlmeyer Professor of History, Trinity College
Jane Ohlmeyer is head of the Department of History in Trinity College Dublin. She is an expert on
17th century Irish and British history.
Pádraig Lenihan Lecturer in History University of Limerick An ex-army officer, Pádraig Lenihan is an
expert on Irish military history. He has written a
major study of warfare in Ireland in the 1640s.
Nicholas Canny Professor of History NUI Galway
Nicholas Canny of NUI Galway is one of Ireland’s
leading historians. He is an expert on the 1641
rebellion, and its causes and consequences –
events which were a major factor in motivating
Cromwell’s conquest of Ireland.
Ronald Hutton Professor of History University of Bristol
Ronald Hutton of the University of Bristol has
contributed to a number of documentaries dealing with the English Civil Wars, and offers an English perspective on this divisive subject.
Press and Publicity
Joseph Hoban
[email protected]
086 8128662 | 01 2082399
www.rte.ie/tv/cromwellinireland
Tuesday September 9 and 16, RTÉ One
Brochure Design: J Hoban, RTÉ Press Office | www.rte.ie/presspack
Text and Images © RTÉ 2008
except for introduction © Faber & Faber Ltd 2008