10 Irish series, from armed conflict to dark comedy

BarcelonaLately, streaming platforms have been offering a good number of series set in Ireland. Some deal with the Northern Ireland conflict, while in others, it's just a distant memory. This week sees the premiere of two new Irish-themed series, but with very different styles: one is a historical drama, while the other is a dark comedy set in the present day. In addition to these two fictional series, we'll review the other shows that transport us to the Emerald Isle and are currently available on streaming platforms.

One of this week's standout premieres is a story of forbidden love in 1970s Northern Ireland, during one of the darkest periods of the conflict. Cushla, a Catholic teacher, falls in love with a married and controversial Protestant lawyer who defends young Catholics accused of violence. The miniseries portrays the constant terror surrounding the couple, trapped in a love that seems destined for tragedy in a Northern Ireland marked by violence and suspicion. It is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Louise Kennedy.

The tone of the other Irish premiere this week is very different from that of "Days of AshThe Netflix series is a dark comedy with lightning-fast dialogue and absurd, surreal situations. The protagonists are three friends who receive the news that a fourth member of their group, with whom they haven't been in contact for some time, has died. Upon arriving at the wake, they begin to suspect that their friend may not really be dead and embark on a wacky mission to uncover the truth. The Northern Irish conflict only makes a passing appearance, through the characters' jokes.

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast"He owes a great debt to"Derry Girls", the previous series by its creator, Lisa McGee. In this comedy, the protagonists are a group of teenagers living in Northern Ireland in the 1990s, when the conflict was still simmering. However, the bombings and violence are not the focus of their lives, but rather the normal concerns of any teenager. Hilarious and frenetic."

Dark comedy is also the genre of this Apple TV+ series developed by Sharon Horgan, one of Ireland's most prolific screenwriters. Based on a Belgian series, it follows the misadventures of five sisters after the unexpected death of one of their husbands, a man the entire family detested. Death, sisterhood, and dark humor. The series, which has two seasons, received Emmy nominations for best writing and best actress (for Horgan, who also stars).

Can the Northern Irish conflict be addressed through a romantic comedy?The Lovers"It proves it. Seamus (Johnny Flynn) is a somewhat conceited English journalist who travels to Belfast to film a television program. There he meets Janet (Roisin Gallagher), a supermarket worker who seems to have no will to live, a straightforward woman who quickly brings him down to earth. The connection between them is so strong that they consider having an affair, despite knowing they have nothing in common and that he has a partner. Over the course of their relationship, the emotional scars that terrorism has left on both of them will come to light. The lead actress also stars in..."How to Get to Heaven from Belfast"

Blue Lights"It focuses on the criminal underworld of Northern Ireland 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement, which saw the Provisional IRA cease armed activity and the start of the peace process in the territory. The consequences of the conflict remain very much present in the daily lives of Northern Irish people, and three rookie police officers in Belfast will experience this firsthand. A series that has been compared to..."Line of Duty"and that has a strong social character."

Probably the most famous and influential Irish writer of recent years is Sally Rooney. Her best-known book, "Normal People", was adapted into a universally acclaimed series that launched the careers of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones. Marianne and Connell meet in high school and, despite coming from very different backgrounds, begin an on-again, off-again love story that endures. A love that marks a turning point in their lives."

Lola Petticrew, the actress who now stars in "Days of Ash", was first made known with the television adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe's book – translated into Catalan as "No diguis res"By Periscope—about the disappearance of a mother of a large family during the armed conflict. In parallel, it delves into the story of one of the most prominent members of the IRA, Dolours Price, a young woman who went from pacifist activism to armed struggle."

One of Ireland's popular symbols is Guinness beer. The creator of "Peaky Blinders"The Guinness Family," directed by Steven Knight, delves into the inner workings of the family that built the brewery and made its product known worldwide. The series is set in 1860 and begins with the death of Benjamin Guinness, the brewery's owner. His passing plays a significant role in the destinies of his four children: Arthur (Anthony Boyle), the eldest; Edward (Louis Partridge), the most responsible; Anne (Emily Fairn), often undervalued; and Ben (Fionn O'Shea), who struggles with alcoholism. In addition to family intrigues, the series explores the social and political context of the era through the rise of the Irish independence movement.

Perhaps the least successful of the ten proposals, this series follows in the footsteps of a podcaster specializing in "true crime"She travels to Ireland to investigate a crime with the help of a journalist. The story blends unsettling characters, dark humor, and a touch of horror, along with a handful of Irish stereotypes, such as disturbing nuns."