Irish cousin asks Gallaghers to score film

A cousin of Noel and Liam Gallagher today appealed for the Oasis stars to consider writing the music score for a €20m movie being filmed in Ireland next year.

Fintan Cullen Gallagher is finding actors, crew and music for Lang Syne Films’ latest production based on one of Ireland’s most popular ballads, The Green Fields of France.

Mr Cullen Gallagher said: “We have been finding it difficult to get in contact with Liam and Noel. But we would like to discuss the possibility of Noel writing the score and maybe making a cameo appearance as it would give it the height of international flavour if Noel gets involved.”

He added: “I only met the pair once and we chatted but they hardly know me. I thought it might be something they might be interested in as it includes the UK and Ireland and they are of Irish descent.

“We have made many attempts to get the boys on the phone to discuss the possibility of working together on this great film project, several contacts with the Gallaghers’ record company and the boys’ management has proved unsuccessful to date.”

The script, which was written by Ned Stuart of the US production company Lang Syne Films, centres around Willie McBride, the 19-year-old soldier whose death in the First World War was immortalised in Eric Bogle’s ballad, The Green Fields of France.

Stuart fictionalised the life of Private McBride for the screen adaptation, called The Last Parade, but has tried to keep it historically accurate.

In the script Private McBride is a boxer who joins the army in Enniskillen before he meets his death on the war fields in France.

Mr Cullen Gallagher said all of the film crew – from make-up artists to camera operators – were being sourced in Ireland.

Irish actor Chris Feeney, who is being considered for a main role in the production, was instrumental in bringing the film to Ireland.

Feeney met the film company owner at an airport several years ago and has worked with him over the production of the project since.