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An Cailín Ciúin

Behind the scenes of how they filmed the 'gentle, economical' An Cailín Ciúin

Cinematographer Kate McCullough gives us an insight into the making of the Oscar-nominated film.

Aoife Barry reports from LA.

WHEN TAKING A book from page to screen, there is a huge amount to consider. How do you retain the spirit, tone and feel of a novel and translate it visually, without losing the author’s fingerprints – while letting the filmmakers put their own prints on it?

For the team behind An Cailín Ciúin, there must have been many complicated considerations when they took Claire Keegan’s delicate 2010 novella and turned it into feature film. We know now that all of their decisions combined to create something special – a deeply emotional film that was nominated for an Oscar at the 2023 Academy Awards.

But director Colm Bairéad made one major change to the narrative: he made the film in the Irish language rather than English. That came partly for personal reasons, as he grew up speaking Irish, and it added a special layer to an already special story. It meant, too, that An Cailín Ciúin became the first Irish-language film ever nominated for an Oscar. That in turn became a huge moment for Ireland.

The decision also meant that An Cailín Ciúin could be made under the Cine4 scheme, which involved combined funding from TG4, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and Screen Ireland for an Irish-language film.

With a budget far smaller than that of its fellow Irish Oscar nominee, Banshees of Inisherin, An Cailín Ciúin became a landmark moment in Irish cinema. The hopes now are that we will see budgets increase for such films, and that the current wave of Irish-language cinema will continue to blossom. 

But back to the making of An Cailín Ciúin. There are many team members who collaborate on a film. Among them is the cinematographer (or director of photography, the DP), who is the person behind the camera. They have to make, often in collaboration with the director and other team members, decisions like what lenses to use; how to frame certain shots; how characters should be positioned within the frame; the ratio to film in. 

For the everyday viewer, these decisions should be, in one sense, seamless – we’re not all going to be sitting there thinking about why a certain thing looks a certain way (a hat tip to the cinema nerds who live for this sort of stuff, though). And yet we’ve all left a cinema or finished watching a film and felt the power of those decisions and how they highlighted other decisions made on set.

We’ve marvelled at the bright colours in Pedro Almodóvar’s films and how appealing they are in close-up; we’ve enjoyed the way a (sort-of) one-shot film like 1917 takes us on a visual journey; we’ve felt the power of the decision to shoot Terence Malick’s film Days of Heaven during golden hour, and how that meant certain scenes held a certain power.

These might not be things we’re actively thinking, and yet that’s part of what it is to watch a film: to enjoy visual storytelling that is the result of a multitude of intricate decisions. 

Kate McCullough was the Director of Photography on An Cailín Ciúin. From a dairy farm in Gormanston in Co Meath, she studied at the Lodz Film School in Poland and has been behind the camera for films like His and Hers (Ken Wardop), Songs For While I’m Away, The Farthest (both Emer Reynolds), and Famine film Arracht (Tom Sullivan). 

She was also the DP for director Hettie McDonald’s episodes of Normal People. 

We spoke to McCullough about how they approached the cinematography for An Cailín Ciúin, and her thoughts on what the Oscar nomination means for Ireland. 

McCullough herself grew up on a farm not too far from where they filmed, “so it was in a sense a sort of homecoming for me to make this film”, she tells The Journal. The film was set in Co Waterford, but filmed in Co Meath.

‘She was to be centre frame’

PastedImage-15801 Kate McCullough attending the 35th European Film Awards 2022 at Harpa Conference and Concert Hall last December in Reykjavik Alamy Alamy

Work began on the film just after the first Covid lockdown. “We had that lovely hot summer. So we sat out in the garden having long lunches discussing the deceptively simple precision of Claire Keegan’s prose,” recalled McCullough.

Indeed, Keegan’s gift as a writer is to convey emotion without using complicated or lyrical language. Instead, her work is stripped back to the essentials, revealing the narrative in a way that means the emotions within it are deeply felt by the reader. That’s not to say she uses simplistic language, or that her stories are simple, but that she gets to the heart of her story’s emotion in a true and precise way, and this is what the reader connects with.

This approach was something McCullough and the director Bairéad spent time discussing. “We wanted to reflect that in the screen language of the film. The cinematography should be economical, unadorned and almost naive in its sensibility,” explained McCullough. 

As part of the initial work, they tested the narrow aspect ratio of 1:1.37 “and immediately felt confident that it was the right canvas to explore the world of the young Cáit [played by first-time actor Catherine Clinch]“.

Cáit is the main character in Foster, a nine-year-old girl from a poor and troubled background who is sent to live with distant relations one summer. The novella and film follow her experience and so it was important to understand how she would appear on the screen. Each element of what appeared around her would add to the understanding of her viewpoint.

The audience would be following her and watching her interactions with the world, and so how she was framed would be crucial.

She was to be centre frame, we would bring the camera to her height – and yet there was still a world outside the frame that she did not understand.

Both McCullough and Bairéad come from a documentary background and so their “sensibilities align in terms of a strong nose for authenticity”, the DP explained. “If anything felt out of place with this world it would be removed from the frame.”

‘Such a gentle film’

The way the film approaches the character of Cáit and her experiences has really touched viewers – but the skill behind it has also been recognised by those within the industry. McCullough told us that while attending the American Society of Cinematographers Awards in Hollywood recently, “industry professionals were continually coming up to say much they loved this film”.

“And then in the café when we were having breakfast, a Latino kid came over to express how touched he was by the film.”

She says she is “particularly humbled that such a gentle film can capture the hearts of so many around the world”. But its success as an Irish language film also has huge meaning for her on a personal level. 

“I’ve recently been thinking about my Gran, Una Scanlon, whose first and only language was Irish – until she was sent to school in 1922 and told to stand in the corner until she spoke only English,” she said. “How proud she would be right now to see our native tongue up in lights.”

“There a phrase I came across recently that I love: ‘Chuirfeadh sé na smóilíní ag sclimpireacht i do chroí’ which translates as “it would set the baby thrushes dancing in your heart’.

“How wonderful it is that The Quiet Girl is bringing the Irish language to such a huge international platform like the Oscars.”

Budgets and breakthroughs

While it’s great to see lower-budget Irish films like An Cailín Ciúin doing so well internationally, this can lead to questions about whether there’s an expectation on filmmakers to do ‘less with more’.

When asked if this is a concern for her, McCullough said:

“Low budget filmmaking has a place in the industry for new voices/those who are breaking through, and so it does have a value within that context. However, it’s fair to say that as crew members we all made sacrifices to allow this film to be made.

“It was, in a sense, a passion project for all of us. That is definitely not sustainable on a regular basis. For example there was no contingency with this level of budget. At any given moment if one of the cast were to contract COVID that would have been curtains, as the production just wouldn’t have afforded paying everyone to sit and wait the 10 days. It’s just not viable. We were super lucky that we didn’t end up in a situation like this.”

She added that if the weather had forced the shoot to shut down for a day, or if one department had had a substantial technical issue on set, they “would have lost lots of critical scenes”.

“Again, luck was with us, but you just can’t rely on this to carry you through on every production,” said McCullough. 

‘There are still very few female cinematographers’

An Cailín Ciúin 2 Cáit's father in the film, played by Michael Patric.

While the film was beaten by the German film All Quiet On The Western Front at the Oscars, the Irish nomination has been treated as a win by all involved since the very beginning.

All this week in LA, Irish film industry members have been telling The Journal how proud they are that the film got so far, and that the nomination has huge meaning for the filmmakers and Ireland.

There’s massive significance in An Cailín Ciúin being an Irish language film nominated at such prestigious film awards. In turn, its specific approach to telling the story the way it did could inspire other filmmakers in how they depict such stories. That all goes back to the decisions made early on by Bairéad, McCullough, his producer Cleona Ní Chrúalaoi and the wider filmmaking team.

“I like the idea that such a gentle, unassuming film can resonate with such a powerful message,” said McCullough. “I hope it will give confidence to creators that the approach to filmmaking doesn’t necessarily need to be loud and brash, but rather [that] through a gentle authentic rendering of a story, audiences will universally respond.”

McCullough’s career has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, and her work on An Cailín Ciúin has seen her rise to another level of success. This is notable as she’s an Irish DP, but also because she is a woman in a chiefly male-dominated industry. By being a female Irish cinematography awarded for her work, she’s helping to inspire other young women to realise a career behind the camera could be for them. 

“For my work on The Quiet Girl I was was nominated for a Spotlight award at the 37th American Society of Cinematography Awards. It’s worth noting there were 7 ASC categories, 32 nominees, and just four female nominees,” she pointed out. 

“Mandy Walker [DP for Elvis] smashed through the glass ceiling at the American Society of Cinematography Awards, the first woman to win Best Cinematography in a theatrical feature film. That was pretty special, to be there in the room when they announced. There was a huge roar of appreciation.”

Only three women have ever been nominated in the Best Cinematography category at the Oscars. Walker was nominated this year, but the film also lost out to All Quiet On The Western Front – its cinematographer James Friend picked up the award. 

As for her own career, McCullough says that both the Spotlight nomination and the Oscar nomination have “given me a confidence to continue to make brave decisions creatively”.

“And of course many industry people are seeing this film beyond my usual sphere, so it all helps raise the profile of my work. So it is broadening the conversation work-wise and hopefully creates new exciting possibilities of collaboration.”

Regarding the opportunities out there for cinematographers in Ireland, McCullough said there’s been a “huge increase” in the production of TV drama in Ireland since the pandemic. But the gender balance remains off.

“There’s just more demand for VOD entertainment. That definitely gives more opportunity for cinematographers breaking through while maintaining consistent work for more established cinematographers,” she explained.

“There are still very few female cinematographers working in the industry. This needs to change. They need to be supported through this transition.”

On the Irish performance at the Academy Awards, McCullough said it is “phenomenal really that such a wealth of homegrown talent is represented at this year’s Oscars. Let alone that it’s the first year we have a film in our native tongue nominated in the Best International Film category.”

But she added: “I would say we are in a very good place. But we need to keep nourishing talent coming through, new voices and more diversity.”

McCullough’s next project is also a film adaptation of a novel, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, starring Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton, and based on Rachel Joyce’s 2012 book.

Looking to the future, she hopes that the performance of An Cailín Ciúin “gives a real boost to encourage more people to make films in Irish and that the budgets are increased to allow filmmakers be more ambitious”.

I also hope, for the nation, that it will help people to reflect on their relationship with the Irish language. It is complicated topic.

“For example, I learned Irish for 12 years but never really saw it as a working language, so once I left school I was no longer using it,” she explained. “Now my Irish is quite poor and I’m embarrassed that I can’t speak it at times like these.”

She has been thinking about taking a course in Irish, ”something I hadn’t considered before shooting An Cailín Ciúin”.

Proof that the ripple effect of the film’s success is being felt in many small and large ways. 

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    Mute Harry N
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:17 AM

    He’s right!

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    Mute David Huston
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:32 AM

    Mary Lou was great,inspire of the hostile host,never so cold when interviewed his FF/FG masters.

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:35 AM

    @Harry N: No one man or woman should have to suffer in this way.
    Have to be very careful as false accusations can surface and create a even bigger problem We in Country have a habit of waving the big stick but then wave it to far to the right. I have seen people standing up for the life of the child in this up coming referendum been insulted and called some terrible names so much that it has silenced a lot of people to keep their opinions to themselves

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:37 AM

    @David Huston: Mary Lou was great¡ My head hurts. Mediocrities abound in our political circles…

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:53 AM

    @Alan Scott: to be fair that happens on both sides and it helps neither. It’s a marked sign of a person that can’t back up a point

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:55 AM

    @Alan Scott: wow straight to “women make stuff up” rather than “this shit actually happens to women”. And while you’re having a moment for your friends you might also like to think about and put yourself in the place of women who are trying to make a choice about their lives and their futures rather than judge them.

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:52 PM

    @Deborah Behan: You are a person exactly what I am talking about.
    Have your moment of glory

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:40 PM

    @Alan Scott: what moment of glory? She’s saying women should be listened to more and their claims be treated seriously rather than with immediate doubt. Heaven forbid a bit of common sense.

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    Mute Celtic_Horizon
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:53 PM

    @Alan Scott: I think you need to take the blinders off alan. I’ve had my side mirror broken off my car and keyed twice since I put a repeal sticker on it.

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    Mute windbag
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    Feb 17th 2018, 2:30 PM

    @Harry N: it can’t be just women that we’re harassed . Men must have been hit on by women in high places as well when is all that going to materialise… ???

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Feb 17th 2018, 2:50 PM

    @windbag: Terry Crews has already spoken out about being sexually assaulted it was by a man though so that mind not meet your criteria

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:21 PM

    @Alan Scott: no, no, no , no, no it’s not my time in the spot light. It’s about my daughter, my sister, my mother, my friends. All women. It’s about a rape victim that had her underwear shown to the jury. It’s about women who finally have the courage to stand up to their abusers. It’s about the women who couldn’t physically or financially or mentally go through a pregnancy. It’s all the things you don’t think about because it never comes up in your life.

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:51 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: Maybe if you read her post again.

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:57 PM

    @Deborah Behan: Deborah there’s no way in having a reasonable debate with you. I am out-of here I can understand the silence now and where it’s coming from.. I wish you well.

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Feb 17th 2018, 4:14 PM

    @Deborah Behan: Deborah if you go back to my first post in reply to Harry Hudson My first line was no man or woman should have to suffer any abuse from what ever quarter it comes from.

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    Mute Diogenes
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    Feb 17th 2018, 4:16 PM

    @Harry N: fair play Gabriel, he he is right, people who prey on woman like this need to be publicly shamed and ostracised.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Feb 17th 2018, 4:37 PM

    @Alan Scott: I read it clearly the first time, no glory mentioned at all. Your first short sentence was followed by several qualifying sentences, all in context you clearly don’t really believe that first sentence enough for it to be a stand alone statement from you. Also, a polite hint, when you say you’re leaving because you don’t want to discuss the issue with a particular person it just looks silly if you come back twenty minutes later and have a pop at the same person again, especially when they didn’t reply to you when you announced your departure.

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    Mute Owen M
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:26 PM

    @Harry N: He kept it a secret for years that Weinstein was a bully. He is the very definition of a coward.

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    Mute Nick Drake
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:29 PM

    He’s right in many ways but problems can arise because many women leading the charge on this are a bad mix of post modernist ultra feminist where these is no room for anyone else’s opinion.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:21 PM

    @Nick Drake: whereas all men are saints? Please.

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    Mute Paul Hughes
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:57 PM

    @Deborah Behan: think he’s referring to the Matt Damon debacle where he got his head chewed off for stating a fact

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    Feb 17th 2018, 4:20 PM

    @Nick Drake: Stop trying to dilute the metoo movement with your own bigoted agenda will you, this movement didn’t come about because of feminism it came about because certain women were being threatened with rape and murdered and being raped and sexually harassed!

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Feb 17th 2018, 5:51 PM

    @Nick Drake: if someone was sexually assaulted where does someone’s opinion come into it?

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    Mute Ron North
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    Feb 17th 2018, 6:10 PM

    @neilo: I think it’s a type of painting or art or something.

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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:16 AM

    A bond with his daughter… great they can discuss which nappies are best.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:58 AM

    @john Appleseed: Jesus that’s the best you got? Hope you don’t have any kids if that’s all you think you can have a conversation about. I’d take Gabriel any day!

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    Mute The flute smoker
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:30 PM

    I know its not a nice thing to say but i watch some of these women years ago and always said to myself who is giving these awful ….just dreadful actresses work. Now i know why . I say 90% of these women are having buyers remorse

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    Mute The flute smoker
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    Feb 17th 2018, 2:25 PM

    @neilo: i know

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:30 PM

    @The flute smoker: I’ve said the same about many male actors. Vin Deisel anyone?

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    Feb 17th 2018, 6:12 PM

    @neilo: A terrible comment and probably a terrible truth.

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    Feb 18th 2018, 5:39 AM

    @The flute smoker: maybe just stick to smoking flute from now on.

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    Feb 19th 2018, 3:16 PM

    @nolblog: thats my job bra’h

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:21 PM

    I only watched it to see if Tubs would ask him about his opinions on the Irish film industry, or lack of it. It was another Hilary moment and I can’t get the time back.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:29 PM

    @Patrick J. O’Rourke: go back to Breitbart then.

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    Mute Chris Cantwell
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:46 PM

    @Deborah Behan: oh wow Deborah what an amazing comment, really scraping the barrel with that one

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    Feb 17th 2018, 6:37 PM

    @Patrick J. O’Rourke: Tubridy! first of all anyone/any cause going in front of that – I will be calm – man (there because of his \Dad) is really a bit rich. I get Gabriel Byrne’s comment but somehow I feel this is all false its just the latest fad, metoo, blacklivesmatter etc etc all Americanisms which are totally consumed with. Somewhere in there is a noble cause – just hard to take the message from messengers like this.

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Feb 17th 2018, 7:08 PM

    @Deborah Behan: What does that have to do with anything. I’m no fan of Breitbart and they have noting to do with this issue. What are you talking about? I work in the industry and he has said some very pertinent and controversial things/truth about the industry in the last few days and I was just waiting to see if Tubs was going to raise them. You really are confused.

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:28 AM

    The reason that this shit went on for so long, is that women, for whatever reason, kept quiet. I tell my own daughters that if ever faced with that shit, immediately hit back hard and fast, and use whatevers in reach to achieve the mission. What do the Yanks call it? Oh yeah!….Shock and Awe!

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:33 AM

    @Paul Culligan: Bad advice m8 – perpetrators can be very nasty people¡¡

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:39 AM

    @Bruce Miller: I disagree. Things should never be made easy for the bully, the sex predator, the harrasser. This type of fire should be met with a raging inferno, not water.

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    Mute Siobhán Ni Mhurchú
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:40 AM

    @Paul Culligan: maybe they weren’t able to because they knew their careers would be over?

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:48 AM

    @Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: So they sacrificed their own esteem for money and fame? I get it. But individually or collectively, they did nothing for the respect of femininity.

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 17th 2018, 11:49 AM

    @Paul Culligan: Even though he may have a knife or gun in his pocket. Tell your missus to give your daughters the correct advice – as you’ve failed in your duty!

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:00 PM

    @Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: self respect and morals are probably more important than an acting gig

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    Mute Siobhán Ni Mhurchú
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:04 PM

    @Hardly Normal: agreed ..but some aspiring actresses didn’t think so ..

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:16 PM

    @Bruce Miller: At the very least, learn self defence, instead of taking it like a sissy. If you’re going down, you’re going down brother, but get enough DNA to convict, even if it means swallowing a chunk of face or hand. The target of the assailant shouldn’t be an easy target. Your particular stance is what has the world like it is.

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:20 PM

    @neilo: theres no mention of children here, so don’t be getting all distorted and emotional. Thats a seperate issue. That pig Weinstein hasn’t been accused of paedophilia, as of yet.

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    Mute Siobhán Ni Mhurchú
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:32 PM

    @Paul Culligan: taking it like a sissy ? Would you say that to your daughter if she was being attacked by someone with a weapon and she couldn’t fight back because the attacker may kill her ?? I would assume you would prefer your daughter to survive the attack in whatever way she could ..

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:33 PM

    @Paul Culligan: Yes – learn self defence. At last, you’re getting some common sense!

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 17th 2018, 1:57 PM

    @Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: well then i think personal responsibility comes into play to a certain degree and probably education on such matters. I don’t agree with the #metoo campaign , it’s too easy to smear someone who doesn’t deserve it and ruin their lives but at the same time it’s bringing awareness and that’s the key in my opinion. Women in such situations should just walk away! If they can’t it’s a totally different situation.

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 2:49 PM

    @Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: I’d prefer my daughter to go all-out animal. if you find yourself in a situation like that, the attacker has already planned and decided his move. What he hasn’t factored into the equation is unexpected resistance and a volitile prey. Passive approaches don’t work, unless a gun is produced. A lot of women are dead, and evidence is lacking, because they made it easy for the attacker. Likewise, the reason that people like the pig Weinstein got away with it for so long, is that women made it easy for them.

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    Mute Del Bear
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    Feb 17th 2018, 2:57 PM

    @Paul Culligan: going all out animal against someone bigger and physically stronger will likely result in the woman not only being raped but probably having the sh*te kicked out of her as well

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:28 PM

    @Paul Culligan: any comment on how to stop men from actually attacking women? It’s not an unsolvable problem. Women should learn self defense because,you know, MEN!!! How privileged are you? You go out and learn self defense because we’re not going to stop. We will hold each and every man accountable. So either teach yourself and boys how to respect women and not attack women or we will.

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Feb 17th 2018, 4:54 PM

    @Paul Culligan: wow, talk about victim-blaming. No Paul, the reason this went on so long is because those in authority abused their power. It is never the victim’s fault. Far, far, far too often the child or woman isn’t believed – s/he is looking for attention or misinterpreted the incident, sure he can have anyone he wants why would he assault someone? In the US many of Dr Nassar’s victims told their parents and weren’t believed. Just look at how unmarried mothers were treated in this country by everyone from the family, neighbours, Church and state. Look at what she was wearing, why did she have that extra drink, what did she expect?
    Look at the comments here to see many have decided that women who have shared their stories with #metoo still aren’t being believed.

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Feb 17th 2018, 5:42 PM

    @Paul Culligan: “they did nothing for the respect of femininity” “instead of taking it like a sissy” You are victim blaming in the most vile way. If she’s not black and blue then it was her fault?

    Do you honestly believe that when experiencing the horror of rape a woman is thinking dispassionately about gathering DNA? We all think we’d fight and scream but the reality is that in the majority of cases women experience an involuntary paralysis with as many as 50% reporting extreme paralysis while being sexually assaulted. With your kind of attitude it’s no wonder women feel shame and guilt and decide not to report. Shame on you.
    https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/women-involuntary-paralysis-freeze-rape-fight-back_us_5936f8e7e4b0099e7faff1dc

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    Mute Siobhán Ni Mhurchú
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    Feb 17th 2018, 6:27 PM

    @Paul Culligan: do you read over your comments ? Twice you said victims make it easy for their attackers . I agree that evidence is important..like under the finger nails etc. But at the end if the day you want the woman /sister/daughter to survive and be able to come home ..not to end up dead because she tried to fight back . Do not blame a victim for being passive in an attack . For them it’s about survival .

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    Mute Austin Rock
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    Feb 17th 2018, 6:39 PM

    @Paul Culligan: I agree totally if women learned martial arts cowards like this would be absolutely terrified – they’d probably stick to masterbating.

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:25 PM

    @Deborah Behan: You speak of men, and say nothing at all about women. Walk around the city any night of the week and watch the female loudmouth bullies fighting. Some of them would outdo the men. You need defence against them too. But thats the very aggression that I talk about when I say that women need to butch up against bullies.

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:46 PM

    @EillieEs: Watch any Self Defence instruction video and you will learn that that ‘paralysis’ derives from an untrained victim. Theres no excuse for not being trained. My own children would frequently ask, ‘Dad, what if someone grabbed you from behind, like this’, and I would show them the fastest possible way to break a nose, gouge an eye or render an attacker inoperable. They are not living in a world of fear, but have a better chance than most, if it happens. I want my daughters in that 50% that don’t experience extreme paralysis, but I most certainly don’t want them associated with emotional states, just like what youre throwing out there. That’s what causes loss…emotion. Spartan women never had it, and were greatly feared.

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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 9:53 PM

    @Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: Passiveness only gets you killed. We are living in a different world now.

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    Mute Siobhán Ni Mhurchú
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    Feb 17th 2018, 10:47 PM

    @Paul Culligan: passiveness will not get you killed .. I’m not suggesting you don’t put up some struggle but fighting back will get you killed.. the attacker would get more and more aggressive ..

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    Mute nolblog
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    Feb 18th 2018, 5:47 AM

    @Paul Culligan: here paul, why don’t you try listening to women sometime instead of trying to push your shit, ignorant advice on them.
    regards,
    women

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    Mute Johnhunky Dory
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    Feb 17th 2018, 6:31 PM

    But why wasn’t he commenting all those years a if what he knew? Instead he was trying to get Weinstein on board for projects.

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    Mute Untriggered Non-Snowflake
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    Feb 17th 2018, 6:41 PM

    Metoo started out as a woman’s rights movement. It stopped been that a long time ago when it was politicised by Democrats and the elite women of Hollywood. Even Rose McGowan could see that…

    Time to start over again, girls…

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    Mute nolblog
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    Feb 18th 2018, 5:42 AM

    @Untriggered Non-Snowflake: nah we’re doing grand, thanks

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    Mute Fran Lonergan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 12:52 PM

    Gabriel, you were a sphincter when you started out and you are a bigger ar$ehole now.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:32 PM

    @Fran Lonergan: thank god we got your opinion mr anonymous who won’t put your actual name. Next.

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    Mute Malachy
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    Feb 18th 2018, 1:08 AM

    He’s playing to the media. Why’d he only saying this now seeing his career nose dived. Can’t understand people who think actors and singers have worldly experiences

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    Mute Tony Shaw
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    Feb 17th 2018, 5:49 PM

    Shure Gabriel…. anything to feed the narcissist need. Btw, like the hair dye. Industrial??

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    Mute mike scott
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    Feb 17th 2018, 3:40 PM

    Wrong there gaybo.

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Feb 17th 2018, 5:52 PM

    @mike scott: how is he wrong?

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    Mute Owen M
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    Feb 17th 2018, 8:28 PM

    Byrne is pathetic. He could have come out years ago about Weinstein and saved many women.

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