Brian Gleeson is Brendan and Mary's third child, born on Nov. 14, 1987. Like his older brother Domhnall, he appeared in several local school plays before pursuing acting professionally.
Brendan Gleeson is a beloved actor, but you might have heard of some of his sons, too. Brendan — who was nominated for best actor at the 2023 Oscars for his performance in "The Banshees of Inisherin," though he lost to Brendan Fraser — is dad to Domhnall, Brian, Rory, and Fergus.
His brother, Barry Gleeson, is a well-known singer in An Góilín traditional singers' club, and his son Domhnall is an actor. Gleeson is known for his love of football and recounts tales of attempting to get a clear radio reception so he could listen to how his team, Aston Villa, were faring on a Saturday.
Gleeson was born 12 May 1983, the eldest of four boys, in Dublin, Ireland. He was raised in Malahide, County Dublin, the eldest son of Mary (née Weldon) and actor Brendan Gleeson. He has three brothers: Fergus, Brian (also an actor), and Rory.
Brendan Gleeson, a well-known Gaeilgeoir, or fluent Irish speaker, also gave an interview in Irish, while Colin Farrell, his co-star in “Banshees of Inisherin,” slowly backed away and was relieved to quickly find someone who would ask him questions in English.
The surnames Gleeson and Gleason developed from the Irish name O Glasain, which originated in East County Cork. The Gaelic prefix “O” means male descendant of, and Glasain derives from “glas,” literally meaning “green” in the sense of inexperience as opposed to the color.
Musical talent. Gleeson is a fiddle and mandolin player, with an interest in Irish folklore. He played the fiddle during his roles in Cold Mountain, Michael Collins, The Grand Seduction, and The Banshees of Inisherin, and also features on Altan's 2009 live album.
Irish (Waterford): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Glasáin from a diminutive of glas 'green blue gray'. Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022.
The Banshees Of Inisherin was filmed on Achill Island. Situated off the west coast of Ireland, the Aran Islands were also used for filming – contrary to the film's single island setting. This compilation of destinations was part of director Martin McDonagh's vision for the film.
He was raised in a Presbyterian household alongside his two brothers, Jordan and Brett, the latter of whom also became an actor. Their father received a life sentence for the 1979 killing of federal judge John H. Wood Jr.
Farrell and Gleeson met some 17 years ago but cemented their mutual admiration alliance onscreen first in McDonagh's raucous and fresh 2008 film In Bruges, of which Gleeson explained, “These characters are unlikely hit men, but they had to be believable as hit men.”
In doing so, Farrell revealed some insight into why they get on so well, and the moment he knew Gleeson was the kind of man you want to be friends with. When asked what about them clicked, Farrell says it was “just easy”. “The first time I met him was in a room at the Chelsea Hotel.
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are two peas in a Hollywood pod: Both accomplished actors, both Irish, and both part of a great on-screen duo that falls somewhere between Butch and Sundance, and Thelma and Louise.
Actor/director Nick Paone leads FPAC's cast as Tevye; however, the show's title role belongs to classical musician Irina Fainkichen, who performs the iconic violin solos. Concert violinists have traditionally performed the Fiddler music, including the 1971 film, which featured the renowned Isaac Stern.
For example, Murphy, Byrne, and O'Brien are a few of the oldest and most common surnames in Ireland. Some may even say Murphy is the most Irish name ever, as it's currently the most common surname in the country.
Domhnall Gleeson is an Irish actor and writer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise (2010-2011), About Time (2013), Ex Machina (2015) and The Revenant (2015). He is the son of actor Brendan Gleeson, alongside whom he has appeared in several films and theatre projects.
Some 6,000 people (0.3%) in Northern Ireland claim to use Irish as their main home language according to the 2021 UK Census with 71,900 people being able to speak Irish (circa 4% of population) and 228,600 people overall in the state (12.4%) having some knowledge of the language.
However, the mid to late-19th century saw a shockingly steep drop in the number of speakers as a result of the Famine, massive waves of emigration, and increasingly systematic suppression by the British government.
