It’s one thing to be a movie actress portraying a character in a secretive anti-government group, but it’s a far different to be a person in real life battling a government every day. In movies, guns fire blanks; in real life, they shoot bullets.
So, when actress Rose McGowan told reporters at a Toronto film festival press conference for her new movie ”Fifty Dead Men Walking” that if she had lived through Northern Ireland’s ”Troubles,” she would have joined the Irish Republican Army, she almost immediately drew a protest from the very man upon whose life the film is based.
“I imagine had I grown up in Belfast I would have 100 percent joined the IRA,” said McGowan, 35, who plays a high-ranking IRA femme fatale in the movie, alongside British actors Jim Sturgess and Ben Kingsley.
“My heart just broke for the cause and I have a lot of respect for the intelligence and the honor that these people carried.”
“Fifty Dead Men Walking,” which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on Wednesday, is based on Martin McGartland’s best-selling 1997 memoir of a young Catholic hustler living in Belfast in the late ’80s who was recruited by British intelligence to infiltrate the IRA.
McGartland, who is still in hiding and lives under a false identity on the British mainland, responded with a statement on Thursday slamming McGowan’s off-the-cuff remarks.
“Such comments are deeply offensive and hurtful to victims of IRA terrorism,” he said.
McGowan, whose father is Irish, was born and raised in Italy. Could she really know what it meant to be an IRA member just because she was in a movie? Are statements such as hers made by actors ”deeply offensive and hurtful” to people on both sides of an issue who have suffered in real life? They are interesting questions, and we’d like to know readers’ views.
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Some very small minded people in here spouting dribble about supporting the IRA and the plight of the people of Ireland. I take it these are the people like Ms McGowan who are looking at the IRA with rose tinted glasses and some fantasy of fighting the evil empire of Britain and freeing the poor republican slaves.
For those that don’t know much or anything about history, I would just like to point out that they are not speaking on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland as we are a completely separate country.
The majority of Catholic and Protestant people in Northern Ireland consider themselves to be Northern Irish and not Irish.
- Posted by George‘There would not be a level of tolerance and equality in NI today if it wasnt for this uprising, it is very unfortunate that there had to be casualties’
I find it petrifying that this kind of romantic veneer is slathered over an era of terror, fear, bloodshed and murder. I’m for the Irish fight for independence, and as an Irishwoman who has long studied my country’s history, I believe a United Ireland will come again. But there are other ways to fight than with bombs; than by targetting civilians like pregnant women; than by administering rough justice like destroying people’s bodies with knee-cappings, beatings and shootings; than by intimidating communities on both sides (remember the McCartney sisters, anyone?); and by generally behaving like people enjoying a little TOO much being self-appointed bloodthirsty dictators who use the ’cause’ as a foil to excuse the most disgusting crimes.
That an actress not from the area could so blithely commend a time of bloodshed, when both sides involved in any violence should be internationally condemned, and that people should encourage this, and pretend that the last three, scarred decades encouraged ‘tolerance’ and ‘equality’ makes my heart sink for the future of the province of Ulster. Shame on them.
- Posted by MelissaTo all those who think killing pregnant women and children was honourable, I would hate to know what you think is dishonourable. My mother died by the hands of the IRA, we are Irish and to say that the group that terrorised both sides, ran drugs and prostitutes and tortured their own side (kneecapping etc)are in any way honourable or concerned with the freedom of Ireland is just rubbish. Try living along the street from them Rose and all her supporters and see what it was like.
Violence from the IRA ripped our (Catholic) community apart and just brought the soldiers down harder on us. Freedom was a lie they used to further their shaeful crimes (what does prostitution and drugs have to do with freedom?) The IRA were basically thugs who made their money from drug running in my area. My brother’s friend was kneecapped by them..he was an Catholic Irish lad who said the wrong thing to one of them in the pub. They kicked his mothers door in that night and dragged him screaming into the road and then infront of his mammy and grandma they shot his knees off, oh yes very honourable Rose. I shall never watch her again, shame shame shame on her. The IRA lost sight of their cause a long long time ago. I dream of a free Ireland but certainly not at the hands of the IRA, they would tear our country apart
- Posted by Sal@ Sean
So what if Bobby Sands was Protestant? That doesn’t make the IRA campaign any less sectarian, any more than the Nazi’s antisemitic policies would be somehow less anti-Jewish if a senior Nazi turned out to have had Jewish connections.
- Posted by stephenA lot of people would agree with Rose´s sentiments. A lot of intelligent and honourable people joined the IRA, while I will agree that they made many many bad mistakes, people cannot look past the fact that they had the support of a large section of the population. They were not all stupid people, for example there is Lecturer in my University in the South of Ireland that was an IRA member and spent time in prison. Maybe her comments are informed, people were being treated like second class citizens there. and if you look at the support for republican groups, can all these people be wrong? I have family from the north, from both sides, and many people try to attack republican groups with a black and white vision, it is not that clear cut. The British army and collusion with Unionist death squads was immense.
- Posted by Ciarán“My heart just broke for the cause”
I’ve grown up in the Bogside in Derry, my heart broke too when 13 people, seven of whom were teenagers were murdered in cold blood by a legitimate British Army Parachute Regiment on what became known as Bloody Sunday.
Angered, 1000’s of people joined the IRA, who’s NI Regiments formed 2 years prior.
If they couldn’t have a peaceful march for their rights, then they felt they needed to fight.
The 13 people that were killed that day and 1 later protesting for basic freedom & civil rights, as well as a united Ireland, became symbolic reasons to join the IRA.
For them that were and what became “the cause”.
How people can attach similarities between the IRA and al-Qaeda is beyond me, they are two completely different groups of people fighting for completely different things with outstandingly different backgrounds.
I was inches from joining the IRA, not because I wanted to look down the barrel of a gun, but because I was deeply hurt by what has happened in my community.
I’m 100% sure that the unionists on the other side of the fence at times, felt the same.
However I’m not sure if her comment reflected the above, I certainly roused some silly uneducated comments.
- Posted by EmmettA lot of people here seem keen to point out that she’s entitled to her opinion. Of course she is. I’ve not seen anyone claim that there should be some kind of law against such an opinion. However, just because she’s entitled to it doesn’t mean it’s not ignorant and unpleasant. Or that she’s not foolish for thinking she can spend however long talking to ex-IRA members and come out with a balanced view.
Spent damn near all my life in N. Ireland. The provisionals were reprehensible. As were the loyalists. Hell, it’s hard to find a good side. All that was needed was equal rights back in the 60’s, and a credible assurance that the people of N.Ireland would be afforded self determination. Tough, but it’s not out of the question.
Instead it was hijacked and inflamed by the wackos on both sides tryign to impose their will on everyone else, and we had years of nail bombs, petrol bombs, forced evictions, punishment beatings and shootings, with innocent people were targeted by both sides. It’s legacy is just sectartian hatred, imported guns, links to associations like FARC, and drugs dalers - the niche organised crime fills most other places (given she’s apparently got italian relatives too, maybe she should join the mafia instead). There’s nothing commendable about any of that.
- Posted by PatFirstly I find it amazing that we have Americans posting here with half baked loyalties about ‘the old country’. If you didn’t grow up in Northern or Southern Ireland then you’re not Irish or Northern Irish and have NO RIGHT to talk about it’s issues as if you have any semblance of knowledge. Stop pretending you’re from Dublin or Belfast, you’re not, you’re American, and to be honest we don’t want you.
To hear people talk about a ‘romantic’ view of the troubles is an insult to the many people who died. Should we have a romantic view of the people who attacked the twin towers and refer to the murdered as “casualties”?!?
As for Rose McGowan, this plastic paddy should keep her vile opinions to herself and stop reiterating the US’s incomprehensible hypocrisy in regards to terrorism (all terrorism is wrong). Family members died at the hands of those evil men and women and her childish comments only re-open painful wounds for me and the nation.
- Posted by MacIm not outraged at Rose McGowans comments,Im more annoyed at the backlash she is now receiving for expressing her opinion.Most people in the world seem to beleive the IRA was simply a terrorist group whos only aim was destruction,this isnt true.Americans and British send their soilders to fight other peoples wars in different countries and they are called heroes,however the irish whos land were usurped by the britsh had no army to defend themselves and the ordinary people took a stand and formed their own group to defend themselves and their country but they are called terrorists,criminals and murderers.So I would ask the people who read this to answer a question: would you defend your country?If your basic civil rights were being taken from you because of your nationality or religion would you take action against it?Violence does not solve everything,but violence begets violence and the way I remember it we didn’t cast the first stone.
- Posted by Breandáni would be interested to know how many of those outraged by her comments actually support other armies murdering people in Iraq and Afghanistan. ‘Support our troops’ slogans in America relay support to murderers.
- Posted by PeterI loved this lady, I always thought she was one of the most beautiful creatures alive, unfortunately that beauty is only skin deep, what’s lays under is dam ugly. I agree she has an opinion and has every right, but then again so did Hitler, so does Bin Laden, having an opinion doesn’t make it right. I know Northern Ireland very well and I can tell you that the people whom both sides feared more than any other was the IRA, Catholics got it just a tough from them as did the Protestants.
They ruled by fear and intimidation, even today try finding a citizen who will get into an argument with an IRA man, think I’m wrong? go ask the family of Paul Quinn a young 21 yo Catholic beaten to death after he had defied an IRA order to leave the country last October, Google it and read.
- Posted by JulieThe woman is an idiot, with no understanding of what she is talking about. She is entitled to her opinion of course, but that doesn’t mean we have to take it seriously.
- Posted by SteveA British satirical website will give you an idea of how many of us view her comments
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/
Well surprise surprise another moronic Holywood actor/actress who thinks because has acted in one film about the conflicts in Northern Ireland that she knows it all. I have lived in Belfast all my life and I certainly don’t think she has a right to make such a flippant comment. There are many people in Northern Ireland who have lost family and friends on both sides of the divide and comments such as this one show the greatest amount of disrespect to them.
- Posted by LaurenStupid woman. But then, these folk who are hired to make films are rarely known for their intelligence - as Rose McGowan ably demonstrates.
- Posted by SeanSo if she was born a muslim she would understand and sympathise with the action taken on 9/11 by intelligent and concerned men fighting for their cause.
I think not
- Posted by ConcernedRose McGowan is perfectly right to say that she supports the murder of the IRA, in the same way that I’m allowed to support the Muslim Terrorists who destroyed the Twin Towers on 9/11.
Idiot.
- Posted by StuI was born and raised in Northern Ireland and find Ms McGowan’s comments insulting. Does she believe that “the cause” justified murders like La Mon or the horror of Bloody Friday. I’m not saying that there weren’t injustices in Northern Ireland and they needed to be righted but attacks like that are not justified.
And without going into the where’s and whys, Ms McGowan would have been growing up in Belfast in the late 70s early 80s and I think that was a slightly different situation from that in the 60s/early 70s.
Basically the woman is an idiot but then America supported terrorism throughout the world for years but that all went quiet after the admittedly horrendous events of 9/11.
- Posted by SamSo what! her dads Irish, he probably told her how the beastly Brits stole all the corn, blah, blah, blah,I wish yanks would stop trying to work out anything political, because after a few seconds there brains start to ache with the effort of……. Thinking!!!!!!!!!!
- Posted by callum voidObviously Rose McGowan understands nothing about the situation in Northern Ireland. Regardless of who was “right”, so to speak, these comments are incredibly ignorant and careless, not to mention disgusting even to read when you think about the families of victims of the Troubles.
- Posted by HSAs someone who IS from Belfast, I’m downright affronted that someone living the high life in LA (or wherever) even thought for a second they had the right to say anything like this.
Rose McGowan has the right to say whatever she likes. But what she says reveals much about her: historical ignorance and a lack of imagination.
A large part of the population of Northern Ireland did not support the IRA. A significant part of the population was, rightly or wrongly, under attack by the IRA.
Little imagination is needed to realise that if, by chance, she had been born in Northern Island she could have been born into one of the many families that hated and feared the IRA, in which case her views would likely have been very different.
She seems to deny that these people exist. Not even IRA supporters go that far.
It doesn’t matter which side of the republican argument you are on: McGowan’s comments are fatuous and uninformed.
- Posted by Iain