Ireland is often known as the land of saints and scholars, but it’s also so much more. Long recognised as the home of chefs, actors and creatives that rival the very best, the tiny island with the big heart has taken screens big and small by storm. Whether it’s a breathtaking look at its natural beauty, the grittiness of its world-class dramas, or its distinctive brand of comedy, dive into the and fall in love all over again.
Dermot O’Leary’s Taste of Ireland
TV presenter Dermot O’Leary goes back to his roots, taking a delicious journey around the Emerald Isle in five-part series Taste of Ireland. Though he was brought up in the heart of Essex, O’Leary’s parents hail from Wexford in the country’s south east, and it is here in the county affectionally known as the ‘bread basket of Ireland’ that he begins his road trip. From his parent’s favourite restaurant, to Dublin’s ever evolving food scene, traditional Irish recipes to new and exciting takes on classic ingredients, O’Leary immerses himself in the very best that Ireland has to offer. Along the way, he discovers the beauty and charm of this island on the edge of the Atlantic and meets those who are securing it’s place on the gastronomic map.
Dermot O’Leary’s Taste of Ireland is streaming at SBS On Demand. Episodes are also airing Saturday nights 7.30pm on SBS Food.
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Dermot O'Leary's Taste of Ireland
series • cooking
G
series • cooking
G
Studs
Nobody does comedy quite like the Irish, and with a cast including Dublin native Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin), Studs is a laugh-filled film that celebrates the underdog. Gleeson is Walter Keegan, newly appointed captain of the Emmet Rovers, a failing Dublin football side who desperately need the mysterious Keegan to turn their fortunes around. The team are mouthy and chaotic, and their latest eight-nil defeat proves to be one too many. Armed with unconventional tactics and a unique approach to motivating his players, Keegan appears to be the answer to their prayers, but not everyone is singing his praises. With all the irreverent humour you might expect, this is a light-hearted film with plenty of soul.
Studs is streaming at SBS On Demand.
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Studs
comedy • 2006
comedy • 2006
Blue Lights
Gritty cop drama Blue Lights has been acclaimed and for good reason. Set in a divided Belfast, the series follows three of the PSNI’s newest recruits as they enter their probation period, determined to prove that they’ve got what it takes to make it as a fully fledged member of the force. It’s a task not without challenges, however, and with criminal gangs, undercover agents, their own communities and even their own police force standing in their way, survival trumps success at every turn. With a formidable cast including Sian Brooke (House of the Dragon), Northern Ireland's own Katherine Devlin, Nathan Braniff and Martin McCann, the harsh realities of life on the frontline are played out over two heart-stopping seasons.
Both seasons of Blue Lights are streaming at SBS On Demand.
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Blue Lights
series • Crime drama
MA15+
series • Crime drama
MA15+
Perrier’s Bounty
A film with a credits list that includes Oscar-winning actor and proud Irishman Cillian Murphy is undeniably worth a watch, and Perrier’s Bounty ticks that box and many more. Set in Dublin, this dark comedy joins Michael (Cillian Murphy) on the run thanks to an outstanding debt owed to mobster and titular character Darren Perrier (Brendan Gleeson). With his father Jim (Only Fools and Horses’ Jim Broadbent) swept up in the chaos, and neighbour Brenda (Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker) along for the ride, Michael must find a way to pay up or risk Perrier’s wrath. With plenty of dark humour and eccentric characters to carry it, Perrier’s Bounty uses the Irish capital as a backdrop for its quirky tale.
Perrier’s Bounty airs 8.30pm 12 March on SBS VICELAND and will be streaming at SBS On Demand after it airs.
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Perrier's Bounty
Crime drama • Dark comedy • 2009
Crime drama • Dark comedy • 2009
Michael Collins
No round up of Irish greats would be complete without mention of Antrim-born actor Liam Neeson. Having established himself as one of the Emerald Isle’s greatest exports, Neil Jordan’s 1996 biopic Michael Collins saw Neeson return to tell a story intrinsic to the history of his homeland in the wake of his breakout success in Schindler’s List. Starring in the titular role, Neeson embodies the Irish revolutionary, recounting Collins leadership of the Irish Republican Army and the struggle for Irish independence from the British in the early 20th century. Through Neeson’s performance, audiences come to know a little of Collins himself, and the love, sacrifice, determination, and tragedy that coloured the life of this giant of Irish history.
Michael Collins is streaming at SBS On Demand and will also air 8.30pm Wednesday 26 March on SBS VICELAND.
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Michael Collins
biography • Historical drama • 1996
biography • Historical drama • 1996
Sea Fever
If you like prefer your Celtic cinema with a dash of science fiction and a touch of horror, then gripping drama Sea Fever is for you. Marine biology student Siobhan (Hermione Corfield) is part of the tight-knit crew of a West Ireland trawler who are set off course when a mysterious deep-sea threat breaches the metal hull of their boat. Though the damage to the trawler is undeniably concerning, none of them could imagine that the greatest danger to those on board is the lethal and growing parasitic threat left behind by the perpetrator. The first feature film from acclaimed Irish director Neasa Hardiman, Sea Fever perfectly blends the ‘can’t watch’ moments with their ‘can’t look away counterparts’ and, in this post-pandemic era, evokes a whole new level of spine-tingling fear.
Sea Fever is streaming at SBS On Demand from 14 March.
Upcoming On Demand
Sea Fever
horror • Science fiction • 2019
horror • Science fiction • 2019
The Dry
Siobhan Sheridan has been sober for five months, seventeen days and six hours. Not that anyone is counting. In Irish comedy drama The Dry, Shiv (Roisin Gallagher) as she prefers to be known returns to Dublin after a decade in London in hopes of a much-needed fresh start, sans alcohol. Unfortunately, her grandmother’s death throws Shiv head first into an Irish wake for her first family gathering post-move, and when grief is usually handled with plenty of food, singing and a pint or four, old habits could be harder to shake that she thought. While Dublin’s posh south-side is hardly a come down from living pay check to pay check in the UK, Shiv must adjust to living alongside her family once more and rediscover Ireland, and herself, in the process. After an acclaimed first season, The Dry returned for season 2, with more engaging drama for Shiv and her family.
Both seasons of The Dry are streaming at SBS On Demand.
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The Dry
