Cromwell in Ireland, a 2 x 52min HD docudrama series, is Tile Films’ most ambitious project to date. It has taken us over three years to bring it to the screen, and we’re enormously proud of the completed programmes.
The series had its inception in the summer of 2005, when Tile Films Managing Director Stephen Rooke and Writer/Researcher David Ryan began working on the project. RTÉ expressed keen interest in the idea, and towards the end of 2005 Tile approached historian Micheál Ó Siochrú, who was then working on a new, full-length study of the Cromwellian conquest. Realising that the series would benefit from Micheál’s new, in-depth research and authoritative personality, we asked him to present.
A lengthy period of development followed, including a screen test with Micheál in Drogheda, discussions with dramatic reconstruction groups, contact with a range of key contributors in Britain and Ireland, and the preparation of detailed programme treatments. We eventually secured the balance of funding for the project from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) Sound & Vision fund in March 2007.
In April, double IFTA Award-winning director Maurice Sweeney was signed up to direct the series, with Producer Rachel Towell and co-writer/researcher David Ryan completing the initial core team.
From an early stage, we recognised that the only way to do this project was to do it BIG – with large-scale dramatic reconstructions of battles and sieges, emotive performances by leading actors in key roles, and scrupulous attention to detail and historical accuracy. After an intensive period of pre-production between May and November 2007, we were ready to embark on our major drama reconstruction shoots in Omagh, Co. Tyrone and Richmond and Middleham Castles in North Yorkshire. This followed a 2-day shoot in August with English re-enactment group The Sealed Knot in Nantwich, where we had the opportunity to film a full-scale re-enacted battle with over 2,000 participants.
Our biggest shoot in a single location was over seven days in the Ulster History Park at Omagh in November 2007. In the words of Maurice Sweeney, it was “an amazing location… a closed down history park that had 17th century replica buildings. In essence it was like walking on to a set that had been built for you.” The locations, including a 17th-century keep, plantation houses and an old chapel, were ideal for the subject. Further scenes were shot in Ormond Castle, Co. Tipperary and Jerpoint Abbey, Co. Kilkenny, before we departed for Richmond and Middleham in North Yorkshire to shoot the New Model Army – recreated by the Tower Hamlets Trayned Bandes – in action. The scale and intensity of these dramatic reconstructions have raised the bar for historical documentary making in Ireland.
In the role of Oliver Cromwell, leading Irish actor Owen Roe (Whistleblowers, Ballykissangel) delivered a towering, emotional performance which does much to humanise the man. Viewers may not excuse what Cromwell did, but they will at least gain a better understanding of why he did it. Declan Conlon (The Tudors) as the Irish general Hugh Dubh O’Neill and Catherine Walker (Holby City) as the Protest Elizabeth Price gave powerful supporting performances.
After the drama shoots had been concluded, we finished shooting the documentary element of the series, including pieces to camera by presenter Micheál Ó Siochrú and expert input from a range of Irish and British historians.
The series was edited by Mick Mahon in Egg Post Production, with music composed by Steve Lynch. It will be screened on RTE 1 on September 9th and 16th 2008 at 10.15pm, and on the History Channel UK in October 2008.
Manchester-based CGI specialists Red Vision were involved in the project from an early stage, working to ensure a seamless fusion of cutting edge CGI and live action footage. Click here to read an interview with Red Vision's Sue Land on the IFTN website.
The series was edited by Mick Mahon in Egg Post Production, with music composed by Steve Lynch. It will be screened on RTE 1 on September 9th and 16th 2008 at 10.15pm, and on the History Channel UK in October 2008.
