Gabriel Byrne, the next Hollywood star to call?
Bound for Belfast: Actor Gabriel Byrne may visit later this year
Friday, 11 July 2008
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The ever-growing list of Hollywood stars making a beeline for Belfast is set to swell further this year when top Irish actor Gabriel Byrne pays a visit to the city.
The star of hit films such as The Usual Suspects and Miller’s Crossing has been announced as the new patron of Aisling Ghear, an Irish language theatre company based in west Belfast.
The company say they are hopeful that the Dublin-born star will be able to pay them a visit later this year.
This will be the latest in a series of recent visits to the city by top movie stars. In the last year Meryl Streep, Tim Robbins, Bill Murray and Liam Neeson have all been visitors to Belfast.
General manager of Aisling Ghear Carrie-Anne McAlonan-McCrudden said that having Byrne — an avid Irish speaker — as the company’s figurehead would be a major boost.
“We are currently the only full-time working Irish language theatre company in Ireland who are producing their work through the Irish language,” she said.
“It’s nice for us, and nice for him to be associated with us as well. He has been very supportive of Irish language projects in the past.
“It consigns some kind of artistic merit, that we have become established and reached a level of quality where we have a Hollywood actor associated with us.”
Although no firm date has been set, the company hope Byrne may be able to visit this autumn.
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