Actor reveals challenge of Irish soap role

AN IRISH speaking Southside actor has revealed the challenge of the role he plays in the popular Irish language soap opera Ros Na Run.

Lochlann O’Mearain (39), from Killiney, who is the son of local Fine Gael councillor Donal Marren, plays Dara in the long running Irish language television series, which is now in its 17th season.

Dara was brought up by his Gaelgoir father in a bilingual household and attended the local Gaelscoil, Scoil Lorcan in Blackrock.

He has been acting professionally for 15 years, and appeared in the long running television RTE drama series, Glenroe, and British soap operas such as Hollyoaks and Holby City.

Ros Na Run first aired on the night of November 3, 1996, and it now broadcasts for 35 weeks of the year on TG4.

The programme is based on the lives of the Irish speaking population in the fictional village of Ros Na Run, which is located near Spiddal in Co Galway. The show has been lauded for dealing with portrayals of socially challenging story lines, while also retaining a strong comedic element.

Following its summer break, the soap reappeared on Irish television screens recently. The programme makers at TG4 promise that viewers will be entertained with some scandalous scenes and dramatic storylines with themes of love, lust, family troubles, murder, lies, secrets and affairs.

In the new series Lochlann’s character Dara is currently torn between a former secret girlfriend, Tara, and his wife, Caitriona, who has recently had a baby. Dara’s former girlfriend, who also claims he is the father of her new baby, is trying to reclaim his affections after their recent break-up.

Dara seems unsure about the long term commitment to his marriage and is wracked with guilt over the ongoing contact with Tara.

Lochlann explained that the character he plays in the show is an often troubled man.

“He is a Dub, ex-military,

? he said.

“His reason for moving to Ros Na Run was that he broke up with his wife over an incident that affected him while he was peace keeping in Chad. He arrived to Ros Na Run a bit troubled, and took over the restaurant.

?

He said he likes playing the role of Dara because it challenges him as an actor, and requires a lot of mental preparatory work.

“Personally I like to do comedy. Dara is quite serious and he comes with a lot of baggage, so it is challenging to get the right balance. It is entertainment at the end of the day, but you have to do something that is interesting, and you have to be true to the gravity of the character and make it real.

?

In addition, Lochlann said Ros Na Run was a great training ground for Irish speaking actors.

“This is probably the best acting job I could have wished for,

? he added.

“You have constantly good, challenging scripts in your hand and scenes to do in a very short space of time. It enables you to build up a very good acting muscle.

“The opportunities for Irish language productions are vast because TG4 can make them here on a budget and they are willing to do that to give people a training ground.

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Ros na Rún airs on TG4 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8.30pm and an omnibus edition is broadcast on Sundays at 10.30pm.