Following Toonari Post’s recent review of ‘Jump’, here is an interview with the film’s leading lady Nichola Burley. Nichola is a young actor from Leeds, England who has appeared in such projects as ‘StreetDance 3D’, ‘Shameless’, ‘Scott & Bailey’, and the upcoming ‘Twenty8k’. Here, she tells Toonari Post about the experience of working on ‘Jump’, filming in Northern Ireland and much more.

Toonari Post (TP): Can you describe the initial appeal of ‘Jump’ for you?

Nichola Burley (NB): When I initially read ‘Jump’ I was engrossed by the realism of playing two completely different emotions and scenarios against each other. Happiness and hope against numbness and sadness.

TP: You had to develop a Derry accent for the role. How much of a challenge was this and did you spend any time in Derry prior to filming to get the accent right?

NB: I had thought and learnt [sic] for the most part a general Northern Irish accent. Upon arriving in Belfast for rehearsals, I was asked more precisely to have a Derry accent and I had no idea what it was. It soon became about working with the voice coach on specifics and learning from cast and crew.

TP: Most of ‘Jump’ was shot on location. How did you find this shooting experience in comparison to working primarily on an enclosed set/sound-stage?

NB: It was fantastic to be on location, you can’t fake or pretend the feelings and atmosphere you can get from being in certain places. The Foyle Bridge was beautiful yet daunting. I was told many stories about the Bridge and often found it eery standing on the bridge, looking at beautiful views knowing for some people it symbolised very different things.

TP: Your character Greta is the emotional core of the film. Can you talk about the journey she goes on the film and what perhaps you found either particularly rewarding or challenging about playing her?

NB: Greta is a fantastic person. Someone who at that point in her life, and I believe for a long time, has come to feel numb and empty. She’s surrounded by materialistic things that serve as no real purpose to her and longs a great sense of feeling, belonging and true want. At the pit of this feeling, she meets Pearse (Martin McCann) who, without maybe knowing the extent of his actions, sheds light on to Greta, saving her in a number of ways.

TP: The cast in ‘Jump’ is pretty remarkable and diverse, yet the majority of your scenes are with Martin McCann. What was it like working with Martin, and is there anyone in the cast with whom you would have liked to have had more/any scenes?

NB: The cast of ‘Jump’ are all remarkable and delivered their characters with such ease. I was extremely lucky to have worked with Martin McCann. A very intense, precise and thought-provoking actor.

TP: The narrative structure of ‘Jump’ is quite ambitious in terms of how many characters and storylines need to be juggled. From reading the script to filming to then finally seeing it all on screen, how satisfied are you with the finished product?

NB: I am extremely pleased and proud with ‘Jump’. Whilst juggling stories and characters, it balances everything wonderfully and allows the audience to follow everyone’s stories in such a way that makes the audience feel moved in many ways.

TP: 10 years ago, Northern Ireland probably couldn’t (or wouldn’t) have been able to make a film like ‘Jump’. As a young actor coming up in the industry, what is your impression of filmmaking in Northern Ireland and of the talent on offer there?

NB: From the actors that I have worked with in Northern Ireland, the talent appears endless. Often growing up in oppression makes you want to fight and strive more to better yourself and things around you. This combined with a great honesty and naturalness makes for the perfect actor/actress.

TP: Leading on from that, another film you have in the pipeline is ‘Twenty8k’ which, like ‘Jump’, has started doing the festival circuit before a potential nationwide cinema release. What can you tell us about that film and your role?

NB: ‘Twenty8k’ has 50+ speaking characters and a very complex story. My character is a bit of a ‘rude girl’ with an ‘I don’t care’ attitude. She initially is with a very messed-up guy who is involved in some heavy situations, she then gets with a character not that much better, however holds slightly better morals. She lets on to a massive secret that could potentially save or disgrace a lot of people.

TP: Finally, what is next for you in your career?

NB: I have ‘Twenty8k’ coming out shortly and have recently completed a film calked ‘Svengali’.

TP: Good luck with it. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Nichola.

Watch the trailer for ‘Jump’ here and follow Nichola on Twitter at @nichola_burley.

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In Academy Award-winning director James Marsh’s new film ‘Shadow Dancer’, the story of a young mother torn between family loyalties and personal freedom places Northern Ireland’s troubled past in a quietly personal and intimate setting. Featuring a diverse cast of British and Irish actors, and shot on location in Dublin, ‘Shadow Dancer’ is one of the most fascinating representations of the troubled period which defined Northern Ireland in recent decades.

The film begins in Belfast in 1973 with a young girl, Colette McVeigh, sending her younger brother on an errand her father had asked her to do, only to see her brother carried into their home minutes later with a gun shot to the chest. Consumed with guilt and fear, the film flashes forward twenty years to London, where an older Colette is seen planting a bomb on the London Underground and then fleeing from the scene. Quickly caught by the police, the plot takes a surprising turn when it is immediately revealed that Colette never set the timer on the bomb. From here, director Marsh calmly sets up the main drive of the film: Colette, eager to escape from her involvement with the IRA (Irish Republican Army) can either agree to work for the British police as an informant on her family’s terrorist activities or she will lose her son and be sent to jail for twenty five years.

The strength of ‘Shadow Dancer’ rests in Marsh’s ability to mine gold out of a relatively-sparse screenplay. Moments of dialogue are few and far between, and in a Q&A session following a screening at the Belfast Film Festival, Marsh revealed that this led to the significance of costume and color in scenes where characters needed to make their presences known without any verbal introduction. Colette’s red coat in particular drew attention from audience members, with one person at the Belfast Film Festival screening linking it to Marsh’s previous work on the ‘Red Riding’ series for Channel 4.

As for the cast, there is not a flaw to be found. Andrea Riseborough is captivating as Colette, a woman whose domestic struggle (staying with the ignorant way of thinking exemplified by her brothers or leaving with her son who signifies the innocence of a new generation uncorrupted by sectarian bigotry) drives the narrative. Clive Owen is equally solid as Mac, the MI5 member who takes a personal interest in ensuring her safety. Strong supporting performances come from Gillian Anderson, Brid Brennan and Martin McCann, whose quiet turns in the film respect the tone and assist in making ‘Shadow Dancer’ a successful depiction of life and hardships for the contemplative individual in the midst of ongoing political strife and painful national division.

‘Shadow Dancer’ will be released in UK cinemas on August 25.

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On Friday June 8, the Belfast Film Festival hosted the second of its three Gala Screenings as the locally-produced film ‘Jump’ premiered to a packed crowd at the Dublin Road Movie House. Starring Nichola Burley (‘StreetDance 3D’), Martin McCann (“The Pacific”), Charlene McKenna (“Raw”), Richard Dormer (‘Good Vibrations’) and Lalor Roddy (“Game of Thrones”), ‘Jump’ follows several characters on New Year’s Eve in Derry, Northern Ireland, as they weave in and out of each others lives, all ultimately impacting the film’s main protagonist Greta, played beautifully by Burley. Director Kieron J. Walsh does a great job bringing effective moments of comedy to an otherwise dark, introspective tale, but ‘Jump”s main success is in painting Northern Ireland in a light rarely seen before on screen or at this festival.

Toonari Post previously reviewed ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Shadow Dancer’, both of which were entertaining in their own rights but which still situated their narratives in relation to the well-documented social and political conflict of Northern Ireland’s past. ‘Jump’, however, tells personal stories through themes which could translate to any city and any festival. Depression, grief, greed, hope: Walsh brings all of these to life thanks to a moving score and Steve Brookes’ well-balanced screenplay.

The film begins with Greta on the edge of a bridge, contemplating suicide until she is interrupted by Pearse, a young man unceasing in his efforts to find his younger brother who he suspects has been harmed by local gangster Frank Feeney, who just so happens to be Greta’s father. Reluctantly caught in the middle of all of these storylines is Greta’s friend Marie who, along with her other friend Dara, struggle to stay out of danger on a New Year’s Eve night which spirals more and more out of control.

Burley has few, if any, light moments to play as the despondent Greta, but she never falters in her portrayal of a woman figuratively and physically driven to the edge of despair. She sparkles in her scenes with McCann, who gets to play some wittier moments as Pearse, a young man with whom Greta forms an instant bond due to their mutual loathing of Frank Feeney, played by Roddy. Roddy is perfectly menacing in the role, while Ciarán McMenamin and Packy Lee provide much of the comic relief as Feeney’s lacklustre henchmen. Charlene McKenna and Valene Kane are terrific as Marie and Dara, the two women who can’t help but to get drawn into everyone else’s problems. Rounding out the cast is Dormer who, as the haunted criminal Johnny, is a world away from Terri Hooley of ‘Good Vibrations’ in this role. Dormer grounds every single scene he is in, especially when he is paired with the ridiculous duo of Ross and Jack (McMenamim and Lee, respectively), and at times rivals Burley as the emotional hook of the film.

More than likely, ‘Jump’ will not receive the global marketing support handed out to less-deserving ensemble offerings like last year’s woeful ‘New Year’s Eve’ or the recent ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’, which is a shame because Walsh and Brookes have created a densely-plotted and fantastically fast-paced film which would entertain almost any cinema-goer. Still, it had the backing of Limelight Media, Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Film Board and BBC Northern Ireland, among other investors, so there may be hope that a wider audience outside of Northern Ireland will get the chance to enjoy ‘Jump’ and see a refreshing take on life in this creatively-burgeoning country.

Visit the Belfast Film Festival Website  or Just give them a Like on Facebook

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Eight pimps were arrested May 29, 2012 and May 30, 2012 in one of the largest brothel raids in Ireland’s history. The raid, known as “Operation Quest” consisted of searching 140 houses, apartments and flats in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Three women were removed from the raid who were considered possible victims of human trafficking.

Three women were arrested and sentenced in the Northern Ireland raids. Sandra Polewska, Milena Tarnowska, and Marta Kozakowska are all Polish nationals who have received suspended two-month prison sentences after all three plead guilty to running a brothel in Belfast and possession of criminal property. The human trafficking charges have not been brought up against anyone as of yet.

Kozakowska received an extra month to her suspended sentence after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. Kozakowska swallowed a phone SIM card when police first raided her apartment in order to keep her client information secret.

According to the “IrishTimes.com,” the brothel run by these three Polish nationals was considered “unsophisticated.” It is unclear as to the hierarchy of the brothel and which one of the women, if any of the three, were considered in charge of everything. Instead the three seemed to work together to run the brothel but also acted as prostitutes.

Two other women were arrested in the Northern Ireland raids but were released on bail pending further inquiries. Two women and one man were arrested in the Republic of Ireland, but two of the three have been released without charges. No prostitutes were arrested during the raids because they are considered exploited victims rather than criminals.

In addition to sexual items and condoms around $4,229 were confiscated from the Northern Ireland raids.

The operation was a joint effort of Garda, Serious and Organized Crime Agency, Europol, UK Border Agency and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). A Garda spokesperson claimed, “during the investigation to date it has been established that prostitution is organized on a cross-border basis and today’s joint operation was specifically aimed at individuals and groups intent on making profits from vulnerable members of society across the island of Ireland.”

According to the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities, Northern Ireland is the fastest growing sex industry in the United Kingdom. Denise Charlton, CEO of the Immigrant Council stated, “as a member of the Turn Off the Red Light Campaign, a coalition of more than 50 organizations, we want to see the Government act by making it illegal to pay for sex. It is this discrepancy in Irish law which has allowed the brothels to flourish and brought human rights abuses to our communities.”

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The 12th annual Belfast Film Festival runs from May 31 – June 10, and sees a wide variety of films and events on offer for audiences of all ages and interests.

Last year’s festival, which takes place in the capital city of Northern Ireland, saw the premiere of Terry George’s Oscar-winning short film ‘The Shore’, and this year George is returning to the festival with his new film ‘Whole Lotta Sole’, which had its world premiere recently at the Tribeca Film Festival.

‘Sole’ brings together a diverse range of talent such as Brendan Fraser, Yaya DaCosta, Martin McCann, and Colm Meaney, and was shot at various locations all over Northern Ireland last Spring. The film will close the festival on June 10 at the Waterfront Hall, full details of which can be found here.

Opening the festival is the eagerly-awaited film ‘Good Vibrations’, which so far is set to have two screenings on May 31. The film brings together directors Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, along with Northern Ireland author Glenn Patterson who co-wrote the screenplay with Colin Carberry. The film stars Jodie Whittaker and Dylan Moran, and the official description is listed as:

“Terri Hooley … a radical, rebel and music-lover in 1970s Belfast when the bloody conflict known as the Troubles shuts down his city. As all his friends take sides and take up arms, Terri opens a record shop on the most bombed half-mile in Europe and calls it Good Vibrations.

Through it he discovers a compelling voice of resistance in the city’s nascent underground punk scene. Galvanising the young musicians into action, he becomes the unlikely leader of a motley band of kids and punks who join him in his mission to create a new community, an alternative Ulster, to bring his city back to life.”

Other highlights of the festival include:

• Gala screenings of ‘Shadow Dancer’, ‘Jump’, and ‘Toothbrush’. ‘Shadow Dancer’ screens on Wednesday June 6, and the director, cast and crew will be in attendance. ‘Jump’ will have a similar turn-out for its screening on June 8, where the screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director (Kieron J. Walsh).
• Talks & Workshops with Terry George, James Marsh, Nick Emerson, and various people involved with ‘Good Vibrations’.
• A special screening of the 2002 film ‘Ghost Ship’ at The Lagan Boat on June 7.
• A ‘Zoolander’ night, bringing together fans of the 2001 film starring Ben Stiller.
• An Evening with James Ellis, the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

On top of all of these, the festival will feature short film competitions, screenings of documentaries and new cinema, a film quiz, and the 11th Belfast World Pong Championships.

The full festival program can be found here.

Image Courtesy of    Belfast Film Festival

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Bushmills Village, Northern Ireland - Bushmills Irish Whiskey has announced that globally-renowned actor Elijah Wood will perform a DJ set at ‘Bushmills Live’ – the festival of handcrafted whiskey and music taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the 20th and 21st June.

He joins a bill that already features multi-platinum selling band Snow Patrol – whose fee for the festival is being donated in full to the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast – and award winning artists Iain Archer and Foy Vance.

Wood, along with his friend Zach Cowie, will take to the stage under the name Wooden Wisdom. The duo has DJ’d at Bushmills launch events in the past, but this will be the first time that they will have performed at an event together outside of the United States.

Widely regarded as one of the most gifted actors of his generation, Wood has recently completed production for Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit,” where he will be reprising his role as Frodo Baggins. Wood made an indelible mark in the trilogy of films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” in the lead role of the hobbit, Frodo.

Directed by Jackson, the films; “The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Two Towers,” and “Return of the King” were all critically lauded as well as being box office record setters. In addition, “Return of the King” won the Academy Award* for Best Picture as well as 11 Academy Awards in all, tying “Titanic” for the record. Wood is also the founder of record label Simian Records.

Fans of Bushmills Irish Whiskey can win the chance to attend the festival by entering a competition on the Bushmills Facebook page – facebook.com/bushmills1608.

To stand a chance of winning they will have to submit a photo of themselves and a friend and explain why they and their friend should be in the audience for Bushmills Live.

As well as listening to great music, those fortunate to win a ticket to the festival will also have the opportunity to make their own blend of Bushmills Irish Whiskey.

Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery said: “I am really looking forward to welcoming Elijah to the Old Bushmills Distillery. He is a great actor and DJ and I have already seen him perform at a fantastic Bushmills party in Los Angeles. The line up for Bushmills Live just keeps getting better and I now can’t wait for 20th June!”

To win tickets to Bushmills Live or to find out more, visit facebook.com/bushmills1608. Entry closes at 23:59 GMT on 27th April 2012. Terms and conditions apply.

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Image Courtesy of   s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

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Like most cities, Belfast has had its fair share of troubling statistics and unfortunate public embarrassments when it comes to substance abuse among young adults. Just last week, major universities in the city had circulated emails to their entire student bodies in the run-up to St. Patrick’s Day, with the Student Union President at Queen’s University Belfast writing:

If you happen to be in the University area over the weekend please remember your responsibilities as a member of the South Belfast Community and be aware that as a student of Queen’s you fall under the auspices of the University’s Conduct Regulations.

This type of advisory email followed several years of well-publicised displays of disorderly conduct among a select group of young adults in student housing areas of the city. Years past have seen excessive and unmoderated drinking lead to physical altercations, verbal abuse, graffiti and property damage, police involvement, and consequently the expulsion of several students from their respective university institutions.

As a result, this year students at Queen’s were given a 4-day weekend over St. Patrick’s Day, in the hope that a longer break would encourage some to travel outside the city or to return home, away from the influence of those who were most likely to cause public disturbances. This measure seems to have been relatively effective, with The Irish Times reporting:

A substantial police presence, together with a zero-tolerance approach to on-street drinking, appeared to keep the situation under control.

On Friday, eight people were arrested in the area for a range of anti-social behaviour. But by 9.30pm yesterday, the streets of the Holyland, although littered with broken glass, were quiet and virtually empty, with just a few house parties going on behind closed doors.

Unfortunately, 2012 has already seen alcohol-related tragedy among the youth community. In February, 20-year old Joby Murphy accidentally fell into the River Lagan due to poor safety measures at the Lagan Weir bridge.

Murphy had attended a Snow Patrol concert that same night, and then drank £1 vodka shots prior to his fall, leading to his father getting involved with a campaign to ban certain drinks promotions around the city, namely ones that offer ‘All You Can Drink’ deals at significantly reduced prices. Such deals are common in Belfast bars and clubs frequented by students, and it is thought that banning them would go some way to discouraging young adults from binge drinking.

However, some have criticised such a proposition for being an ineffective way to teach young adults about the dangers of alcohol. The general mentality is, if someone wants to find alcohol at a cheap price then they will not have to look very far to find some.

Facebook even offers ‘Dial A Drink’ services, where businesses will deliver alcohol straight to your doorstep without ensuring that no minors in the house will be drinking, so it is clear that Belfast, like so many other UK cities, has not yet figured out how to measurably regulate alcohol consumption among younger people.

Murphy’s father is still pushing ahead with hopes of making the Lagan Weir bridge more secure and better equipped to deal with accidental falls, but at the moment he seems to be one active voice facing a larger community deaf to the seriousness of this drinking subculture.

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Among the big winners at last Sunday’s 84th Annual Academy Awards was Belfast-born director Terry George, whose short film ‘The Shore‘ won for Best Live Action Short Film.

George has previously been nominated twice at the Academy Awards, once in 1994 for Best Adapted Screenplay for ‘In The Name of the Father‘, and again in 2005 for Best Original Screenplay for ‘Hotel Rwanda‘. His win for The Shore, however, represents the culmination in a long labour of love which sought to depict Northern Ireland in a brand new light to the world.

The Shore stars Ciarán Hinds, Conleth Hill, Maggy Cronin and Kerry Condon, and centres around a man (played by Hinds) who returns to Northern Ireland after a long absence with his daughter (played by Condon) and forges a reconciliation with an old friend and an old lover (played by Hill and Cronin, respectively). The theme of reconciliation is an important one for George, who served as both writer and director on the project, with him stating in his acceptance speech:

Our little film was inspired by the people of Northern Ireland, Protestant and Catholic, who, after 30 years of war, sat down, negotiated a peace, and proved to the world that the Irish are great talkers. I want to dedicate this to them.

George accepted the award with his co-producer – and daughter – Oorlagh, showing how much this film was a family affair. George shot the majority of The Shore in Killough, a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland, where many of the George family still reside and where George will be making a triumphant return later this week.

The film’s Academy Award success could not have been predicted when it made its initial premiere last April at the Belfast Film Festival, however, since then it has gone on to secure both an international distribution deal and cinema run, a television airing in the UK, and has even been made available for purchase on iTunes for just £1.49.

The success of the film will potentially result in a boom in tourism, but the main hope is that it will lead to an increase in activity for Northern Ireland’s film and television industry. Already this year, American cable dramas Game of Thrones and Sons of Anarchy have shot on location in the country, while the BBC’s upcoming crime drama The Fall, starring Gillian Anderson, has been confirmed to be shooting a significant part of its five-episode order in Belfast in the coming weeks.

All of this would have deemed unimaginable just a decade or so ago, when Northern Ireland was still in the throes of The Troubles. Yet, political advancements in the peace process and George’s own admitted fatigue with the ‘Hollywood’ way of making films all led to The Shore being made possible, and to a potential revision to the outside view of 21st century life in Northern Ireland.

Image Courtesy of   http://theshorefilm.com/

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In celebration of this year’s Academy Awards, the Queen’s Film Theatre (QFT) in Belfast hosted a special screening of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 hit film ‘The Godfather‘. The screening was in partnership with Jameson Irish Whiskey, and offered audiences the opportunity to relive, or experience for the first time, this Oscar-winning film on the big screen.

The Godfather, featuring an all-star cast headlined by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, was a low-budget production which upon its initial release went on to take in close to $300,000,000 at the box office worldwide, as well as to win Academy Awards for Best Actor (Brando), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Drama.

Therefore, it was no surprise that the film was included in the QFT’s “series of special themed film experience events celebrating cult classics from a range of different genres“, or that Domino’s Pizza joined forces with the organisers to make this event more than just a typical trip to the cinema.

For this event, the QFT was transformed with a projected image of Brando in character hanging in the middle of the foyer. Audience members were treated to a special pre-show warm-up, during which they could pose with plastic top hats and novelty moustaches, but it wasn’t long before the film theatre was packed with eager fans waiting for the curtain to go up.

Only one woman admitted to being a first-time viewer of ‘The Godfather’, however, her admission garnered her nothing but envy from the speaker who introduced the film, while a prize raffle brought some extra entertainment value to the screening as various audience members won prizes ranging from tickets to future QFT/Jameson events, to a bottle of Jameson whiskey, and to a limited-edition artwork print of The Godfather, which was clearly the most sought-after item judging from the crowd’s disappointed groans when the winner was announced.

As for the film itself, there were no signs of fatigue or boredom from the dozens of people who had already seen the film countless times. In fact, iconic moments such as Hollywood producer Jack Woltz finding his horse’s decapitated head in bed with him received exactly the kind of mixed horror and amusement that one would have expected to hear from an audience during the film’s original theatrical run thirty-eight years ago.

It is a testament to the timelessness of this film that the audience was still engaged and responsive by the time the last scene faded to black well after 1a.m. The sold-out screening reflected the public’s eagerness to support the QFT and Belfast’s local film community, with the film’s introductory speaker noting that the QFT was the only film theatre in the city to offer screenings of ‘The Artist’ – a film widely tipped to win Best Picture at this weekend’s Academy Awards – and other critically-acclaimed films which often elude mainstream attention.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the night was that it managed to be such a success, especially at the price of £10 per ticket for a film which many can watch on DVD in the comfort of their own homes. Attendee Danielle Lavery put things into perspective by explaining that while she knew the film “inside-out”, there was something unique about viewing the film on the big-screen, the way it was originally intended and the way that The Godfather first made its indelible cultural mark on audiences around the world.

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The past two weeks have seen a dozen reported incidents of carjackings in Belfast, and police now say that they believe “criminal gangs” are to blame. Since January 6th, there has been an increasing number of reported carjackings in and around Belfast and the majority of these have seen women being targeted by the as-yet-unnamed culprits.

One of the first victims, Andrea McVeigh, noted how unusual it was to see this type of crime committed in the city, especially as her carjacking took place on “one of the busiest streets in the city centre.” But within one week of this first incident, a further three carjackings had occurred and that statistic has now risen even further, leading to Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum insisting:

“They’re not going to get away with it, because we are going to hunt them down, let me be very clear about that … We have brought additional resources into the city, we’re bringing the highest level of investigative rigour to bear in all of this.”

At first, the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) were hesitant to confirm that these incidents were related to each other, with Superintendent Alan Todd initially assuring the city’s inhabitants that, “your chances of being a victim of this type of crime are very low in Northern Ireland.” Yet, a call for more succinct actions appears to have been necessitated in light of two more carjackings on Monday night (January 16th).

As of yet, there has been no suggested motive from either the victims or the police as to why single women have been the most common targets, but it has been contended that a mix of criminal gangs and “copy-cat” artists have sought to capitalize on the city’s seeming unability to tackle the situation effectively.

Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie reported on her blog that “the majority of these recent incidents have been ‘opportunist’ in nature”; however, it has yet to be determined what is motivating this behavior in the first place or what the correlations and distinctions might be between these gangs and “copy-cats”. The first victim, McVeigh, described the men as being in his:

“late teens, one with blond hair, wearing a navy or grey tracksuit whilst the second was about five ft ten inches tall with dark hair, wearing dark clothes and a baseball cap.”

Meanwhile, one of the more recent victims – unnamed by the Belfast Telegraph – encountered just one man and described him as being:

“in his early 20s and was wearing a dark-coloured hooded top with a light-coloured scarf over his face. He was also wearing jeans and white trainers.”

Despite the relative unconnectedness of these attacks with regards to their geographical locations, anyone with information is advised to telephone Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.

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An 18-year old film extra has been the victim of a brutal attack as he left the set of a film currently shooting in Belfast. The victim, James Turley, had just finished taking part in the filming of Phil Harrison’s ‘The Good Man’ on Friday 9 January when he was assaulted by a number of attackers in the Donegall Road area of the south of the city.

During his first interview with the press, Turley recounted the event by explaining that he and a number of friends were in their car when the attackers suddenly appeared and began vandalizing the vehicle. He and his friends attempted to flee, however, Turley was pursued onto a residential property by his attackers and it was there that they began their assault on him.

“They all just came in and started beating me. They stamped on my head and everywhere.”

Turley, a trainee chef, said that his attackers were only briefly intercepted when the owner of the property told them to “get him out of [her] garden”, leading them to trail Turley out into an alley where they continued the beating:

“They just started beating me again. They put me in a bin and were pushing me somewhere. I didn’t know where I was going, when I got put in the bin I thought that was it.”

The victim said that he lost consciousness some time after this, and that his last recollection of his attackers is hearing them remark, “That’s enough. I think he’s dead.”

Turley was only able to receive hospital treatment after he caught the attention of a driver who proceeded to take him to the Royal Victoria Hospital in South Belfast. While the exact extent of Turley’s injuries went unreported in the initial account, it is believed that he is currently on the road to recovery.

For his family, however, this attack is just the latest tragedy to touch them. His mother said that the whole experience was a case of “deja vu” for her, referring to the 1998 murder of her husband Frank.

Meanwhile, Turley’s friend Sammy McDaid has offered a further account of the initial confrontation which preceded all of this:

“As I tried to close the car door, they wouldn’t let me, they were holding the door and they were kicking us in through the door … They were kicking and throwing punches through the window. As I tried to close the car door, one of them slammed it onto my leg, back and forth … It was hard to believe that what was happening was actually happening. It was a scary experience.”

As for those involved with ‘The Good Man’, Northern Ireland Screen Chairman Rick Hill and CEO Richard Williams released a statement in which they lamented this “unprovoked attack on a group of young men who were part of the growing positive story of Northern Ireland’s burgeoning creative industries.”

It is not yet known if this attack will have any effect on the production of ‘The Good Man’, a film by Phil Harrison which tells the story of a man whose life is turned upside down when he becomes responsible for the death of a stranger in an unfortunate accident.

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With the recent conclusion of The 140th British Open Championship, there are many storylines that the can be focused on.  Some of theses storylines include, the Success of Chubby Chandler, the wave of success that golfers from Northern Ireland have enjoyed and the struggles of Rory McIlroy, but more importantly the triumph of McIlroy’s fellow countryman, Darren Clarke, who was able to win his first major championship.

Luck of the Irish

It is the luck and fortune of Northern Ireland that is catching the golf world by surprise. With Darren Clarke’s recent British Open win, Northern Ireland has, “more of golf’s recent major champions than anyplace on Earth.” Speaking of Northern Ireland’s recent success, Clarke, a native of Northern Ireland himself, says, “We have fantastic golf courses, we have fantastic facilities. But to have three major champions from a little small place in a short period of time, it’s just incredible.”

The win by Clarke gives Northern a reason to boast; he is “Northern Ireland’s third major champion in the past 13 months” and cements the small country of Northern Ireland as the home to “three of the last six major winners.”

What makes Northern Ireland’s recent success and triumphs all the more amazing is the countries small size and population. As Jeff Shain, of the Orlando Sentinel, pointedly writes, “Statistically speaking, Northern Ireland covers about the same amount of land as Connecticut and boasts a population equivalent to metropolitan Charlotte.”

Rory McIlroy

Obviously, one major storyline coming into this British Open was how Rory McIlroy would fair, especially after coming off a phenomenal performance at the U.S. Open back in June. After shooting a dazzling total of 16 under par, though four days at the U.S. Open, McIlroy was rightly favored to win going into the British Open championship.

Compared to the caliber of play he showed he is capable of during the U.S. Open, McIlroy couldn’t muster up anything close to the same performance during this championship; McIlroy finished at a dismal seven over par through four days.   Even more horrendous was the fact that McIlroy finished the tournament tied for 25th on the leader board. The fact is he put up a very ugly and lackluster performance.

Darren Clarke

This British Open was Clarke’s 54th major of his career and his first major win; there is no doubt the guy has been around the block. Despite the 42-year-old Clarke not being as well recognized as the Tiger Woods’s and Rory McIlroy’s of the world, his win at the British Open cannot but be admired, especially considering his past.

The guy has gone through adversity. “Clarke lost his wife, Heather, to [breast] cancer in 2006”. Despite this devastating loss, Clarke has rebounded from this solemn past. Clarke’s turnaround from this heartbreaking tragedy is a story that defines perseverance; one would be hard pressed not to feel happy for the guy.

As BBC Sports reporter and blogger Rob Hodgetts eloquently states about Clarkes triumph at the Open championship “this is the vindication for a man who has weathered his share of life’s storms, but kept his eye on the prize and not lost his belief ”.  Before the Open trophy, Clarke was quoted saying, “I always believed I would get myself back up here…I always believed I had enough talent to challenge and win one.”

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that everyone who knows Clarke gets along with him. He is liked by many of his piers on the PGA Tour quite possibly because of his genuine and easygoing personality.  In reference to Clarke, Hodgetts says, “The man from Dungannon [Northern Ireland] had always been popular, with the public and fellow pros alike.

A man the fans could identify with, not a gym-obsessed robot. A man who liked a drink and a smoke and carried a bit of weight. Downing a pint of Guinness on the K Club balcony in celebration only served to reinforce the image.” He’s a down to earth guy who doesn’t mind having a bit of fun.

Chubby Chandler

An equally compelling storyline at the recently played British Open, is Agent Chubby Chandler’s. Chandler represents some of golf’s biggest stars, including all three of the golfers that have won major championships this year. If Chandler ends up representing the winner of the PGA Championship this year, a new term might come of it; that term is the “Chubby Slam”. “This year Charl Schwartzel (who won US Masters in April), Rory McIlroy and Clarke make up three-parts of the “Chubby Slam”.

The term grand slam in golf means that a golfer has won all four major championships in the same year. These four majors are, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship. Because he isn’t a golfer, Chubby Chandler isn’t technically qualified to win the grand slam.

However, if Chandler ends up representing the PGA champion, he would be an agent who has notched all four majors this year. If in fact Chandler does end up representing the winner for each of the four majors (this year), one could argue, it would be notionally the same as winning the grand slam.

Three Northern Irishmen: Three Competitors And Three Friends

Graeme McDowell, who was last year’s U.S. Open champion, relinquished this year’s U.S. Open trophy to his fellow countryman in Rory McIlroy. Following his outstanding performance at the U.S. Open (this year), McIlroy was heavily favored coming into the British Open (this year). However, like he beat Graeme McDowell (this year) Darren Clarke beat him in the British Open.

First, Graeme McDowell won a major, then, so did Rory McIlroy, and now Darren Clarke. These three fellow countrymen who are challengers on the golf course now share the bond of winning a major like the bond of friendship they share off the course. Despite their competitiveness on the golf course, all three have an unwavering unity for Northern Ireland and admiration and each other.

All three are known to be close friends.   Speaking of the relationship, Clarke says, There’s a huge rivalry between us all, but also a huge respect. We all get on great, otherwise we wouldn’t be in Chubby’s stable. We hang out and eat with each other a lot. But stepping on to the first tee, the competition is there and always has been.”

The Story starts with Clarke, who showed McDowell and McIlroy the path to success. As agent Chubby Chandler says, “Darren led them…Darren was the one who set the bar, went over [to the United States]. G-Mac’s followed him, and now Rory. It’s a great thing. They all look up to him.”

These guys all look up to one another and are truly supportive friends as well. This might be attributed to the fact that, “Northern Ireland is a very small place. It’s all a very close-knit community.” For example, it was Clarke who convinced McIlroy to sign with ISM’s (International Sports Management’s) agent, Chubby Chandler.

Now, these guys are tweeting each other and partying together after their big wins. After Clarke’s recent win at the British Open, McDowell tweeted, “Darren Clarke aiming to be the first Northern Irish golfer to win a major in almost four weeks!” McIlroy was equally excited by Clarke’s win tweeting “And the winner of the gold medal, the champion golfer of the year, from northern Ireland DARREN CLARKE!!!!!” In another tweet McIlroy proclaimed gleefully, “Northern Ireland…..Golf capital of the world!!” Since Clarkes win, MacIlroy has also tweeted, “@Theprincedc [Darren Clarke]” saying “you’ve made everyone proud!”

Despite the age difference between these guys, they still celebrate together too. There have been many parties taking place in Northern Ireland lately due to the success of these three guys. There was a “Party for G-Mac [last year] at Portrush and party for Rory a couple of weeks ago,” said Clarke.

“I’m sure they’ll have another one this week.” Clarke even skipped a tournament in Germany to join McIlroy in celebrating his US Open victory. The day after Clarke’s triumph McDowell tweeted,  he will, “probably [be] drinking a few pints with the 2011 Open Champ”. And how right he was; McDowell has since shared celebratory details of the three friends tweeting, “I won theGuinness pint-drinking contest (vs McIlroy & Clarke). That’s my first win of the season.”

Clarke said it all when he proclaimed, “We’re blessed to have obviously two fantastic players in Rory and Graeme and I’m just the old guy coming along behind them.” Clarke may be older but lest anyone forget, he is a core member of the fantastic trio from Northern Ireland that has taken the majors by storm, and he certainly enjoys a fresh pint of Guinness and a good celebration to boot, with his two fellow countrymen.

Compelling Enough?

I am sure that there are many people out there who will say this British Open wasn’t at all compelling, however I am not one of them. I was heartened to see 42-year-old Darren Clarke win a major. I am particularly heartened, because of the tumultuous hardship he must have gone through when his former wife passed away.

Now, Clarke can bask in the glory of what he has been dreaming since he was a young boy: winning the British Open. In the words of Clarke, it’s been a dream since I’ve been a kid to win the Open, like any kid’s dream is, and I’m able to do it, which just feels incredible.”

For me the Open was spectacular to watch. I was personally thrilled and enthralled seeing Darren Clarke accomplish this gratifying achievement and to see Clarke finally capture something he had been dreaming of, almost all his life. For a while the dream eluded Clarke; but, due to his perseverance, the dream finally came true.

Image Courtesy of  http://pga.com

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Over the last days riots broke out in Northern Ireland in occasion of the Orange parades held by Protestants.

Numerous clashes in the nationalist areas of the capital Belfast have brought to light the historical conflicts between nationalists and loyalists once again. Groups of nationalist youths attacked the police throwing bottles, stones, petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks.

The police fired plastic bullets and used water cannon to try to push back the rioters. During these escalations of violence a number of police officers were injured and also a photographer, who was hit by a plastic bullet fired by the police. Some of the demonstrators were slightly wounded.

The night before the 12^th of July the trouble broke out after an Orange parade marched closed to a Catholic area and the police took up position ahead of it while passing the Ardoyne shops. On that day, the members of the Protestant Orange Order walk the streets to commemorate the victory of the Protestant Prince William of Orange over the Catholic King James II in the Battle of Boyne in 1690.

This celebration is of a strong symbolic value regarding the historical ethno-religious and political conflict between Catholic nationalists and Protestant loyalists in Northern Ireland. Also in the past the Orange celebrations have led to violent and serious riots and clashes.

The nationalist area of Ardoyne in north Belfast is a traditional flashpoint. In 2010 there have been several troubles during the Orange march season. The people in Ardoyne area oppose the Orange parade, and the decision of the Parade Commission to allow it passing through it caused the locals’ reaction.

“The difficulty was that there was an Orange parade,” said Gerry Kelly, a member of the left-wing republican party Sinn Féin. “People have made great efforts, but a parade coming through a catholic area is a problem,” he added.

Witnesses told that the violence was organized by nationalist youths, who gathered with the only intention of creating trouble and attacking the police.

Robert McClenaghan, a community worker from the Falls Residents Association said: “There was no provocation. There was nothing from the Protestant, loyalist, unionist community. Broadway interface was quiet”.

“What you had was 100 or 150 of these young people all tooled up and masks around their faces. They were armed with petrol bombs, they were armed with sticks and stones. They had wheelie bins with extra ammunition that they were pulling behind them.”

Nigel Dodds, the North Belfast Democratic Unionist MP stated: “These people have been intent on attacking the police and wreaking havoc in their own community. Such violence is senseless and has clearly nothing to do with protesting against a parade but is just futile rioting”.

“The people engaged in the violence didn’t even see the parade go past,” Dodds said. “This violence was intended, created and brought into existence by a small group of militant extreme republicans who were determined to have it, come what may.”

Riots broke out also in other locations around Belfast, and minor disorders also happened in other towns of the country. The police arrested some rioters and others are still to be indentified with the help of closed-circuit TV’s footages.

“As far as the outside world is concerned, it does not matter which side is rioting. What counts is the perception that Northern Ireland is unstable and unsafe,” said Peter Bunting, the assistant general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Quotes Courtesy of www.bbc.com and www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

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If the game of golf was ever thought to be in jeopardy with the absence of Tiger Woods, the answer came this past Sunday, with, quite possibly the beginning of a new era for the world of golf.

This new era includes, the young and talented 22-year-old Rory MciLRoy from Northern Ireland, who put on an epic performance at the U.S. Open. With his talent, MciLRoy seems to have the wherewithal to put his name up there among the likes of renowned golfers Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

This past Sunday, on the evening of Fathers day (June 19), the U.S. Open wrapped up with the 22 year old MciLRoy sinking a short putt and giving a casual first pump before embracing with his father; the embrace can’t help but bring back memories of a young Tiger Woods embracing his father when he won his first Major (the Masters) at Augusta National in 1997.

What could be seen as a difference between Woods and MciLRoy this past Sunday, was the way MciLRoy with his elbow bent and close to the his body— casually fist pumped, even after finishing off a performance, that historically ranks better than Wood’s performance during the 2000 U.S. (at Pebble Beach). Woods, starting from the first major he won at Augusta National, has always been known for his effervescent fist pumps, in which after wining a tournament he punches or undercuts the air with his arms and fist[s] extended.

Maybe MciLRoy casually fist pumped, because he knows he has a long way to go before breaking Woods’s and Nicklaus’s records of majors won. Maybe MciLRoy doesn’t want to count his chickens before the eggs hatch, but, if he plays the way he did this past Sunday, he will definitely be mentioned in the same sentence as these two golfing greats. If MciLRoy continues to emulate this masterful performance he just displayed, he will certainly be up there alongside his boyhood idle, Tiger Woods, as one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game.

Following his epic U.S. Open win on Sunday, MciLRoy’s credited his play to Woods, saying on breaking his boyhood idles record, “I couldn’t ask for much more…I know how good Tiger was in 2000 to win by 15 in Pebble. I was trying to go out there and emulate him in some way.”

MciLRoy’s appreciation for Woods has been documented before; in 1998, when MciLRoy was just nine years of age, BBC reporter Rod Nawn did interview and a news story on him. In foretelling manner during the news story, Nawn says,  “Remember the swing and remember the name, for at just nine-years-old Rory McIlroy from Holywood is following in the footsteps of his golfing hero, Tiger Woods.”

There is no doubt that this past Sunday brings Nawn’s prophetic words a little bit closer to fruition. On Sunday, MciLRoy beat Wood’s U.S. Open performance at Pebble Beach by 4 strokes, finishing at 16 under par— 4 ahead of Wood’s 12 under par at Pebble Beach back in 2000.  Other U.S. Open records MciLRoy holds following his win at Congressional Golf Course on Sunday, include,

• The 72-hole record at 268. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• The 54-hole record at 199. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• The 36-hole record at 131. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• Most under par at any point at 17 under. (Courtesy of ESPN)

With Sunday’s performance, MciLRoy joined Lee Jansen and Lee Trevino, “as the only players to post all four rounds in the 60s.” MciLRoy shot 65 in round one, 66 in round two, 68 in round three and 69 in round four, to finish at 268, beating Wood’s total of 272 at Pebble Beach. One more feat MciLRoy accomplished on Sunday was, becoming the, “Quickest to reach double digits under par”; in just 26 holes, MciLRoy reached 10 under, during the second round.

MciLRoy’s two best holes for the tournament came in round two on Friday, at the 8th hole and round four on Sunday, at the 10th hole; MciLRoy eagled both holes for his two best scores for the tournament. MciLRoy’s eagle, on the 8th hole was picture perfect. On an approach shot, MciLRoy, who was 114 yard away from the pin at the time, landed the ball “15 feet behind the flag”; despite the ball landing 15 feet back, it miraculously rolled towards the hole and in. The miraculous shot was so good, even Phil Michelson was applauding afterwards.

As good as MciLRoy played, the moments that summed up his performance the most seemed to be the awe inspired spectators. Their were, “chants of “Let’s go, Ror-eee” coming from the massive gallery, and teenagers climbing pine trees to see golf’s bright new star…” The up and coming MciLRoy must be a relief for people who rely on ticket sales and T.V. ratings. Some experts consider MciLRoy’s swing to be the best in golf and others even think it might be the best ever.

If MciLRoy lives up to the high-expectations that have been put upon his shoulders, the “Let’s go, Ror-eee” chants will become louder, the ticket sales and T.V. sales will soar and Rory MciLRoy will get the chance to have many memorable showdowns with his golfing hero—Tiger Woods. Who knows, maybe Rod Nawn is right about MciLRoy; maybe MciLRoy will follow in the footsteps of Woods and win 14 majors, Then again maybe MciLRoy will surpass him. MciLRoy definitely has the talent to surpass Woods, the question is: can he emulate his performance at the U.S. Open for years to come?

David W. Leindecker / Shutterstock.com

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