Liam Neeson narrates the slave who became a saint—minus the shamrocks.
A fascinating story of the truth behind the legend and history of St Patrick. This special will feature the world reknown voices of two of Ireland's incredible top actors: with narration by Liam Neeson and also Gabriel Byrne supplying the voice of Patrick. The story of the real St. Patrick is a fabulous mix of part adventure tale and part spiritual awakening. His radical ideas were suspect and he attracted the censure of the Church establishment in Roman Britain. Patrick refused to compromise this commitment and soon won the respect and love of the Irish and even the finally the reluctant support of his detractors. He started out as a slave an eventually became a liberator, who learned to forgive and ultimately love his enemies.
Acting
Gabriel Byrne's gravelly Patrick carries every scene.
Writing
Script refuses easy saint-worship for messy humanity.
Director
Pamela Mason Wagner
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Gabriel Byrne and Liam Neeson grew up streets apart in Ballymena and Dublin but had never collaborated before this 2004 docudrama.
The film deliberately excludes snakes and shamrocks—the 'real' Patrick was more political prisoner than miracle worker, a revision that angered some Irish-American Catholic groups.
US
