Oscar winner Cillian Murphy produces & stars in this poignant, thought-provoking film that delves into the complexities of a small Irish town during the 1980s. Murphy, who described making the film as “a labour of love” plays Bill, a coal delivery driver and devoted father who uncovers disturbing secrets at a local convent. The film co-stars Eileen Walsh as his wife Eileen Furlong. Eileen & Cillian first worked together almost 30 years ago in a groundbreaking production of Enda Walsh’s ‘Disco Pigs’. This powerful play not only marked a significant milestone in her career but also established her as a formidable presence in the Irish theatre scene. The raw energy and intensity of her performance captivated audiences and critics alike, setting the stage for her future successes.
‘Small Things’ was adapted for the big screen by ‘Disco Pigs’ writer Enda Walsh. Making it the first time that all three artists have joined forces since the concluding tour of ‘Disco Pigs’ in the late 1990s, after which they embarked on diverse paths in their respective careers.
While reflecting on this exciting reunion, Eileen shares that the opportunity to work together again brings nostalgia. She believes their experiences over the years enrich the project, allowing them to infuse their collective growth insights into their performances. “We all bring the weight of our knowledge and experience, but once you’re in the room, it’s still the same things that make you laugh, and only the people who have known you for that length of time know those inside jokes.”
Walsh was starring in ‘The Crucible’ in London when Cillian Murphy told her he was working on the film version of ‘Small Things’ adapted by Enda Walsh. “He asked me to read the script, and it felt like everything had come full circle. The idea of getting back in a room with Cillian again is something that I would jump at no matter what the project was, but it made it all the sweeter that it was a book that meant so much to me, and it was with Enda.”
Set in the 1980s in New Ross, Wexford, the story boldly confronts the controversial subject of the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland. Walsh delivers a powerful performance of a mother, who is concerned that her family’s awareness of the laundry could place them in danger. She underscores the crucial importance of narratives like this, illuminating the heavy burden of shame that Irish women bear historically. It is essential to recognize these stories and learn from them, Walsh says that Ireland is only now coming to terms with that dark period in our history. “We very much are grappling with coming to terms with that time. We have a dirty history, but it is coming to light. It is being dealt with, and we are coming to terms with it, but it’s too late for some people, unfortunately. All we can do is recognize and respect it and pay where it needs to be paid.”
‘ Small Things’ is not the first time that Walsh has starred in a film connected to Ireland’s dark history of how unwed, pregnant women were treated. In 2022, she starred in ‘Ann’, based on the tragic true-life story of Ann Lovett, who died in childbirth at a grotto in Longford. Walsh, who plays Ann’s mother in the film, says she took inspiration from a book by the late Nell McCafferty to play her character. “The wonderful Nell McCafferty wrote the most amazing book called ‘A Woman to Blame’, which is all about the Kerry baby case, which I used for a lot of my reference on Ann. I was playing a mother who is just carrying so much shame and expectation and fear and a need to control with an iron fist and a headscarf.”
In another full circle moment, Zara Devlin who plays the title role of Ann in that film, reunites with Walsh in ‘Small Things’, playing the role of Sarah, a young woman who Bill encounters in shocking conditions at the convent. Walsh says Devlin is a brilliant young actor who gives her character so much grit.
“Zara is wonderful, and she’s easy to play a mother to because she’s so open and giving and delicate yet fierce. I think all of that’s very evident in her portrayal of Sarah in ‘Small Things’. She is quite perfect because even in a dark coal hole, she still shines; she still comes out. She has a grit in her that this little girl will survive, but she needs Bill to hold her hand.”
There is a lot of expectation for ‘Small Things’. Writer Claire Keegan’s previous film ‘An Cailín Ciún’ was Oscar-nominated, and this is also Murphy’s first film since his Oscar win for ‘Oppenheimer’. Does the weight of expectation affect Walsh? She says it is all out of her hands.
“There’s no controlling what people think and feel about it. The beautiful thing about amazing books is that you can read it and see one thing, and I can read it and see another thing, and that’s the same with films too; I’d like to think we’ve done it justice.”
Words – Cara O’Doherty