LIVE at 1st Irish Festival, Act II: John Duddy & Ciaran Byrne, Northern Irish Actors
Former champion boxer John Duddy from Derry and one-time construction worker Newry’s own Ciaran Byrne share their unlikely paths to acting on stage and in film in part two of our first live podcast recording for Origin Theatre’s 1st Irish Festival.
The two friends delve into how their life experiences inform their performances, personal traumas from The Troubles, and the critical role of theater in post-conflict healing and education. Sharing compelling narratives throughout, Ciaran and John underscore the significance of their Northern Irish roots and the transformative power of storytelling, but don’t stint on the Irish craic.
Massive thanks to Origin’s Theatre’s artistic director Mick Mellamphy (who we featured in this 2023 episode) for envisioning our live podcast event and curating our stellar guest list, to the Northern Ireland Bureau for their generous support, to Bill Schultz for recording and editing the episodes, and to Jimmy and the crew at Ryan’s Daughter for their above-and-beyond hospitality.
Links
Ciaran Byrne
John Duddy
Origin Theatre
The Northern Ireland Bureau
Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 15; Total Episode Count: 118
00:00 - Introduction
02:36 - Drawing on Past Careers
05:40 - Playing James Connolly - Ciaran
07:30 - Remembering Jackie Duddy - John
09:48 - Theater and The Troubles
17:46 - Coping and Sense of Humor - Ciaran
20:10 - A Night in November - Ciaran
21:32 - Normalcy and Trauma - John
25:33 - Reading - Five Minutes of Heaven
32:20 - What's Next for John and Ciaran
34:16 - John's Recap
35:04 - Credits
Ciaran Byrne
Actor / Producer / Director
Ciaran Byrne: In the Summer of 2012, the Northern Ireland-born builder-turned-actor walked off a New York City construction site into an Equity Principal Audition and a new career.
Impressing the prestigious Irish Repertory Theatre’s artistic leadership, Ciaran was cast alongside a host of Broadway veterans and SAG Award nominees Cara Seymour and Joseph Sikora, in their 25th Anniversary season opener The Freedom of the City.
Following his professional acting debut at Irish Rep’ the former Plasterer quickly established a name for himself as a versatile journeyman actor, appearing in numerous U.S. Regional and Off-Broadway productions. Most notably starring alongside two-time Drama Desk Award winner Dearbhla Molloy, in Studio Theatre’s multiple Helen Hayes Award nominated production of Moment, followed by The Irish Repertory Theatre’s subsequent revival of Juno and the Paycock, with two-time SAG Award winning actor J. Smith-Cameron, and most recently in Irish Rep’s Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, and Outer Critic’s Circle Award nominated revival of Philadelphia Here I Come.
Garnering wider recognition, Ciaran made his U.S. television debut in a recurring role on TNT’s critically acclaimed Edward Burns and Steven Spielberg-produced crime drama Public Morals, alongside series creator Burns, Michael Rapaport, Neal McDonough, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and Golden Globe, Tony, SAG, and Olivier Award winner Brian Dennehy.
Michael Mailer Films’ award-winning indie period drama The Second Sun marked Ciaran’s feature film debut, with the Irishman succeeding… Read More
John Duddy
Actor
John Duddy is a former professional boxer from Derry, Northern Ireland, who made a name for himself in the ring and later on the stage and screen. Known as “Ireland’s John Duddy” or “The Derry Destroyer,” he compiled an impressive 29-2 record, with 18 knockouts, and held both the IBA World and WBC Continental Americas middleweight titles. After relocating to Queens, New York, in 2003, Duddy became a fan favorite for his exciting style and charm, fighting in iconic venues like Madison Square Garden and Cowboys Stadium.
Since retiring in 2011, he has transitioned into acting, with credits including work on Grudge Match (alongside Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone), A Bend in the River, Emerald City, and Hands of Stone. Duddy now lives in New York City with his wife, Gráinne Coll, where he continues to pursue acting, training programs for Parkinson’s patients, and his fitness company, Duddy Fitness.
