Siobhán McSweeney explained

Siobhán McSweeney
Birth Date:27 December 1979
Birth Place:Aherla, County Cork, Ireland
Occupation:Actress and Presenter
Alma Mater:Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Yearsactive:2006–present

Siobhán McSweeney (born 27 December 1979)[1] [2] is an Irish actress and presenter.[3] She is best known for her role as Sister Michael in the teen sitcom Derry Girls which earned her a BAFTA Award.[4]

Early life

McSweeney was born and raised in Aherla, County Cork, and attended secondary school at Scoil Mhuire, Cork.[5] Before acting, she earned a science degree at the University College Cork. In 2001, she moved to London when she secured a place at the Central School of Speech and Drama.[6]

Career

McSweeney's first role was in 2006 as Julia in the film The Wind That Shakes the Barley. In 2015, she played Una Gilbert in the film Mr. Holmes. The same year, she played Ruth Cheetham in No Offence. In 2016, she played Audrey in As You Like It at National Theatre Live.[7] Later that year, she played the role of Witzender in the film Alice Through the Looking Glass. In 2017, she played a social worker in the short film Big Dog.

From 2018 to 2022, McSweeney played the role of Sister Michael in the Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls written by Lisa McGee. McSweeney also played Petra in three episodes of Collateral. In 2019, McSweeney played the role of Boring Noreen in the film Extra Ordinary. She also played Alice in the television series Porters on Dave. In 2020, she appeared in the short films The Widow and Scrubber.

Outside acting, McSweeney has also made guest appearances on television shows including Sunday Brunch and Front Row Late. She also appeared on the Derry Girls edition of The Great British Bake Off which aired on 1 January 2020. Since January 2021, she has been the presenter on The Great Pottery Throw Down on Channel 4. She did not appear in the initial episodes of the 2022 series, after breaking her leg in two places. Ellie Taylor stood in for her.In 2023, she appeared in a celebrity episode of Catchphrase winning almost £30,000 for her charity, The Maya Centre in North London.

Personal life

On 8 November 2019, McSweeney's flat in London caught fire due to a cube double adaptor that had fallen out of the socket.[8] McSweeney was out at the time but revealed she had developed anxiety following the incident.[9]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2006The Wind That Shakes the BarleyJuliaUncredited
2007EmmerdaleNurse 2Episode #1.4703
2011National Theatre Live

The Kitchen

Anne
2013London IrishAoifeEpisode #1.5
2013–2014The FallMary McCurdy7 episodes
2015Mr. HolmesUna GilbertUncredited
No OffenceRuth Cheetham6 episodes
2016National Theatre Live: As You Like ItAudrey
Alice Through the Looking GlassWitzender
2017Big DogSocial WorkerShort film
2018CollateralPetra3 episodes
2018–2022Derry GirlsSister George MichaelMain role; 18 episodes
2019Extra OrdinaryBoring Noreen
PortersAlice3 episodes
2020The WidowEileenShort film
AnthonyLuighseach KellyTV film
ScrubberScrubberShort film
Nowhere SpecialPam
2021The Electrical Life of Louis WainDr Cooke
2021–presentThe Great Pottery Throw DownHerself/host
2022HoldingBríd Riordan4 episodes
Kepler 62FAdmiral Pix's sidekick
RedemptionJane Connolly6 episodes
Murdoch MysteriesAunt Oleander2 episodes
Death in ParadiseJennifer LanganEpisode: "Christmas Special 2022"
2023Finding BrigidHostDocumentary
2023–2024ExtraordinaryMary7 episodes
Nine Bodies in a Mexican MorgueLisaPost-production

Notes and References

  1. McSweeney . Siobhán . Siobhán McSweeney . siobhni . 1210490605589192704 . 27 December 2019 . This is the face of a Homeless Birthday Orphan But I'm off to Thailand today for a few weeks to recoup. It's been a tough ole year. And my health hasn't been too good as a result. So off to clean air, beaches, sleep and nice food. I'll come back taller and nicer hopefully. https://t.co/p1e4TP2i6a . en . 17 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191230075544/https://twitter.com/siobhni/status/1210490605589192704 . 30 December 2019 . live.
  2. News: Derry Girls star Siobhán McSweeney: 'I was moving from crisis to crisis'. 29 May 2021. 10 July 2021. Binns. Katie.
  3. 14 May 2023 . Derry Girls and Bad Sisters both double Bafta winners . en.
  4. News: 14 May 2023 . Bafta wins 'an amazing end to Derry Girls journey', says Lisa McGee . 22 April 2024 . en-GB.
  5. News: Ireland's top sister act . . en. 31 March 2021.
  6. News: Derry Girls star Siobhán McSweeney on moving to London as a student. Interview by Larissa. Nolan. thetimes.co.uk.
  7. Web site: NT Live: As You Like It | Kino Digital.
  8. Web site: Derry Girls star issues plug warning after fire destroys home. Ryan. Smith. 10 November 2019. BelfastLive.
  9. News: Derry Girls star Siobhan McSweeney: Fire has left me with anxiety. Belfasttelegraph. belfasttelegraph.co.uk.