June 2025

Irish-Australian Arts Roundup

Fáilte to the June Issue!

There’s lots happening this month with the Prankquean’s Bloomsday events and a slather of Irish films playing at the Sydney Film Festival (see our What’s On for details).

We have the low-down on Pierce Brosnan’s Irish accent controversy, look at Irish connections in the upcoming MIX TAPE series, welcome new members of the Irish Film Festival team and, last but not least, have a double pass to give away in each IFF city (Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney) for the new Irish film FOUR LETTERS OF LOVE which opens next month in cinemas across Australia!

2025 Irish Film Festival goes home

In 2025, we’re thrilled to be coming ‘home’ to the warm embrace of Palace Cinemas in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney – where we return to our old stomping ground The Chauvel!

Stay tuned for more on this year’s festival in coming editions…

‘Four Letters of Love’ giveaway

We’ve got FIVE double passes to give away for the upcoming film FOUR LETTERS OF LOVE, starring Pierce Brosnan and Helena Bonham Carter.

Based on the book by Niall Williams, the film follows two lovers, Nicholas (Fionn O’Shea, ‘New Boy’) and Isabel (Ann Skelly, ‘Kissing Candice’), threatened to be torn apart by family, passion and faith. Set against the backdrop of 1970s Ireland (the film was shot in Donegal and Antrim) – FOUR LETTERS OF LOVE is a beautiful romance about love’s struggle to survive.

To win a double pass in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth or Sydney, email us with your details and city.

Irish films at the Sydney Film Festival

There are some fantastic Irish films at this year’s Sydney Film Festival, now running from June 4 – 15, including BRING THEM DOWN with Barry Keoghan.

Explore the program here.

Pierce Brosnan’s accent a bit iffy?

Pierce Brosnan has taken some flak over his Irish accent in the new TV show, MOBLAND, where he plays the godfather figure in a London-based Irish crime gang. This is weird state of affairs, given that Brosnan is, of course, Irish, and so one would think that would make this type of criticism redundant (born in Drogheda, County Louth, Brosnan grew up in nearby Navan in County Meath).

However, on viewing, it is apparent that Brosnan’s accent seems to emanate from somewhere near Ballyporeen – giving it a strange ‘Stage Oirish’ bogman twang. In his defence, Brosnan told English media that the script denotes his character as a Kerryman and that he worked with a voice coach to perfect that accent. I’m personally disappointed that he does not channel ‘Navan Man’ in the accent department… there are certainly enough gangsters in Meath to warrant it!

In an unrelated piece of trivia, Brosnan last starred with Helen Mirren more than 40 years ago in John Mackenzie’s iconic 1979 gangster film THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY. MOBLAND is currently screening on Paramount+ and Prime.

MIX TAPE – an Irish Australian mashup

Highly anticipated romantic drama MIX TAPE has more than a few Irish connections. Premiering on Binge on 12 June 2025, this Australia / Ireland co-production won the prestigious TV award at SXSW earlier this year.

Sharp-eyed viewers may recognise locations in Dublin used as stand-ins for UK’s ‘grim-up-North’ Sheffield. Irish film nerds may also spot actors Mark O’Halloran and Siobhán O’Kelly in the cast. And the series’ art director is none other than Sydney-sider and Clonbur, County Mayo stalwart Loretta Cosgrove.

Last but not least: Slán abhaile to Áine Tyrrell

Mullumbimbi-based Irish singer-songwriter Áine Tyrrell is packing her bags and moving back to Galway after 10 years in Australia.

Áine has just embarked on a ‘Singing Our Way Home’ tour which visits multiple cities over the next 4 weeks, finishing up in Dublin on July 4th! Details at https://www.ainetyrrell.com/tour