Erin Go Bragh - 3 Pieces of Irish Entertainment to Enjoy

I was pretty obsessed with all things Irish when I was a kid. As a redhead, I was asked regularly if I was Irish, which made it seem like a really cool thing to be. I finally visited Ireland a few years ago, and I found it to be a lovely, friendly country that I would really like to revisit sometime. Until then, though, I guess that I'll have to content myself with some great pieces of Irish entertainment.

Moone Boy

Moone Boy starring Chris O'Dowd (Bridesmaids, Family Tree) premieres July 10th, exclusively on Hulu. http://www.hulu.com/moone-boy Childhood sucks. Imaginary friends rule. "Moone Boy" is a quirky comedy about 12-year-old Martin Moone and his bearded, sarcastic, imaginary friend Sean (Chris O'Dowd, "Bridesmaids"). Martin's imaginary pal plays the banjo, writes bad love poetry, and helps Martin navigate the challenges of his eccentric childhood.

Set in the late 80s in the west of Ireland, the comedy stars Chris O'Dowd as Sean, the imaginary friend of an "idiot boy" named Martin Moone. It's both absurd and absurdly funny - David Rawle, who was only 12 when the series began, is lovably daffy, and his family and the other supporting characters are just as goofy and charming. The series ended its run after 3 seasons in 2015, so you can binge watch the entirety to your heart's content. Trust me on this one - this show is an absolute delight.

The Cranberries

Best of The Cranberries: https://goo.gl/EGpVML Subscribe here: https://goo.gl/FXUeXQ Music video by The Cranberries performing Analyse. (C) 2001 Geffen Records

Well, isn't this one out of left field? (Spoiler - no.) Dolores O'Riordan's death earlier this year reminded me just how much I love this band, though, and prompted me to revisit some of their albums for the first time in years. Songs like "Linger," "Dreams," and "Zombie" are rightly considered alt-rock classics, but one of the first CDs that I ever bought was their 2001 release Wake Up and Smell the Coffee, and even if it's not their strongest release, I still love it. It's dreamy, melancholy, and bittersweet, even if some of the lyrics are a bit too on the nose. I've been working my way through all of their albums, some of which I had never listened to in full before, and it's been a really enjoyable experience.

Sing Street

Now Playing In Select Theaters! Buy Tix Here: http://fandan.co/23yp5oQ Synopsis: SING STREET takes us back to 1980s Dublin seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy named Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) who is looking for a break from a home strained by his parents' relationship and money troubles, while trying to adjust to his new inner-city public school where the kids are rough and the teachers are rougher.

In some ways, Sing Street feels like the spiritual older sibling to Moone Boy. Set in Dublin in the 1980s, it's the story of a hapless teenage boy, Conor, exploring his identity by forming a band with some of the other misfits at his new school. They cycle through genres and personas at a rapid pace, and each new style is accompanied by a spot on pastiche of the genre and a new look for Conor. It's riotously funny at times, but there's an undercurrent of darkness that keeps it grounded - the girl that Conor is in love with, Raphina, is much more complicated than your typical teen love interest, and the darkness in her past (and present, and potentially her future, if we're being realistic) provides a realistic counterpoint to Conor's dreamy idealism. 

Bonus - "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" by Dead Can Dance
(The band may not be Irish, but the song is.)

from the album "Toward The Within"

So, have you guys watched Moone Boy or Sing Street, or listened to much of the Cranberries? What are your thoughts? Any other pieces of Irish entertainment that I really need to check out?