Hollywood star Meryl Streep has reminisced of her time in ‘magical’ Donegal.
Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep spoke to Ryan Tubridy on RTÉ Radio One this morning about their new film ‘The Post’, but before discussing the new film, Tubs asked them to recall the last big movies they shot in Ireland.
In 1998, Streep played the role of Kate Mundy in Pat O’Connor’s silver screen adaption of Brian Friel’s ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’.
The five sisters in the play, inspired by Friel’s aunts, live on the outskirts of the fictional town of Ballybeg (based on Glenties).
Speaking to Ryan Tubridy, she said: “I had a wonderful time, an especially wonderful moment up in Donegal where we were in a town and the kids got up at of school and they danced for us. We had a little Guinness as well on the way in!
“It was one of the most magical afternoons of my life, and unforgettable.”
Steep also went on to say that she has some Donegal roots, with her great grandparents hailing from Dunfanaghy.
“I found out that some of the family came from there, my daughter Grace is named after Grace Strain who was the daughter of Mary McFadden, and all of the Strains I understand are from Donegal – it’s an unusual name!”
When asked is she still Irish dancing when she isn’t busy picking up awards, she laughed and said: “I wish I could say I was, it was really exhilarating to do.
“I do still have the clickety-clackety shoes though,” she chuckled.
