''Resistance'' (released as ''Rebellion'' Season 2 on

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

) is a 2019 television miniseries written by

Colin Teevan Colin Teevan (born 1961 in Dublin) is an Irish playwright, radio dramatist, translator and academic. Teevan has premiered works in the National Theatres of Ireland, Scotland and the Royal National Theatre in London, He has been a regular collabo ...

for Irish broadcaster

RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...

, dramatising the events surrounding the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...

. Set during the time of

Bloody Sunday Bloody Sunday may refer to: Historical events Canada * Bloody Sunday (1923), a day of police violence during a steelworkers' strike for union recognition in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia * Bloody Sunday (1938), police violence aga ...

in 1920, it is a sequel to the 2016 miniseries, ''

Rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

'', which was set during the 1916

Easter Rising The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...

Production

Filming began in October 2016.

Cast

Characters returning from ''Rebellion''

* Brian Gleeson - Jimmy Mahon, a 1916 veteran now serving with the IRA. *

Jordanne Jones Jordanne Jones (born 7 August 2000) is an Irish actress. She began her career as a child actress, earning a Dublin Film Critics' Circle Award as well as an IFTA nomination for her debut film role in Frank Berry's ''I Used to Live Here''. In 20 ...

- Minnie Mahon * Jaeylynne Wallace Ruane - Sadie Mahon * Millie Donnelly - Gracie Mahon * Michael Ford-FitzGerald - Harry Butler, wealthy banker from whom the rebel government seek funds. * Gavin Drea -

Michael Collins Michael Collins or Mike Collins most commonly refers to: * Michael Collins (Irish leader) (1890–1922), Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician * Michael Collins (astronaut) (1930–2021), American astronaut, member of Apollo 11 and Ge ...

, IRA Director of Intelligence, a charismatic and headstrong leader. (Collins was played by Sebastian Thommen in ''Rebellion'') *

Simone Kirby Simone Kirby (born 28 October 1976) is an Irish people, Irish actress. She is probably best known for playing Oonagh in the Ken Loach film ''Jimmy's Hall''. Other credits include Irene O'Donnell in ''Peaky Blinders (TV series), Peaky Blinders'' ...

- Ursula Sweeney,

Dublin Castle Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the se ...

codebreaker

New characters

David Wilmot David Wilmot (January 20, 1814 – March 16, 1868) was an American politician and judge. He served as Representative and a Senator for Pennsylvania and as a judge of the Court of Claims. He is best known for being the prime sponsor and eponym ...

- Patrick (Paddy) Mahon, Jimmy's brother, a member of the

Royal Irish Constabulary The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, ga, Constáblacht Ríoga na hÉireann; simply called the Irish Constabulary 1836–67) was the police force in Ireland from 1822 until 1922, when all of the country was part of the United Kingdom. A separate ...

(RIC). *

Stanley Townsend Stanley Townsend (born August 1961) is an Irish actor. Personal life Townsend was born and brought up in Dublin. After attending Wesley College, Dublin, he studied mathematics and civil engineering at Trinity College. While there he joined the ...

- Daniel Shea, an

Irish-American , image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png , image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state , caption = Notable Irish Americans , population = 36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...

US Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

, sympathetic to the independence movement. * Conall Keating - Joey Bradley, IRA gunman. *

Aoife Duffin Aoife ( , ) is an Irish feminine given name. The name is probably derived from the Irish Gaelic ''aoibh'', which means "beauty" or "radiance". It has been compared to the Gaulish name ''Esvios'' (Latinized ''Esuvius'', feminine ''Esuvia''), whic ...

- Éithne Drury, republican journalist *

Natasha O'Keeffe Natasha Dervill O'Keeffe (born 1 December 1986) is a British actress. She is known for her roles as Abbey in the E4 series '' Misfits'' (2012–2013), Fedora in the ITV series '' Jekyll and Hyde'' (2015), Emilia Ricoletti in the '' Sherlock' ...

- Agnes Moore, Ursula's sister, a lawyer working in the

Dáil Courts The Dáil Courts (also known as Republican Courts) were the judicial branch of government of the Irish Republic, which had unilaterally declared independence in 1919. They were formally established by a decree of the First Dáil on 29 June 1920 ...

* Catherine Walker - Constance Butler, republican sympathiser; wife of Harry *

Fergal McElherron Fergal or Feargal are Irish, male given names. They are anglicized forms of the name Fearghal.Mairéad Byrne, Irish Baby Names – 25 Apr 2005 The arts *Fergal Keane, OBE (born 1961), Irish writer and broadcaster *Feargal Sharkey (born 1958), for ...

- Maurice Jacobs, solicitor and agent for the rebel government. * Ben Smith - Robbie Lennox, English journalist and socialist. Based on the historical

F. Digby Hardy John Henry Gooding, ''alias'' Frank Digby Hardy (5 April 1868 – 28 October 1930) was an English naval writer, journalist, soldier, career criminal and would-be spy during the Irish War of Independence. Born in Devonport, Plymouth to a middl ...

. * Andrew Bennet -

Arthur Griffith Arthur Joseph Griffith ( ga, Art Seosamh Ó Gríobhtha; 31 March 1871 – 12 August 1922) was an Irish writer, newspaper editor and politician who founded the political party Sinn Féin. He led the Irish delegation at the negotiations that prod ...

Minister for Home Affairs An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...

and vice-president of Sinn Féin *

Craig Parkinson Craig Parkinson (born 11 March 1976) is an English actor and podcaster. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Shaun in the E4 series ''Misfits'', twins Jimmy and Johnny Kray in the ITV series ''Whitechapel'', and DI Matthew "Dot" Cottan in ...

- Captain David McLeod, British soldier. *

Conor MacNeill Conor MacNeill (born 4 July 1988) is a film, television, and stage actor from Northern Ireland. Biography MacNeill was born in West Belfast and has appeared in such films as ''Fifty Dead Men Walking'' and ''Peacefire'' directed by Macdara Valle ...

- Diarmuid McWilliams, republican journalist. * Aoibhínn McGinnity - Josephine Carmichael, cabaret singer and Harry Butler's mistress. * Matthew Hopkinson - Albert Finlay, a hot-headed

Black and Tan A black and tan is a beer cocktail made by layering a pale beer (usually pale ale) and a dark beer (usually stout). In Ireland, the drink is called a half and half because in Ireland the term "''black and tan''" is considered to be offensive. ...

Paul Ritter Simon Paul Adams (20 December 1966 – 5 April 2021), known professionally as Paul Ritter, was an English actor. He had roles in films including ''Son of Rambow'' (2007), '' Quantum of Solace'' (2008), ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' ...

- General

Ormonde Winter Brigadier General, Brigadier-General Sir Ormonde de l'Épée Winter, Order of the British Empire, KBE, Order of the Bath, CB, Order of St Michael and St George, CMG, Distinguished Service Order, DSO (15 January 1875 – 13 February 1962), was ...

, Chief of Intelligence in

* Tom Bennett - Mark Sturgis, Winter's opposite number in the British civil service. *

Hugh O'Conor Hugh O'Conor (born 19 April 1975) is an Irish actor, writer, director, and photographer. In 2020, he was listed as number 49 on ''The Irish Times'' list of Ireland's greatest film actors. Career His first film appearance was opposite Liam Neeso ...

- Dr. Lawrence Moore, doctor with republican sympathies. Husband to Agnes. * Imogen Doel - Lily Lawlor, typist in Dublin Castle * Barbara Bergin - Mrs. Lyons, landlady * Brian Doherty - Frank Brogan, IRA leader

Episode list

Reception

The first episode was criticised for departure from historical fact; Teevan had already resigned himself to such, he admitted in an interview with ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

''. ''

The Irish Catholic ''The Irish Catholic'' is a 40-page Irish weekly newspaper providing news and commentary about the Catholic Church. The newspaper is privately owned by editor-in-chief Garry O’Sullivan, managed by a private limited company and independent of ...

'' criticised what they called the "nasty nuns" subplot; in the historical event that the adoption storyline was based on, Josephine Marchment Brown, a widow working in Victoria Barracks in

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

, lost custody of her son to her in-laws who took the boy to

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. The IRA kidnapped the boy back for her in return for her passing information to them. Foreign adoptions from mother-and-baby homes, of the kind depicted in ''Resistance'', did not begin until the 1940s. Chris Wasser of the ''

Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis. The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines. Traditionally a broadsheet new ...

'' awarded the first episode three stars, saying "What we have here is a reasonably capable and competent drama that, though rough around the edges, suggests we may be in for a stronger and tighter run than last time. ��It isn’t nearly as vital or as thrilling as it needs to be, and Catherine Morshead’s flat direction doesn’t help. But there is something here." Website IrishCentral was more positive, saying "The first episode of ''Resistance'' is deliciously plotted with loyalty, betrayal, irony, but most of all, the bravery of ordinary Dubliners taking on the greatest intelligence service in the world and, as history tells us, eventually winning. ''Resistance'' is not to be missed."

References

External links

* {{RTÉ Dramas and Soap Operas 2019 Irish television series debuts 2019 Irish television series endings RTÉ original programming Irish television miniseries Television shows set in Dublin (city) Television shows set in Ireland Television series based on actual events Television series set in the 1920s Cultural depictions of Michael Collins (Irish leader) Works about the Irish War of Independence Television series by Banijay Films directed by Catherine Morshead