Irish actor James Martin, who starred in the Oscar-winning short film An Irish Goodbye, has taken on his next acting role in a short film about a murder that is seen as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in Ireland. Martin has been announced as one of the cast members of Fairview Park, which tells the story of the killing of Declan Flynn.
Flynn was a gay man who was murdered by a gang in Fairview Park on the north side of Dublin City. In the 80s, Fairview Park was a common meeting place for gay men.
A gang of five teenagers were responsible for the murder. Flynn was killed in the early hours of September 10, 1982.
The gang responsible carried out a series of other homophobic attacks that same year. The killing of Declan Flynn is often regarded as a catalyst for the fight for gay rights in Ireland.
James Martin takes on the role of Flynn’s younger brother Greg who has Down Syndrome. Co Donegal actor Denis Grindel takes on the role of Declan while the film also stars Derry Girls actress Amanda Hurwitz.
The film’s lead producer, Joe Tapp, spoke to Dublin Live last year and explained: “Declan is at the forefront of the film but in the background, there are all of these complex things going on. Declan wasn’t openly gay.
“The family didn’t know of his sexuality and then woke up to him being a sort of figurehead for the gay rights movement at the time. It didn’t get the coverage it deserved and we want to help set that right. It was really muddled at the time. A lot of people haven’t heard this story before.”
James Martin shot to fame in 2023 after starring in An Irish Goodbye. The short film, which told the heartwarming story of two brothers coping with the loss of their beloved mom, scooped the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.
As the cast and producers of the film collected the award in front of some of the biggest names in Hollywood, the audience sang Happy Birthday to Martin in what was a highlight of the 2023 Oscars.
Firview Park writer and co-director Ellie Hodgetts told Irish News: “It was a very emotional experience to see this story come to life, all the time with Declan Flynn and his family at the forefront of my mind.
“Having conversations with our lead actor, Denis, about who Declan was and how he might’ve felt, and us relating to him so much, was a really powerful and heart-breaking experience that I think we will carry with us for a long time.”
Mr Justice Sean Gannon sentenced the youths to between one and five years on guilty pleas to manslaughter in March 1983. The sentences were suspended.
The film’s creators are hoping it will be screened at upcoming festivals.
