‘I did plays there as a kid and I’ve been going there my whole life’
08:07, 08 Nov 2025Updated 08:15, 08 Nov 2025
Éanna Hardwicke with Steve Coogan on the Late Late Show(Image: RTÉ)
Cork actor Éanna Hardwicke said that the Irish premiere of Saipan in his hometown was ‘terrifying.’ He joked that he was so intimidated by having to watch the highly anticipated new film with hundreds of other Rebels that it felt like ‘climbing Kilimanjaro.’
The 29-year-old is one of the fastest-rising Irish stars right now. The Glanmire man appeared on the Late Late Show alongside co-star Steve Coogan to promote the new film, set for Irish release on New Year’s Day. The pair opened up on how they prepared for their starring roles as Roy Keane and ROI football manager Mick McCarthy during the 2002 World Cup.
The film debuted internationally at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, and some lucky fans got the chance to watch it for the first time on Thursday night as part of the Cork International Film Festival’s (CIFF) Opening Gala at The Everyman.
Late Late host Patrick Kielty opened the conversation with Alan Partridge star Steve Coogan, who plays McCarthy. The UK actor has just returned from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Kielty then turned to Hardwicke, who plays Mayfield man Keane, and asked what it was like to have the Irish premiere of the film in his home city. Hardwicke cleverly quipped: “It was harder than Kilimanjaro… It was terrifying.”
He said he was sitting in the audience of the Everyman Theatre on Thursday night when he realised it was a “mental idea” to do it in Cork, and added he was delighted the premiere “went down a treat.”
He hailed it a very special moment in his life, recalling how he had performed plays as a child on the Everyman stage and has been visiting the historic theatre since he was small.
He said: “We’re going to premiere this film in Cork in front of 800 Corkonians and within five minutes they’ll be able to turn around and say ‘nah’, but thankfully it went down a treat. It was very special, it was my local theatre, and I did plays there as a kid, and I’ve been going there my whole life. It was a very special kind of homecoming and a great Irish premiere.”
Steve Coogan talked about what it was like to recreate the infamous Saipan incident and said it remains one of the most memorable moments in Irish soccer history. He said the public spat between McCarthy and Keane was “all people were talking about at the time”.
As the nation’s dreams rested on Keano’s shoulders, just 14 days before the 2002 World Cup, an infamous (and very public) quarrel between the Republic of Ireland football captain and the team manager captured the attention of fans and media outlets worldwide. All eyes were on the little Northern Mariana Island as superstar Roy was ousted from the squad. Ireland went on to lose against Spain. Coogan said he hopes the film is a fair portrayal of the dispute.
Patrick also sat down with Kieran Cuddihy ahead of his debut as the new host of RTÉ Radio 1’s Liveline on Monday. The show is preparing to celebrate 40 years on air. Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats, joined Patrick in the studio to discuss the current political landscape, the challenges facing the left opposition and her vision for Ireland’s future. Singer-songwriter Nell Mescal took to the Late Late Show stage with a live performance of her brand-new single. And finally, comedian Jarlath Regan was in studio to chat about ‘Irishisms’ and how they inspire his jokes