Connolly film to be shot in Gdansk

[PRC-UTE]

Connolly film to be shot in Gdansk
Llech Walesa
The Polish dockyards made famous by Lech Walesa are the backdrop

The Polish port of Gdansk is to provide the backdrop for a new film based
on the life of Irish patriot James Connolly.

Connolly - executed for his role in the 1916 Easter Rising - will be
played by Peter Mullan of Trainspotting fame.

The film, due to be filmed in late 2008 or 2009, will be shot in Poland
because Dublin has become far too modern.

"Dublin has become Google city," said Tom Stokes of Rascal Films.

"All the old docklands buildings have been obliterated.

"Gdansk is one of the few ports that still have the big, old, red-brick
warehouses that once dominated Dublin's docklands.

Easter Rising
The Easter Rising in Dublin 1916

"It is a pity that we can't use Dublin, but given the large number of
Polish workers now in Ireland who are also members of Siptu, Gdansk is
almost as relevant."

The Irish government is considering part-financing the 24m euro film as
part of its centenary celebrations of the 1916 rising.

Connolly was a rebel, communist and a trade union leader who founded Siptu.

His execution by firing squad after the Easter Rising, supported by a
chair because of his wounds, significantly contributed to the mood of
bitterness in Ireland.

Patrick Bergin will play Jim Larkin and Susan Lynch will play Connolly's
wife, Lillie.

Irish actor Adrian Dunbar will direct the film.

Siptu has committed 500,000 euro to the project, the Communication Workers
Union in Ireland has promised 250,000 euro and the RMT transport union in
the UK has pledged a similar amount.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7101497.stm

[Invader Zim]

Something of an off topic point, but I've always been a bit at a loss as to see why the British executed him. The executions were highly unpopular even in England, and also in America; whom Britain was attempting to convince to join the war. Indeed it can harldy have been considered politically expedient to kill the guy. To add further weight to that point it is worth noting that Connolly's execution was the last in relation to the Easter Rising. To further compound this point Connolly, from all accounts, was on deaths door already; a result of an injury he had recieved in the fighting. So the British executed a man, which was highly contentious move politically and one that it seems was utterly unnecessary because a few days would have spared them the trouble.

I guess the only answer must be a desire to humiliate him.

[bluescouse]

James Connolly has always been a hero of mine. Unfortunately the one thing we have in common is that our first visit to Ireland was as soldiers in an occupying army.