Cool encounter as Robert Sheehan films Blindboy TV adaptation in Limerick

Sheehan was in the Treaty City to film the TV adaptation of local hero Blindboy Boatclub’s short story, 'Did You Hear About Erskine Fogarty?'. In it, Sheehan plays Limerick man Erskine who lost everything after moving to Dublin — except for his double white American fridge/freezer.

The short story is part of Blindboy’s genre-defying collection, The Gospel According to Blindboy in 15 Short Stories.

Set in Limerick in 2008 amid the recession, the “darkly absurd comedy” is produced by Sharon Cronin and directed by James Cotter.

Out of 15 stories, why adapt this one?

“Blindboy and I always feel that Erskine has a relevance to this time because Ireland is still dealing with the psychic damage of the crash," Mr Cotter told the Irish Examiner. 

"It feels like something that we've never quite come to terms with. That story is very much about people trying to learn how to exist in a world that's different from the rich one they thought they existed in.” 

According to Mr Cotter, it was a pleasure to be on set with Sheehan, whom he described as “one of the finest actors of his generation, if not the finest”.

“His ability to convey the emotional journey of a character is a joy to watch," he said. "Honestly, some of his work left the entire crew stunned. He was just fantastic.”

And as for Sheehan carrying a fridge down Henry Street? 

“It’s a kind of post-apocalyptic moment where Erskine is dragging the fridge through the centre of Limerick and not a single car is there because the economy has exploded so badly," he said. 

That was really an amazing thing to view.

“The great thing about Limerick, and one of the reasons that we love filming in Limerick, is Limerick people are just sound. They see something and they'll go: ‘What's that?’, and you go: ‘Ah, it’s for the telly’. Blindboy is such a legend here that it really helps.”  

The production will feature in the new season of RTÉ Storyland short drama series due to air mid-November.