?Tales of Irish Castles? visits Castleknock, Kilkenny, Cork and Antrim with exclusive access to some

TV3 GROUP RELEASE

IMMEDIATE: Thursday 26th June, 2014

 

 

‘Tales of Irish Castles’ visits Castleknock, Kilkenny, Cork and Antrim with exclusive access to some legendary locations.

 

TV3 gets exclusive access to the location where David Beckham married Victoria, aka Posh Spice, at Luttrellstown Castle.

 

Did you know that Kilkenny was once the seat of government in Ireland?

 

We explore the majestic ruins of Dunamase and the most famous Irish castle of them all in Cork, Blarney Castle.

 

Simon Delaney is available for interview on request

 

‘Tales of Irish Castles’ episode 2 airs this Sunday 29th June, at 6.15pm on TV3.

 

Tales of Irish Castles is an entertaining and engaging documentary series exploring the great stories and characters associated with the most beautiful, notorious and historical castles built across Ireland.

 

In the second episode of this six part series, presenter Simon Delaney documents the expansion of Norman castle building throughout the 13th and 14th centuries and details some of the key Norman knights whose influence and power helped alter the landscape of Ireland forever, in particular William Marshall.

 

Castles featured in this episode include Luttrellstown in Dublin, where we get exclusive access to the location where David Beckham married Victoria, aka “Posh Spice”. The Beckham’s didn’t actually get married in the main castle but they wed in a small ruin on the grounds of the castle. A modest 24 guests attended the ceremony. Caretaker, Paddy Smith, talks about how the Beckham’s went about organising their wedding at Luttrellstown:

 

“Well they would have had an agent looking for somewhere very very special and secluded, y’know, I mean no one would find you in here. Y’know traffic – none, helicopters couldn’t find it. Secure, safe.”

 

The programme visits Kilkenny, which was once the Capital of Ireland and we are brought to County Cork where we explore the majestic ruins of Dunamase and the most famous Irish castle of them all in Cork, Blarney Castle, where kissing the world renowned Blarney stone can bring you a ‘gift of the gab’ forever.

 

Finally Simon takes a trip to Carrickfergus Castle in County Antrim where he learns that during the 14th Century, the King of Tyrone, Domhnall O’Neill, took advantage of long standing contacts across the sea in Scotland, inviting Edward Bruce over to Ireland. Bruce subsequently became High King of Ireland and devastated the country. He landed in the English Garrison Castle in Carrickfergus where there would be a siege lasting 12 months – the first test of the castle.

 

Other Irish Castles featured throughout the series include; Clonony, Birr, Charleville and Leap Castles in Offaly, Cahir Castle in Tipperary, Dunluce Castle in Antrim, Aughrim Castle in Galway, Tullynally Castle in Westmeath, Castle Leslie in Monaghan, and Blarney Castle in Cork.

 

Tales Of Irish Castles is produced by Sideline Productions for TV3, funded by the BAI and hosted by award winning actor Simon Delaney (BBC’s The Fall and Roy; CBS’s The Good Wife’ and SKY’s Emmy Award winner Moone Boy).

 

Tales of Irish Castles continues this Sunday 29th June, at 6.15pm on TV3.

 

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NOTES TO EDITOR:

 

Simon Delaney Biog

Simon Delaney has been working as an actor and director for more than 16 years in Ireland and the UK, and more recently in the US.

Simon has recently filmed Mrs Browns Boys, The Movie.  Prior to this he shot his third series of Moone Boy, directed and co-written by Chris O'Dowd and the Alan Partridge Movie, with Steve Coogan.

Other recent US screen credits include The Delivery Man, a feature film for DreamWorks, in which he plays Vince Vaughn's brother, The Good Wife opposite Juliana Margulies and Touch which stars Kiefer Sutherland.  Another recent feature film is This Must be the Place with Sean Penn.  Simon played the title role in John Carney's feature film, Zonad which was nominated for 6 Irish Film & Television awards including Best Film, and was a huge hit at the Tribeca Film Festival, receiving a 5 star review from Variety magazine.  Other European screen work includes Moone Boy (SKY TV), Fathers & Son (RTÉ/ITV) and Roy for CBBC, which received two BAFTA nominations.  Simon has shot two TV series for BBC, Pulling Moves in which played the lead role, and The Fall with Gillian Anderson.  Simon has received 4 Irish Film and Television Academy Best Actor nominations, and for the past three years has hosted the ceremony, live on RTE television.

 

Theatre credits include Stones in His Pockets (Charlie Conlon) at The New Ambassadors & Duchess Theatres in London, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (R.P McMurphy), Glengarry Glenross (Richard Roma), The Odd Couple (Oscar Madison), The Boys in the Band (Michael) and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Le Vicomte de Valmonte).  Simon performed the Irish premier of Defending the Caveman at The Tivoli Theatre in 2007.

 

Musical theatre credits include Jerry Springer the Musical (Jerry),The Blues Brothers (Jake), The Full Monty (Dave), 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), The Wiremen (Tommo), Guys and Dolls (Nathan Detroit) and The Hired Man (Isaac Tallentire).

           

Directing credits include Beauty & the Beast, Stones in his Pockets (German Premier & National Tour), Cinderella, The Full Monty (Irish Premier), West Side Story, Sweet Charity, Honk, Oliver, Cabaret and The Hot Mikado.

 

Tales of Irish Castles – Episode 2 Synopsis – ‘DON’T MESS WITH A KNIGHT’

Presenter Simon Delaney documents the expansion of Norman castle building throughout the 13th and 14th centuries and details some of the key Norman knights whose influence and power helped alter the landscape of Ireland forever, in particular William Marshall. Castles featured include Luttrellstown – with exclusive access to the location where David Beckham married Victoria, aka ‘Posh Spice’; Kilkenny - once Capital of Ireland; the majestic ruins of Dunamase and the most famous Irish castle of them all in Co. Cork where kissing the stone at Blarney Castle can bring you a ‘gift of the gab’ forever.