Owen McDonnell plays Michael Coyne

Set in Northern Ireland during World War Two, My Mother and Other Strangers follows the fortunes of the Coyne family and their neighbours as they struggle to maintain a normal life after a huge United States Army Air Force (USAAF) airfield, with 4,000 service men and women, lands in the middle of their rural parish.

Published: 2 November 2016
Driving a 1939 Austin 10 was a challenge but I came to grips with it. I missed power steering!
— Owen McDonnell

Who is Michael Coyne?

Michael Coyne is the publican, he’s the grocer, he has a small farm, and he holds the secretaryship of various committees, so he’s quite a figure in the local population. He’s a man who works very, very hard to keep his family afloat.

How is Michael’s relationship with Rose?

Michael’s concerned with their position within society, not so much keeping up with the Jones’, but because he sees himself as a pillar of the community. Because of this constant work, there can be a vacuum sometimes in the time that Michael and Rose have for each other. The only time we see them just sitting down and relaxing is on a Sunday evening. The pub is closed, the farm work is done for the day, they’ve been to Mass and that’s really the only social time they have.

What attracted you to the story?

I was aware there were GIs in Northern Ireland before the war, but I never really thought of the impact that would have on our local population. The exoticism of the Americans coming over - it’s like they were from a different planet to the Ireland of the 1940’s. When I heard about this as an idea I just thought it was fascinating. As Barry’s family grew up in Ardboe, which had the US airbase that later became an RAF airbase after the war, he’s got such a clear picture of the world in which this drama is set. It just leapt off the page. You see it in a very human context rather than a political one.

What do you think is at the heart of the story?

At the core of the story you’ve got Rose Coyne, an English woman who ends up in rural Northern Ireland at a time when Britain is standing alone against the Nazis. She is surrounded by people for who the war doesn’t hold a great deal of resonance. It’s the story of an outsider and one that is immediately recognisable to anybody. Everybody has felt outside of something at a certain point. Because Barry is drawing upon a real world that his family lived through, it just makes sense. They say if you write a story about your village it will speak to the world and I think Barry has done that really, really well.

Were you aware of Barry Devlin’s previous work?

I was a huge fan of the Horslips and I met him years ago when I was doing a play by Seamus Heaney. As Barry’s sister was married to Seamus, Barry was at the press night so I asked to be introduced to him. He couldn’t believe that someone my age was actually a fan of the Horslips - he still doesn’t even if I sing the songs back to him! I was aware of some of the films he’d done but I was aware of him more as a musician than a writer, so when I read this I was absolutely blown away by it.

Where there any challenges for you during the filming?

Driving a 1939 Austin 10 was a challenge but I came to grips with it. I missed power steering!

What would appeal to the audience?

I think from a historical point of view its interesting, without a doubt, but I think the real appeal of the story is the world and the people. It’s a human story that people will be able to associate with. The relationships are not necessarily easy but you’ve got to think about what’s worthwhile, to save it or not to save it and I think that’s just a human story that goes, on and on and on and will do.

Cast

  • Rose Coyne - Hattie Morahan
  • Michael Coyne - Owen McDonnell
  • Captain Ron Dreyfuss - Aaron Staton
  • Emma Coyne - Eileen O’Higgins
  • Francis Coyne - Michael Nevin
  • Voice of older Francis Coyne - Ciaran Hinds
  • Ned Hanlon - Des McAleer
  • Davey Hanlon - Seamus O’Hara
  • Mickey Joe Hanlon - Ryan McParland
  • Failey - Kerr Logan
  • Barney Quinn - Gavin Drea
  • Sally Quinn - Fiona O’Shaugnessy
  • Ellen Quinn - Maggie Cronin
  • Kettie Brady - Antonia Campbell-Hughes
  • Seamie Brady - Isaac Heslip
  • Doctor Black - Charles Lawson
  • Andrew Black - Ruairi O’Connor
  • Jemmy Fox - Frank McCafferty
  • Nellie Fox - Christina Nelson
  • Tillie Ziegler - Kate Phillips