LOOKING BACK: WHEN THE RUC PATROLLED KILCULLEN

On a Thursday morning in October 1983, motorists in Kilcullen were surprised to encounter an RUC roadblock and armed officers checking cars, writes Brian Byrne. Phone calls to the newsroom of the Leinster Leader (there was no social media then!) expressed outrage from some people that the Northern Ireland police were being allowed to operate in the south.

When Leader reporter John Lynch and a photographer arrived at the scene, they discovered the roadblock was a film set for Cal, based on Bernard McLaverty’s novella. The film, directed by Pat O’Connor and starring Ray McAnnally, John Lynch (NOT the Leader's man), and Helen Mirren, was shooting scenes involving RUC men directing traffic. 

In the story, resurrected by our regular correspondent, old newspapers burrower Joe Murray, it transpired that the production company had kept advance knowledge to local gardaí only, in order not to have crowds along to watch. 

The film, produced by Warner Brothers, was released the following year and was entered into the 1984 Cannes Film Festival, where Mirren won the award for Best Actress. Most of the movie was filmed in locations in Drogheda.

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