Alex Murphy vividly recalls his eventful summer at 17. He landed a role in a low-budget independent film, “The Young Offenders,” in which two Cork city lads embark on a cycling adventure to unearth a €7 million stash of cocaine that drifted ashore at Mizen Head. Murphy, fresh to the world of professional acting, had no premonitions of how this cheeky comedy would transform his life completely.
Referring to the filming process as “guerrilla film-making”, Murphy recounts the daring lengths they went to for the perfect shot – a cameraman precariously leaning out of an open vehicle boot to record him cycling became a common sight on set. Stunt doubles were noticeably absent, except for a stunt involving a descent down Patrick’s Hill by a stand-in not Murphy himself. The entire filming was carried out without any predetermined assumptions or expectations.
Fast-forward eight years, “The Young Offenders” occupies an unexpected spot in the cultural limelight, not only in Ireland but also in England. This surprise unfolds as a fourth season of the BBC spin-off, slated for a Friday evening premiere, reconnects Murphy, reprising his foul-mouthed teenage role Conor MacSweeney, with his best friend in the film, Jock O’Keeffe played by Chris Walley.
The assurances of the primetime slot on BBC One, according to Murphy, is an affirmation of their trust in the show. High viewership figures add another layer of pride to Murphy’s feelings about the Cork-based show. Its success in securing a UK primetime slot, despite being set in a fairly local setting with local themes, still startles him.
“The Young Offenders” makes a unique impression on television with its unusual mixture of boisterous comedy and gritty realism. The show stands somewhere between Looney Tunes and Ken Loach in style. The new season maintains the raucous humour that characterised the original film. The sense of humour may not appeal to everyone, but for fans of slapstick comedy, the jokes resound. Underneath the comedic exterior, Peter Foott’s script unfolds as a poignant depiction of companionship and exposure of masculine vulnerability.
Murphy comments on the tragedy underscoring the lives of the characters in “The Young Offenders”. Conor lost his father at a young age, but he still has clear memories of him. He now lives with his single mother, Máiréad, who is portrayed by Hilary Rose, Foott’s wife. Máiréad notably refrains from discussing her late spouse. In contrast, Jock grows up in a home where alcohol is a persistent problem. These circumstances shape the behaviors and actions of both boys, reflected in their choice of attire: tracksuits, symbolizing a form of protection. They gravitate towards trouble due to their challenging home environments. Their resilience manifests in non-traditional ways, such as Conor’s outbursts of emotion. Above all, the veil of their youthful misbehaviour is lifted to reveal their struggles.
Irish TV generally overlooks Cork, yet the international success of the “Young Offenders” movie on Netflix changed that. Capitalising on its triumph, BBC commissioned a series from the movie’s writer and director, Foott. The show’s success is reflected in its high ratings and move from BBC Three to the more popular BBC One. It has also received rave reviews from The Guardian and the New Statesman.
London-based TV critic, Michael Hogan emphasises the show’s uniqueness, stating that it is a working-class sitcom with a distinctive Cork flair. Comparing it to other successful Irish exports like “Mrs Brown’s Boys” and “Derry Girls”, Hogan highlights its universal appeal and heartwarming theme of underdogs overcoming odds.
Coming from Rochestown on Cork city’s southern section, very close to Ballintemple where Cillian Murphy spent his childhood, Murphy always had fantasies of carving out a career in the world of television or film. It seemed quite the pipe dream, considering none of his relatives had ties in this sphere. But soon after completing his education, Murphy found himself being summoned for an unknown project’s audition. He decided to seize the opportunity, having nothing to lose.
Recalling the incident, he mentions, “There were rumours about a company searching for a pair of Cork lads to record self-introduction videos of five minutes. It’s a rather daunting task, talking about oneself for five solid minutes, but my resolve was unwavering, and somewhere locked on an old iPad lies a footage of 17-year-old me speaking about myself. On hindsight, they were assessing improvisation abilities and charisma and how amiable you are – if you’re good fun? Then I was called, and that’s when I encountered Chris, Peter, and Hilary. Our bonding was instant from that day.”
While The Young Offenders’ fourth series doesn’t drastically deviate from its blueprint, it does introduce a couple of captivating plot twists. It also ropes in some eminent guest appearances, notably comedian Pat Shortt and writer-comedian Pat Fitzpatrick, famed for his Cork southside persona Reggie, Blackrock Road. An interesting development, however, is that it will premiere on BBC much before it gets aired on RTÉ. This decision comes in the wake of Tubsgate, following which the national broadcaster decided to postpone the series’ transmission until 2025, despite being a co-producer. This essentially means that Cork will feature on British Television a year prior to being showcased in Ireland, a fact that Murphy finds regrettable.
Elated that many locals still have access to BBC, he adds, “I’m not involved in these decisions, and I don’t get to be in those discussions.”
Murphy mentions that a lion’s share of the on-screen content is improvisation, much like Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. Actors are provided with a scene’s bare bones, post which they are free to infuse their elements. Some of the most hilarious dialogues in The Young Offenders are, in fact, impromptu.
We consistently capture what the script says. We are always ready to record a scene anew, but this time with personal improvisation. It’s a rewarding and combined effort. More often than not, when the scripted scene concludes, we let the camera roll, capturing interesting off-script moments. Conor, one of our characters, is hilariously inept in social situations; his mistakes bring joy and amusement to the scene.
Portrayals of working-class life in Cork city haven’t been as frequent since Frank O’Connor’s acclaimed short stories; he was famously known as the Chekhov of Shandon Street. There was Lisa McInerney’s novel, The Glorious Heresies, which echoed Trainspotting, and The Young Offenders, but apart from that, not much else. Does Murphy feel obligated to provide a true depiction of north Cork?
Humour arises from the predicaments that the characters find themselves in. These narratives could take form in any location, involving any social class. Their situations are rather exaggerated. The protagonists, Conor and Jock, have an intention to earn money. They conceive a notion that a single tuna amounts to a million and hence they set off on a mission to acquire tuna. There is nothing inherently ‘working-class’ in this narrative; the characters just happen to be operating within these circumstances. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the shenanigans.
Murphy successfully wrapped up the filming of the fourth season a year ago and awaits the public’s response to the finished product. Following this, he undertook an Irish-language thriller in Donegal. However, much of his audience might recognise him more for his role in Lenny Abrahamson’s 2022 adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversation with Friends. Murphy played the role of Philip, the platonic best friend of Frances, portrayed by Alison Oliver. This role was almost a reflection of his own life, since Murphy and Oliver, both from Cork, have known each other since they were teens.
The experience of working with Lenny Abrahamson on “Conversations with Friends” was both enjoyable and daunting, recalling past ventures in screen work, particularly with “The Young Offenders.” Moving into a new environment where one is no longer commanding the scene can be overwhelming. The series served as a growth opportunity being filmed on traditional film, requiring a more time-intensive process. It wasn’t a comedy, yet the actor never considered “The Young Offenders” as one either.
The time on set with Alison, a childhood acquaintance with whom they had shared many past adventures, including attending dance events, was filled with moments of awe and appreciation of their accomplishments. Disappointments faced by Abrahamson and Rooney from viewers following the unexpected performance by Joe Alwyn, in “Conversations with Friends,” have been criticised for failing to replicate the magic of the previous successful partnership in “Normal People.” The actor speculates if the audience had unjustified expectations due to false comparisons, insisting it was not a sequel or a direct comparative work.
Continuing work on “The Young Offenders” has brought a wealth of cherished memories, particularly a guest appearance by the Cork-based football icon, Roy Keane, in the second season. The eagerness of a local sports hero to participate was an exciting event. The actor reflects warmly on the comparison made by Keane, equating the peak of his sporting career to his experience working with the top performers of the show. This added a special touch to their interaction.
The fourth season of “The Young Offenders” is scheduled to broadcast on BBC One from Friday, 10th May, at 9:30 pm.