NEW IRISH DRAMA NORTH SEA CONNECTION NOW FILMING IN ROUNDSTONE, CO. GALWAY

Pictured: Lydia McGuinness (Ciara), D nall H ala (Shane) and Kieran O'Reilly (James) on the set of North Sea Connection in Galway.

RT continues to be the home of quality Irish drama with filming now underway in Galway for a new drama thriller series, North Sea Connection.

The brand new six-part drama series features an exciting Irish, Nordic and international cast including Lydia McGuinness (Sing Street), Kerr Logan (Game of Thrones), Sin ad Cusack ( V for Vendetta'), Alida Morberg (Black Lake), and Claes Ljungmark (Borg vs. McEnroe).

The brand new thriller is produced by Irish production company, Subotica and MOPAR Studios for NENT Group and co-produced by RT , in association with F s ireann/Screen Ireland, with support from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), and The Western Regional Audiovisual Producers Fund (WRAP), and distributed by A E Networks International. It will be broadcast on RT One and streamed on RT Player and NENT Group's Viaplay streaming service in 2022.

The drama transports viewers to the stunning scenery of Ireland's west coast which conceals a dark terrifying secret. Lead character Ciara (Lydia McGuinness) confronts the dramatic consequences of her brother Aidan's (Kerr Logan) decision to transport drugs at sea. Threatened by a cartel and with a Swedish police officer (Alida Morberg) closing in, Ciara's plans lead her family into a world of unpredictable and dangerous events.

With multiple international partners, this production is a significant and high-profile project for RT and provides an opportunity to showcase Irish talent from both sides of the camera on the international stage, including Tristan Orpen Lynch and Aoife O'Sullivan from Irish production company Subotica. The production is bringing significant investment to Ireland's rugged west coast and is funded by a number of Irish partners, including Screen Ireland, BAI, and the WRAP (Western Region Audiovisual Producers) fund.

David Crean, Acting Head of Drama, RT said: RT is proud to be working with Irish and international co-production partners to showcase Irish talent on the international stage and to deliver more drama to Irish audiences. This series has an excellent cast, crew, and a stunning location; it's going to be a real treat for both Irish and international audiences in 2022.

Tristan Orpen Lynch, Subotica said: We are delighted that season one of North Sea Connection is now in production with such a great cast and crew. It is a truly original drama set in the stunning West Coast of Ireland and made possible by Screen Ireland, RT , and BAI, along with our international partners. We look forward to bringing this story to Irish audiences and continuing growing Ireland's output and reputation for quality drama production with International audiences.

Andrew Byrne Television Project Manager Screen Ireland said: We are delighted that North Sea Connection is now in production with such a talented cast, crew, and team attached. It is a further regional investment for Screen Ireland and we look forward to seeing some of Ireland's stunning west coast on screen in what will be a thrilling international drama .

Filippa Wallestam, NENT Group Chief Content Officer: The combination of high-stakes drama, top talents on both sides of the camera, and of course a Nordic twist gives this series the ingredients of a top-drawer thriller. Viaplay's storytelling knows no borders and with its unique setting, North Sea Connection' will be a compelling addition to our fast-growing international slate.

Jessica Pope, Creative Director, MOPAR Studios added: North Sea Connection is an emotional and entertaining drama about a resilient, traditional west coast Irish fishing family, wrapped around an exciting thriller story. It's about the fall and rise of the Kennys and their struggle to survive while being dragged into the world of drug running. It's a story about organised crime coming to a small, out-of-the-way community and threatening to overwhelm it and we can't wait to bring it to life.

North Sea Connection is written by Mark Greig ( Bulletproof') and directed by Paul Murphy ( Red Election') and Hannah Quinn ( The Stranger'). The series is executive produced for Viaplay and Ireland's RT by Jess Pope, Christian Alveborg, William Diskay, and Jonas Fors at MOPAR Studios, Jon Petersson at Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), David Crean at RT , Andrew Byrne at Screen Ireland, and Tristan Orpen Lynch and Aoife O'Sullivan for Subotica. Nell Green ( You Were Never Really Here; Medici') is producing the series. International distribution is by A E Networks International. Funding for the series has been provided by Screen Ireland, the Broadcasting Authority Ireland (BAI), and Western Region Audiovisual Producers (WRAP) Fund.

ABOUT RT DRAMA

RT will deliver almost 40 hours of brand-new drama in 2021 and 2022. Crime drama Hidden Assets filmed in Limerick hits screens later this month, following on from the huge success of Irish crime drama Kin which has attracted huge audiences at home and has already been acquired by a number of international outlets.

Other previously announced high-quality dramas on RT in the coming months include Smother, filmed in County Clare and back for a second series. This year we can also look forward to a series of quality RT co-productions, including comedy-drama series The Dry written by Nancy Harris, and Conversations with Friends based on the book by Sally Rooney (author of Normal People). And of course, viewers can also look forward to plenty more action from Ireland's favourite drama Fair City, with the residents of Carrigstown continuing to share their lives with us every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATI

LINK:	https://about.rte.ie/2021/10/15/new-irish-drama-north-sea-connection-n...
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