Poverty is a terrible thing regardless of where you live or what decade I grew up in the 60s and 70s in Glasgow, my father also drank and gambled the wages got himself fired or paid off every job My mother never had anything until she divorced him and went out to work Luckily thanks to the kindness of neighbours and family we didn’t starve but when I watch Angela’s ashes I thank my lucky stars
When Scotland is the Richest Country in Europe and one of the Richest Countries in the World in fact GBUK was so Rare it had all it needed The English Wales obeying their Pure Evil Foreign French German Rulers Masters let themselves be Enslaved then enslaved the Scots then the Evil Real Rulers of The UK Old Family UK Lords UK Royals UK Military Chiefs and their Top Pure Evil UK Military and SS Clones and with a few Pure Evil Pals invaded every country on Earth and enslaved Humanity This has destroyed GBUK As the Scots stood up for thousands of Years longer than any other EU Country and nearly every country on Earth against all the Pure Evil invaders to GBUK untill they were nearly extinct 3 Times where was God or anything good or just in the Cosmos The Greeks Romans Arabs were to blame and the biggest Evil to Humanity
@@marilynbrown5274I felt the same. He let us know things that he ought to have kept to himself and his brother. I felt disgusted by some parts of the book. I felt like I needed a shower afterwards.
People can live in the same place and time and have very different experiences, and perception of similar experiences can be very different between people...
Agree. I've my imperfect, but always loving, stable nurturing, not rich, childhood gifted me with an optimistic outlook and trust in goodness, generosity of others. My dearest friend who had a chaotic childhood because of alcoholism and neglect is mistrustful, and often bitter. Sad but totally understandable.
A truly talented man is Frank McCourt. Writing HIS story & HIS own lived experience portraying sadness, pain, love & joy with tenderness & humour. He deserves praise & accolades.
Screw the hundreds of people who have come forward, like Richard Harris to explain that Frank has been a bast-rd and user his entire life, his Mother was trying to survive and they treated her horribly, it was truly disgusting. $1000 says you're not even Irish and have never been to Limerick but you have your feelings, if not facts to form opinions.
I attended a talk McCourt gave several years ago and he was warm and very funny and humble. I'm really struggling to believe all that Harris has to say and wonder what his motive might be. I love Richard Harris as a performer but I'm kinda scratching my head over here.
My uncles lived just around the corner from the McCourts and told me they didn't have it as bad as the movie was made out to be my uncles said everyone had it rough my own family was by no means rich but the mccorts had family had shoes my family didn't. Richard Harris is a limerick legend the true king of limerick we even have a Statue of Richard Harris in the middle of the town center. There a reason why all the old times hated Frank and that's why there's no Statues of frank Mccourt.
@@SlimKeith11I'm a proud limerick man and still only live 15 minutes from Frank's old house he never had anything good to say about limerick. I'd belive my own family who were there when all this was supposed to be happening and if you Mentioned mccorts name all the old timers never had anything good to say about him. There's a reason why there's a statue of Richard Harris and not mccort.
Can't imagine many decent people this day and age willing to ring a radio show and give unfiltered malicious, gossip about old drinking buddies like this.
@@hilariousname6826 exactly. Harris had a reputation as a horrific womanizer and vicious alcoholic and he couldn’t STAND anyone else being famous. His endless screeds about Richard Burton, for example, show how lost he was in projection and self-righteousness with zero humility or insight. It’s disgusting, frankly.
I don't think that Frank McCourt only moaned in his books at all, he was amusing and witty, and although it's a sad story in many places, he still made me laugh whilst reading it. I also think that the film was brilliant, and that Richard Harris takes a heck of a liberty in assuming that he knows more about someone's life than the person themselves.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I love hearing different perspectives on McCourt’s work and the film adaptation. It really shows how impactful his storytelling can be!
He knew them, he knew their mother Angela. He played rugby with people who shared the authors upbringing, and who did not recognise the community he described. The most telling thing was how this family was not helped, as was typical of the poor at that time. That tells you they were not popular, and given how vile the two brothers were to their mother, I am not surprised by that. Americans having a twisted view of their heritage is par for the course, but this author had a victim mentality, without understanding that there might have been a self inflicted reason that his family were 'victims'.
It was a true story and a true story for too many people in Ireland. Richard H may have had an ok upbringing but not everyone did. It wasn’t just in limerick it was countrywide .
I believe every word in that book Angela's Ashes, they were born into a situation where the father was an alcoholic, and wasn't able to look after them. The mother did the best she could. Because it doesn't sound nice, doesn't mean it isn't true, it is true.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s important to acknowledge the realities of such situations and appreciate the strength of those who endure them.
My dad was a good friend of Frank’s brother Malachy. They shared an apartment for a couple years in NYC. He also met Frank and their mother. Malachy was a great fellow. Malachy would have given his shirt off his back to my dad. They played rugby together in NYC before my dad moved up to Boston to start a business with a college friend. This sounds like a bitter man.
It’s hard for people alive today to understand the widespread poverty of the past. My father was born in the early twentieth century. He didn’t like to talk much about his childhood but he did tell me that he never had any shoes until he joined the army as a teenager. In the Summer he went barefoot and in the winter he wore rags on his feet. Can you imagine any child in the western world today, however poor they may be, not having shoes.
Ireland was in the stranglehold of the catholic church. They kept the people poor and suffering, but no longer! And don’t forget it was WOMEN who caused the most pain to little children….. NUNS!!!
I found this a fascinating interview, but I must take exception to one thing, having read the book four or five times. Frank never said that his father was a Protestant and unable to get work because of this. His father WAS Catholic but from the North. His father made him learn the catechism to become an altar boy. He also used to rouse the boys to song about freeing Northern Ireland . He wrote that Angela's family , being from Limerick didn't like the his father, saying that "he had those funny ways of the North" and "the look of a Presbyterian " . Also the fact that he was a drunkard, who could never be depended upon to support his family added to their distain for the man.
I’m not going to defend Frank McCourt. I will say that growing up in extreme poverty surrounded by illness, death, hunger, and abuse from an alcoholic father will damage a child’s psyche. Not all children are equally resilient. Frank and his brother probably had to learn to use people from a young age just to survive. And they are probably entitled to some resentment towards their mother for not doing more to protect them in childhood. I’m not saying that I would want to be friends with either man. I’m not saying they are good people. Im simply saying that a childhood, even half as bad as Frank describes in his book, is the perfect cauldron to create very damaged adults. I can’t fault them for being damaged by a miserable childhood. Again, not all people are equally as resilient or impervious to hardship.
Richard Harris was a posh middle class Welsh/English thespian, who tried to sound like 'one of the lads' and who thought the likes of working class folk like the McCourts should know their position in life and remain on the poverty line...If you had to ask any actor American or British to speak in a Limerick accent they wouldn't be able to do it...But if you asked them to speak in a typical Irish accent, they would sound like RH....The man is a total phoney, and it kills him to see a working class person from the slums have some success in life..Probably why Frank McCourt gave him a dig in that NY bar...but as you say he was a fine actor, and maybe he should just stick to acting and lying around intoxicated in his Bahamas mansion!...take away his acting and he's an a-hole like the rest of us!
Much as I love Richard Harris,, I'd take anything he says with a pinch of salt 😂 My grandad was born in Limerick in 1907,, very very poor, hard times indeed,,
One of the best book I have ever read. Crying, laughing, all the little things who makes each life on earth so personal. Best regards from Reykjavik Iceland
@@SlimKeith11 who are you referring to specifically when you say that? It's a genuine question as well, sometimes online it looks like being snarky but I'm actually asking
In the early sixties living in northern Quebec in a small village, my dad worked as a janitor to support 8 kids. We didn't go hungry or anything and managed to all grow up self sufficient adults but a neighbor two houses over lived in a shack that had no floors, just on th ground. As a kid, I could tell they were very poor, but still didn't know how poor until I started working. To this day, I have no idea how they survived through the minus 20-30 below winter in northern Quebec.
I really appreciate you sharing your experiences! It’s stories like yours that remind us of the strength of the human spirit and the importance of community.
Harris has a personal problem with Frank McCourt for what ever reason. Seems like a bit of jealousy there regarding the book and McCourt's success. Most of all though, [ IMO, ] he talks absolute shite when he say's people living in the same area, experience the same childhood and growing up situations. When I and my brother and sister were small kids, our father was pissed out of his head most days, could not hold down a job, and buggered off, never to return, after flogging all the meagre home furnishings, while we were at school and our mother at work, trying to support us, when my brother and I [ twins ] were 7 years of age, and our sister 6 years old, meanwhile my best friend who lived in the flat next door had a hard working, teetotal dad, who adored his kids and worked his arse off to do the best for them. Everybody can have totally different memories, particularly concerning their childhood.
Read There is an Isle by Criostóir Ó Floinn. He grew up in Limerick and was in the same school as one of McCourt's brothers and has rejected McCourt's version of events.
Oh wow, your personal anecdote and boilerplate psychoanalysis does away with a whole slew of arguments. Not saying your account is wrong, but you don't seem to think at scale.
Sad to have this actor judge a man whose pain he cannot feel and whose story he must deny. McCourt’s life is from a whole ‘nother world, one I know far too well. But the gracious comments rewarded me for letting Harris have his say. When I hear folk being gentle, kind, wise and fair, my can be as loving to Harris as I wish he had been to his old acquaintance. Thank you for your own gentle answers. ONWARD.
😅my father was an alcoholic, he stole from my mother his whole life, he drank everything and so, we went to work at a very young age caddying and delivering milk, we had bed fleas, we had an overcoat over our bed, to keeep us warm in the winter. When we went to school we were batterered by christian men and women who were brutal and fierce. We never had anything like ice cream or cola or anything like that except at Xmas. Life was extremely rough, the church added to our hardship. I was in Greece when my father died, I went to the nearest bar and raised a glass to his death.
I really appreciate you sharing your journey. It’s inspiring to see how you’ve faced such challenges and come out stronger on the other side. Thank you for being so open!
A very intersting listen. However, how much did Mr Harris really know of what went on in the McCourt family behind closed doors? I have aunts, uncles and cousins who, if we told them, would not believe how cruelly my siblings and I were treated and spoken to by our parents.
At the moment I closed the book I broke down in tears. Mr. Harris was a great actor, I’m not sure why he had such ill feelings towards Frank McCourt. If it’s just because he felt a loyalty to his childhood home he obviously did not experience what the McCourt brothers had experienced. It’s an old man’s grievance and ego.
I think he explains it pretty well in this interview. Harris is superbly loyal to his hometown of Limerick, as almost everyone from Limerick is expected to be. Additionally, many people from Ireland, and Limerick in particular, took great issue with the depiction of life in Ireland: from the book, and later from the film. That McCourt's tales reinforced the stereotype of Ireland being a third world backwater.
What surprises me about this interview is how personal it is. Harris has every right to not like the book or the film and no doubt his experience on the Ennis road was a world apart from the lane. Up to the 60’s Ireland had pockets of extreme poverty and not everyone fitted into the community sometimes not through their own fault. Having an alcoholic father would have been enough for the church not to help. Both recollection are probably flawed as most are but no one can say one is untrue.
An Irish friend lent me the book when it came out, she said a lot of old people in Ireland were embarrassed by it and tried to claim it wasn’t that bad
It's interesting how literature can evoke such strong reactions, especially when it touches on personal and cultural experiences. Thanks for sharing your friend's perspective!
Great to here Richard Harris's voice, it feels like the interview was done today or yesterday.. very articulate speaker. They are all gone now RIP, they all had their flaws and good sides too, as we all do.
I grew up in Limerick and lived off the Ennis Road near Landsdowne Park. I went to good schools .Salesians and Laurel Hill. It all went well until my Mother became seriously ill .My Father had to sell the family home to pay her medical fees. There were no handouts especially from the Church. My Father was a strobg perso and never gave up. I was glad to leave the small town snobbery and the Priest ridden society which kept people in grinding ignorance .I was fortunate in the family I had.
Years ago my relatives of Irish origin helped each other when times were tough. They adopted each other’s babies when the mother was sick etc. I have 3 relatives who were adopted by family. This is my impression of the Irish. 🇨🇦
Thank you for sharing your beautiful family history! It's inspiring to see how love and support can transcend difficult times and create lasting connections.
@@jenniferdnoseworthy2348I was thinking the same thing! My Grandparents were from Colliers Conception Bay and my Mom Mom and her brothers and sisters would care for each other’s children for extended periods of time during times of illness and also during long holidays. My Poppy and his brother were orphaned at a young age and was raised by family. There still is a great love of family that exists to this day ☘️ ❤️ God bless you!!
McCourt sadly maligned his own mother, family and upbringing for sales. When family countered the account in court McCourt claimed it was a memoire - not a true story- for an American audience. Not sure what on earth you smell?
This is fascinating. The interviewer has such an unassuming manner in his questioning that he draws out the most revealing answers from Richard Harris. Fantastic work indeed.
My nieces ex partner of 20+ years ago,the father of her fine son,came to england aged 9 with his family from Ireland. He and his brother had to go to school alteernate weeks as they only had one pair of shoes between them.
My own mother lived around the corner from Frank McCourt and she remembers the family well ..no she was not in the Poor lanes but she was literally around the corner. The one comment that Harris said that my mother said the exact same thing about was that it was the father’s fault ..he was a drunkard and that was the beginning and end of the whole thing and she said that he made his Father out to be a poet and his mother out to be a prostitute and the reality was that his father was a drunkard
@@basketballfan5763 I think he made it pretty clear his father was an out and out drunkard but that he probably got his intelligence from him. Just because you're an alcoholic doesn't mean your stupid.
Children remember what they want to remember My dad drank and gambled leaving my mother with nothing My youngest brother can’t see past our dad I put it down to not being old enough to understand what was happening He only saw the best bits of our dad he didn’t understand what he did to us as a family and that he ultimately didn’t care whether we ate or had a roof over our heads I think it’s the same with the McCourt brothers they didn’t understand that their mother did her best for them and their father just didn’t care
I've read Angela's Ashes and was almost surprised by the lack of anger and bitterness in how the story was told. My mam's father was very similar to Frank's father and on the rare occasions that she spoke about him she was very angry and bitter. She hated him until the day he died. So, I know what that kind of pain sounds like. Frank writing about his father's story telling and kindness was very poignant. Frank wanted to love him despite everything.
My mother stopped watching the movie and started crying saying it was too much like her childhood.The common theme being Alcohol and her Catholic father,it's a world wide curse of the Irish.Im in New Zealand and we are not immune from it.
@seanmcnamara1267 yes, he was he used to, at his own expense, go around in america telling americans to stop funding the IRA, that is the sort of man irish people should call a patriot, not terrorist murderers
It's interesting to see different perspectives on historical figures and their actions. Every country's history is complex, and it's essential to understand all sides of the story.
I read Angela's Ashes and then promptly forgot it. I saw the movie on cable back in the day, and all I remembered was Robert Carlyle and his character washing his suit with carbolic soap and all the water all over all of the time. After hearing Richard Harris discuss the author's attitude toward his mother and what they did to her after she died I feel my brain did the right thing. I love Richard Harris, and I miss his presence here on the mortal coil.
I grew up in a respectable neighbourhood in a small city. In our high school, we had kids from the poorest to the richest families, and to a degree, we all socialized, and there were close friendships that crossed class lines. However, I would never presume to gainsay an old schoolmate from a poor neighbourhood regarding their experience of poverty, unless, possibly, as a kid, I had spent an awful lot of time in their home.
Sorry, I can't take anything seriously that Ricard Harris says about McCourt. His hate and jealousy for him are palpable. Geez Louise, take a break, Richard. You're super mad. I understand the importance of loyalty to one's place of birth or country. It's natural. But for crying out loud, McCourt was writing about what he lived, HIS reality. It's true that writers (and, incidentally, I'm one of them) cannot be depended upon to be objective. And are they unique in this? Of course, not! We all tell our stories through our respective lenses and, Richard, as an artist ought to know this. I may add that I read McCourt's book, albeit didn't see the movie, and, yes, the poverty and destitution were wrenching. I suspect Harris is ashamed of this fact. So, I totally understand.
You make some excellent points about the subjective nature of writing and how personal experiences shape our narratives. It's essential to acknowledge different perspectives in art and literature.
Explain how Harris could be jealous of the author. He explained quite well why he did not like the man (and his brother) for the way they treated their mother in life, and in death, and for how they used Harris. There was a reason the family were not helped, when the poor helped each other out all the time. Their attitude to their own mother probably explains it well.
There’s an element of jealousy in what Harris says , when he says Malachy was trying to “ get above his station” by playing rugby for Bohemians it sort of tells you that Harris is the snob that thinks the McCourts were getting more famous than he was and needed taking down a peg or two, it’s classic Irish begrudgery, the old “ who the hell do they think they are “ attitude at anyone getting ahead in life . Harris’s lack of charity in his words kind of vindicates the McCourt’s take on Limerick people ironically. I’ve never read the book but I do come from one of the most socially and economically deprived areas in Ireland and I can tell you first hand there was snobbery even in working class areas, if you got a breakfast in the morning before school other than tea and toast you were considered privileged , if you’re Dad didn’t drink it was like your family won the lottery . Even the Catholic Church courted the upper class , usually pub and shop owners , the fur coat brigade that took up every front seat at Sunday mass, the pub owners were the bane of the community but given respect by the church because of donations. The teachers appropriated a class distinction without merit as most of their ranks were filled with reprobates and sadistic pedos. Anyone with any gumption left Ireland at that time because of the narrow parochial attitudes that stifled individualism, creativity and freedom of expression, the repressive school system usually run by the overly rigid Christian Brothers created a country full of abused children who grew up to rebel against authority figures , the convents, well, the evil that went on behind those walls is the shame of Ireland, thank God the light has now been shone in the darkest corners and there’s no hiding places for the deviants and abusers.
Well written indeed. A window into a society and a people oppressively controlled and divided by an evil cult (religion). As a 4th generation Australian of Scottish Irish ancestry, I'm so fortunate that my forefathers sailed here to escape the ancient, tribal, religious and parochial poverty characteristic of the troubled 'old country' and established a freer, more open and egalitarian society - albeit a colony first of England and now the US 🦘
Richard Harris was a legendary actor. Among other roles, he was the original Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies. He had no reason whatsoever to feel any jealousy for the McCourts. I have read Frank McCourt's book and it is full of hatred for Angela and cruel remarks about her. Harris is not wrong.
Come on not all catholic priests abuse children. It’s a tiny minority, of course it is. Reprehensible as that is. It’s also shameful they covered it up and by doing so caused more suffering as they moved these people around. But the church is still a force for good in my opinion. Flawed as all religions are with human beings running them
Considering the role of the Church in the iniquities of the past, I find it odd you should mention God in respect of the revealing of such appalling behaviour.
Lovely to hear Richard Harris...my maternal Grandfather's city (mum grew up in Dublin). He too grew up in poverty in Limerick, but you'd never hear a bad word about Limerick from him...was fiercely proud of it. 😀
I remember reading Angela’s Ashes and I felt a wee bit traumatised and as a person that loves history,especially to areas I can relate to,I’m from Aberdeen here in Scotland,I’ve been fortunate enough too see the history of my city especially between 1880s on through the years to the early 90s even. The poverty is shocking to observe. And even when one walks the graveyards the child mortality rates were so very high,Things thankfully got better for the bairns though it feels like that’s being sabotaged . My last words are of gratitude for Richard Harris the actor,writer raconteur The man
I'm a huge Richard Harris fan and I enjoyed Mccourt's book (and the film). I can see both sides here. It's important to remember that Harris had a very privileged childhood compared to Mccourt; none of us will ever know what it was like living in Frank's house as a child, all we can do is speculate. I'm a writer (also an Irishman) and i'm sure Mccourt manipulated/altered certain facts/representations of people because that's what writers do (just because a book is advertised as autobiographical/ a memoir, it doesn't mean that it's all true). I admire both men for using their talents of writing and acting to attain success. A grand pair of lads, regardless of their issues with each other.
The father who put his beer on his child’s coffin, McCourt was correct when he wrote he was lucky to survive at all. Other comments support McCourt’s own experience.
harris is dishonest in my opinion did he ever return to his beloved paradsise in limerick ,isuspect not, ofc i know little about him but i know limerick
its a bit rich of harris ,demanding loyalt to limerick a terible dump for most of its existance ofc harris was anglo irish his ancestors kept limerick poverty stricken for centuries
Harris sticks up for his hometown. He was right about Alan Parker's career being pretty much finished by this point. "The movie is two and half hours of rain."
Love that film. Hiked through the village before it was filmed, then a few years later after it was filmed. Everything was The Field restaurant, The Field butchers,The Field pub etc,lol. Lovely village...
It is unfair for Frank McCourt to be judged on loyalty to his city of birth in this memoir when his true life circumstances were so deeply rooted into poverty and his relationship with the cruel and often torturous community of the Catholic church. Because of the harshness of the Catholic church and its clergy toward poor Catholic families in Ireland at that time, Frank became highly resentful of its strict rituals and rigid rules and, in particular, its hypocrisy. It was the hypocrisy of the Church that ate away at him, causing him to harbor deep resentment and anger, that he projected on to his mother, among others. I felt that Frank as a child was deeply crushed and wounded by the lack of sympathy, compassion and interest from those who served God (clerics and nuns) and by virtue of their work, were supposed to demonstrate care and empathy. Interestingly, the Protestants may not have experienced the same level of betrayal such as financial insecurity, behavioral dysfunction due to alcoholism and addictions while following the strict rules and obligations of the Church, leading many poor Catholic families to lives of dysregulation, deep-seated anxiety and depression. The non-stop rain and darkness depicted in the movie are indicative (symbolic?) of the profound inner turmoil and psychic pain experienced by the McCourt family. Frank and Malachy disregarded their mother up until her death because she had been too deep into her own suffering to show any love and compassion for her children. As children of dysfunctional parents, they were unable to show empathy. Despite all, they have the right to their own feelings. Though I greatly admire Richard Harris for his fine work as a film and stage actor, I find it superficial of him to express that the reader of "Angela's Ashes" will view his city of Limerick as a dull and broken one! This is not the case at all, and you must give the reader more credit. Though the film version of the story could have been more artistically portrayed, I, upon reading this blistering memoir for the first time, will never forget the impact of reading its brilliantly-crafted first paragraph of the first chapter! An awe-inspiring masterpiece!
Beautifully stated comment! I completely agree. Frank McCourt penned a book about HIS life and recollections growing up in Limerick. The Catholic Church is such a paradox. Pretending to help the poor/disadvantaged while closing the door on the McCourts who were desperate for food and sustenance.
My mother grew up in the city,she lived in a tenement in Arthur's Quay. She was outraged by Angela's Ashes which my brother and I found very difficult to fathom because she never read the book! I had read it,and explained that most of Europe was living in poverty at the time. This fact did not placate her. Many of the people of her generation that I spoke to in Limerick were upset at the portrayal. I took from it that there was a deep sense of shame and they didn't want the world to make any judgement on Limerick itself or to a lesser extent the Catholic Church or the nuns. Richard rightly points out the Protestant business owners and employment. My mother told me Limerick City people used the expression,at the time 'old decency' because they were more charitable to the poor. Whilst I was in Limerick Malachy was involving himself in the Bell Table and this caused minor controversy I seem to recall. I haven't seen the film adaptation maybe one day I will.
You are fair and gentle and thoughtful. You feed my soul good food and validate the love in my heart. Love suffers long and IS KIND. Such love is still alive. ONWARD!
I didn't like Angela's Ashes. Very depressing book. Everyone was poor them times but they made the best of it. Shocking the way they treated their mother disgusting,horrible.
As a limerick man allso know as a shannon sider I love Richard Harris ,but Richard came from a rich family and by right he doesn't know anything about poverty
It's interesting to consider how a person's background influences their art. Richard Harris certainly had a unique perspective that resonated with many, regardless of his upbringing.
My family are from Lettermore; a rural area in the west of Ireland . My parent’s moved to the north of England in the 1930’s, due to the lack of work and chronic poverty. I thought Frank McCourt’s book, Angela’s Ashes was brilliant‼️. It was the first honest book about what life was like really like for many Irish people during that period, No leprechauns or fairies, just realism that I had never read from other authors. It is comforting to read warm tales about Ireland. Unfortunately, many people would sooner deny the realities of a people who survived incredible hardships and went on to create amazing lives. I am more than proud to be Irish ☘️ smAngela’s
The movie came out around the time of a very unfair narrative of Limerick around the late 90s 00s. Im glad Harris came out in defence of his home town regardless of what part he came from. He wouldnt have it thrown under the bus.
My first thought when I read, “Angela’s Ashes” was that Irish people really help each other. That reality of Irish life back in the day was not reflected at all in that book- Richard Harris us actually saying this too as I am typing!!!
There is a lot of people in Ireland didn't believe him ,I went to see the film Angela's ashes and I felt I needed an umbrella watching it with the emphasis on it raining all the time .
There are a lot of people who wouldn’t believe what went on in the Magdalene laundries, or the abuses of some priests. Truth tellers are often vilified.
If Frank McCourt is, as described by Harris, "bitter" -- over an impoverished upbringing in Limerick -- so WHAT? Who would not be bitter over such a harrowing childhood?!
Thanks to Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes I learn to love Ireland's history and I made feel that Limerick is an amazing place that deserves to be visited. On the other hand Richard Harris' cruelty and bitterness reminded of the killers of the 800 babies and children found at Tuam care home in Ireland.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s amazing how a book can open our eyes to both the beauty and the struggles of a place. Your perspective on Limerick is truly appreciated!
I read the book , but my Irish grandmother who was born in 1902 was still alive said she was disgusted at how someone could write such things about their own mother. But I can see both Points of view (Richards &Franks)
I grew up in an Irish village. My youth was spent cycling around to deliver meals to people who had food insecurity. It’s just what people did for each other!
Coming from Irish heritage I’ve heard many a sad tale and song from my mother but Angela’s Ashes left me cold. But after reading McCourts first memoir I have to agree with Mr Harris as this memoir portrays an angry man with few redeeming qualities. Admittedly I barely made it 3/4 through as I’ve never found it necessary for an author to graphically describe his compulsive m--- habits. Through his own memoir he comes off as thoroughly unpleasant.
RH obviously had personal beefs w/ the McCourts and explained them rather well. The less defensible thing, though, is that he seems to think some bond of loyalty is owed to a city that treated the McCourt family, and doubtless others on the brink as they were, rather shabbily. The dispute seems to resolve to a loyal tribalist (RH) who presumably looks back at his time there fondly, and a pair of dissidents who didn't. It wasn't McCourt's job or obligation to make Limerick look good. It was to tell his truth, which people can accept or reject. If McCourt was a warped bitter man, as RH contends, that doesn't necessarily derate his own account of his own life, which RH and no one else was there to witness. He presumes to be an insider, but actually he was inevitably an outsider.
I enjoy Harris' work on the screen, and he's a very fine actor, but having read McCourt's first two books and having met the man at an education conference in San Francisco , I would have to say that most of what Harris has to say here is complete shyte. Harris doesn't even stick to the facts. At around 33:00 of the video, he bangs on at length about how Frank's father would have been at the "top of the queue" for any job on account of being a Northern protestant. Malachy McCourt (senior) was a Catholic and a former IRA member. He mentions Alan Parker's movie, Evita, as being a commercial flop. It was in fact, a huge success, earning over 140 million USD. And as for his opinions, characterizing Frank and his brother as bitter, this is a right laugh considering Harris' own bitterness that shines through the whole interview. I'm not sure what got up Richard's nose regarding the McCourts, but his bitter, hateful diatribe strikes me as complete rubbish from a man with a rock-sized chip on his shoulder.
I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts! It’s clear you have a deep understanding of the McCourts' story, and I love that you’re bringing that knowledge into the discussion.
I knew Malachy. He was the bartender at Perry’s on Union St in San Francisco in the mid to late 1980’s. He would ring a bell & announce THE O’HARA SISTERS are in the house!! Everyone cheered. Wonderful guy ☘️☘️
My father born and lived all his days in Leitrim said that in the 1930s Limerick was the poorest part of Ireland in those days and many in Limerick died of TB. Regarding the McCourt brothers I think they were unconsciously depressed. Living under a violent alcoholic can have disastrous consequences on children. Btw everyone in these comments are talking as if no such people exist in Ireland. Sadly they do just like everwhere else. If what Harris says about the McCourt brothers is true it is very sad that they didn't come to a place of forgiveness and peace of mind. Harris does show here that he may have experienced some sort of betrayal from the McCourts or maybe he is rather depressed himself. He was a womaniser and never settled into a long lasting love relationship. My hunch is he and the McCourts are probably more alike than either party could ever admit.
I appreciate your thoughtful comment! It’s important to acknowledge the struggles that many faced during those times, and your perspective adds depth to the conversation about the McCourts.
Harris wouldn't be living in the poverty stricken regions McCourt grew up in. Harris came from the a wealthy family, lived in a large home with everything he needed and wanted. He played rugby which at the time was a British sport for Brits. The first chance he got he left the country to live in Britain. If you want to know how tough it was in Limerick back in the day, go there now.
@@JohnK-ct3qy McCourt told of his living conditions, Harris who didn't experience those living conditions at all wrongly contradicted him. McCourt told the truth whilst Harris gave the impression he live amongst the impoverished of Limerick, he didn't. He was far far removed from the working class (lower class) families of Limerick.
Outrageous that Harris blames the McCourt family for the Limerick community neglecting them. The McCourt dad was a drunk! Why should his wife and children be BLAMED for THAT?!
I watched the film Angela's Ashes... wow i was surprised to hear about Frank. McCourt.... I guess will what they went through.. it can make you hard or more compassionate..I know Frank McCourt came to Canada for a book signing but i was disappointed I couldnt meet him..
They are all dead now, the McCourts and Harris and they all had something to say for themselves. I met Frank and Malachy in New York City and both , especially Frank, were very congenial. I love listening to Richard Harris and only see him one time in O'Flaherty 's on 46th St . My mother and father lived in Limerick when I was a young child and always spoke highly of the people there.
Thank you for sharing your memories! It’s so special to hear how the McCourts and Richard Harris touched your life. Limerick has such a rich history, and it’s clear that it left a lasting impression on you.
What a horrible and unfair one sided interview with a man who grew up with chauffeurs and gardeners and who wasn’t touched with genuine hardship! He admitted he knew nothing about living in complete poverty but simply knew others who had their own opinions. My honest take from this interview with two men who are in violent agreement is that you must be loyal to the city no matter what! You can’t tell your story if it is in any way negative to the city! The truth if it shines a poor light on the city is not allowed and you especially cannot talk bad about the city if you are overseas! It’s seen as being ‘disloyal’. I think that is an innately Irish thing! This is mainly Richard Harris’s opinion of a man he doesn’t like rather than a balanced view with the truth. The interviewer showed complete bias devoid of any real balance! One more thing about loyalty, if Harris was truly loyal to the city of Limerick and it’s people why was he living comfortably in the Bahamas rather than back on the Ennis road? Would it have something to do with the weather perhaps???
Unfortunately the Irish won't accept the truth about the abuse of women and children which did happen. I'm not saying that Frank didn't embalsh the book and the story. But unfortunately much could be based on lived experience.
I read Angela's Ashes when it came out and it very much echoed my own father's upbringing in that same era. I also have friends from Limerick who outright knew several people in that book and said "I won't speak ill of those who have passed, but I will say I can very much agree with much that is said!" Richard Harris sounds pitifully bitter about the McCourts. Not sure what all his whinging is about! It sounds like he is bitter about not being part of their circle. He comes off as the pampered rich boy he is and wallowing that another Limerick man stole his attention.
My Irish born mother, who moved to the US at 18, hated the book. But she lived her entire life denying abusive treatment of her own children. Her baseline of acceptable human behavior was poisoned and unhealthy. The Irish need to stop gaslighting people who point out abuse. The "user" trait is VERY IRISH. My extended family is littered with narcissists.
I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts. It takes courage to confront these issues, and your perspective adds valuable depth to the conversation.
Your writing drew my attention, as it's pure and an honest perspective drawn from understanding or thinking about the Irish in a deep way. I was born in the east end of London to Irish parents in 1962, moved to Ireland in '73, the height of the troubles, and with a cockney accent it wasn't easy but Ireland to me is a very special place that must be protected , every county , this is a very special place.
@@emeraldchronicle thank you, it's been an interesting journey and without Ireland and the Irish it would have been less interesting! I believe the Irish, (and I live here, family man etc) to be the biggest rouges under the sun and will talk about you and slag you off, but when you're down the Irish will pick you up and dust you off and get you going again, no questions asked! Never mind our poets, musicians our authors our culture our heritage, for such a small country on the one dimensional map of the world it sure packs a punch!. Let's keep it safe.
Astute insight and I thoroughly agree. We Irish are such a complicated bunch, with so many contradictions and double standards. Our collective psyche is a contorted collection of inherited beliefs, like Chinese whispers passed down with embellishments in every generation. Most of us grow up without any clue of who we really are as individuals, no matter how much we think we do. Even if we get some inkling at some stage that there might be more to us than we thought, our path to 'finding ourselves' is thwarted by interference and unsolicited 'advice' from the people who have been wrapped up in the fantasy. God help us if we find ourselves in therapy, as that's when all the dirt comes out that's been swept under the carpet. The beliefs we held that formed our identity, worldview and the shared narratives about who did what, are all questioned and turned upside down. Nothing is as it seemed. We are a stranger to ourselves, and are left with the task of unraveling everything to separate truth from illusion. The double standards, and inconsistencies with some of the nonsensical beliefs, societal customs, expectations, and moral gray areas is mind boggling. Some things are absolutely prohibited and totally unacceptable, resulting in societal ostracization. Yet other transgressions, that are far more insidious and evil, pass unnoticed and unchecked. This is ok, but that isn't. It's madness. I've left 20 years ago, but it's taken a very long time to work through the societal conditioning and underlying beliefs. There's a lot more than people think, beneath the smiles and the fun loving attitude of the Irish. We carry a dark dark inheritance deep in our bones.
To Emerald Chronicle: I wish you had not used those awful AI images. We all know what dire poverty looks like, we don’t need to see it over and over. It becomes poverty porn. Especially the false images of an old woman in dire conditions presented as if these were images of Angela in her old age. The interview itself was very interesting though, and thank you for sharing it.
Thank you for your feedback! I appreciate your perspective on the use of AI images and will take it into consideration for future content. I’m glad you found the interview interesting!
He's telling the truth here. It's amazing how many people are desperate to defend a jerk like Frank McCourt just because they found his book entertaining.
@@ExiledStardustmy family only lived around the corner they had it worse then th mccorts but they never complained or had hate in there Hearts for limerick. There a reason why a Statue of harris and not the mccort in the middle of limerick city. My son plays for youth munster now up the cookies.
Lived in Limerick. There waa one thing they couldnt stand, anyone acting above their station. They didnt mind how posh you were as long as you didn't pretend to be posher. Maybe it works the other way too. Dont act below your station.
I've always liked Richard Harris's acting, especially pre Harry Potter; but was quite taken aback at hearing the loathsome things he has to say about Frank McCourt and his family. It really was beneath him to come out so obviously full of sour grapes and vitriol. He did himself no favours at all, and it's such a shame that this is how I will now remember him. I think though, he does give a suggestion as to why he felt the need to vent spleen so vehemently about Frank at the very beginning of the interview, when he said that Frank once punched him on the nose. I think that that's all this is about....that and "artistic rivalry/jealousy". He said he had to come out and "defend Limerick" from all the terrible things Frank said in Angela's Ashes about the place he grew up. I have read that book a few times, and I don't get any sense of him really badly rubbishing the place....he said it was wet and miserable with an alcoholic father, lived in poverty, and with plenty of cruel, mean nasty nuns, priests and school teachers. ...those are the factors that made Frank's time in Limerick so horrible and made him want to escape. Why is that such a problem for Richard and his cronies? Why did he feel Frank should not have said it, and call him a liar etc? It is a book!...and whether Frank omitted certain things or took artistic license or not...is his choice...it's his book, his life, his experience. None of Richard's business. I also think Richard saw an opportunity to try to boost his own standing in Limerick by putting Frank down. Also, Angela died in New York, so it would have been quite a difficult task at that time to take her body back to Limerick for a burial. Richard wasn't actually physically there to know what was said and done. He's gossiping like one of the old ladies wrapped in shawls. Such a shame.
All I can add to this topic, is the fact that I asked my own mother about what she thought of the book and the film.... she was a native of another small, coastal city - Waterford - brought up in the same period 1930's Ireland. Her comment was that she could find no Humour in the people portayed ... Where is their Character and Spirit, she asked. The Negativity of the McCourt household and their friends and associates in EVERY aspect of their lives was simply Unbelievable. My father, likewise, found it completely alien to the period in question - albiet set in Damned Hard Times. Neither of them could see any merit in the McCourt's presentations of their Limerick home, and thought it was a toxic presentation loaded with Bitterness..... Both Book and Film. Unsurprisingly, I had already drawn the same conclusions myself before questioning them.
The movie actually netted a reasonable profit, it wasn't a flop. I think a city can be a genuine sh!thole and some of it's people can have that old, crazy mindless fidelity to it, as evidence by Harris. At the same time, Angela was clearly a terrible mother (probably raised by terrible parents), so had terrible sons. All things can be simultaneously true.
Quite an astute comment. Harris didn't care about the woman, or her family, he cared about his own sense of nostalgia. Probably got offended first time someone linked him to the book. "weren't you from there, originally?" You notice he lived most of his life in London and California, not Limerick.
@@uncletiggermclaren7592 And I noticed that Harris conveniently didn't mention exactly why Frank McCourt hit him in the nose and ran. We all know Harris was no prize as a decent human being, how he treated people, so all the swelled-chest pride of Limerick and sense of familial duty are so ridiculous. Wonderful actor, probably a terrible human being.
One question I have is a lot of it about the father being an alcoholic and all the hardship within the family was fuelled by what they call “Dysfunction family”
My husband grew up on the ennis road in Limerick went to same school as Richard Harris always had good to say about Richard very proud of Richard in Limerick xxx
I'm not sure if I can believe that middle class Richard Harris can give the same account of Limerick as working/underclass Frank McCourt. I know folk who said, Ireland was never like that, and others who said, 'goodness this is so true to life then'. The difference between those people.... class. The Catholic Church also showed deference to the upper classes, treating the working class appallingly.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s always interesting to hear different viewpoints on such a rich and layered narrative. Your insights really add depth to the conversation!
I grew up in limerick on one of the council estates it was a very deprived existence and I lived all of my life with the shame of coming from a council estate there was and probably it still is very decided between the rich and not well off I did not have a good experience of life there and I have no pride of my so called home county I could writ books on the discrimination I felt there and still feel to this day I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to lt.leave when I was a teenager and create a life for myself unfortunately I had to come back to Ireland to retire but I never want to go back to limerick I have 5 sisters and 3 brothers whom I never see or hear from the family relationships are very strange in Ireland it’s my experience it would say disunited I loved Angela’s ashes it was sad but it’s was real especially if you come from a or family especially in those times those were the the times I lived there and I know about the poverty of that time in limerick to this day I have never recovered from the shame of coming from limerick even though I’m now very well educated and have had a very good life experiences no thanks to the nuns that suppose to have taught me at school best of luck to those who love the city but I don’t have those admirations for it thanks for the video I think the mc courts were great men to survive such a childhood and succeed in their lives in America
My birrh Great-Grandfather from Limerick was a Protestant ane a Marine Engineer orgunally from.Plymouth, England and he did live on the Ennis Road in Limerick.
That was definitely a memorable moment! Gerry Hannon had some tough questions, and it was great to see that level of confrontation on such a big platform.
Richard Harris was a tremendous actor but his opinion is that of a disconnected middle class man who never experienced the Limerick thst McCourt did,Harris was the child of a flour merchant ,A description of Richards childhood home really shows the type of Limerick he experienced,"Overdale was "a tall, elegant, early 19th-century redbrick" house with nine bedrooms, in a wealthy part of Limerick, the houses "built at the turn of the 20th century for Limerick's burgeoning middle class... people who could afford properly grand drawing rooms, a bedroom each for the children and one for the pot, plus space for a few servants"
Ireland was a third world country up to the mid fifties But of some people esp Irish like bury their heads in the sand I have lived in other countries and similar situations evolved esp if one of the parents had a drink problem
I knew Frank in New York in the 1980s, he was a lovely man, never "ugly." Angela the mother smoked cigaretts with the moeny that might have ben used to feed her children in Limerick, as Frank shows in the book. Hence the book's title.
It's wonderful to hear you share your memories of Frank! The connection between his life experiences and the title really highlights the complexity of his story.
So happy to have come across this..............I am a NY born and bred IIrish Catholic who lived in the NY Catholic Fouldling Hospital for the first three years of my life and I have ALWAYS been able to tell who is full of shite ...... and my instincts, according to Richard Harris, whom I loved, were ALWAYS right in step with Harris when it came to BOTH McCourt's. They REALLY give the Irish a bad name.
Back when it came out I had no desire to read it. What little I knew of Frank McCourt just turned me off. Didn’t need to read more sad tales of Ireland.
@@darrincassidy9045 Ffs, you Irish who feel the need to point out to every Irish-American that they are not Irish are as tiresome as those Irish-Americans who boast about being 'Irish".
If you were brought up with severe poverty would you be all wine and Roses. Harris had a very easy childhood and had plenty opportunities ,so he can't understand the McCourts.
Anyone recall - there was an animal incineration plant in Limerick, the stench was galactic, Martians noted it - it was for animals bTB/Brucellosis, what was it called? Ironside?
It sounds like you have a vivid memory of that place! The incineration plant was indeed quite notorious for its odor. It's fascinating how some locations can leave such a lasting impression.
Sounds like sour grapes to me. Frank McCourt was an absolutely brilliant writer. And Angela‘s Ashes is pure gold. I’ve read it countless times because it is just an incredible work of art, but never came away thinking anything negative about Limerick. Don’t know what this guy is on about, but all I heard was baseless griping.
He spent his life trying to be British. Living in hotels and talking about his home in the Bahamas. He’s a narcissist playing whatever character he needs to
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Poverty is a terrible thing regardless of where you live or what decade
I grew up in the 60s and 70s in Glasgow, my father also drank and gambled the wages got himself fired or paid off every job
My mother never had anything until she divorced him and went out to work
Luckily thanks to the kindness of neighbours and family we didn’t starve but when I watch Angela’s ashes I thank my lucky stars
You're so right...
I appreciate you opening up about your experience. It's inspiring to hear how kindness from neighbors and family made such a difference in your life.
@ we were all in the same position so to speak
We looked out for each other
When Scotland is the Richest Country in Europe and one of the Richest Countries in the World in fact GBUK was so Rare it had all it needed The English Wales obeying their Pure Evil Foreign French German Rulers Masters let themselves be Enslaved then enslaved the Scots then the Evil Real Rulers of The UK Old Family UK Lords UK Royals UK Military Chiefs and their Top Pure Evil UK Military and SS Clones and with a few Pure Evil Pals invaded every country on Earth and enslaved Humanity This has destroyed GBUK As the Scots stood up for thousands of Years longer than any other EU Country and nearly every country on Earth against all the Pure Evil invaders to GBUK untill they were nearly extinct 3 Times where was God or anything good or just in the Cosmos The Greeks Romans Arabs were to blame and the biggest Evil to Humanity
That Harris was a right blower.I wouldn't believe a word from that gobdaw.
Speaking out about abuse and neglect is NOT the same as being disloyal. Sharing the truth is being authentic.
I was put off on the book..for some reason. I DID feel it had a certain disloyalty..and was embellished for the Bucks.
He was disloyal and disgracefully so.
Agree with you @22Too
@@marilynbrown5274I felt the same. He let us know things that he ought to have kept to himself and his brother. I felt disgusted by some parts of the book. I felt like I needed a shower afterwards.
People can live in the same place and time and have very different experiences, and perception of similar experiences can be very different between people...
Absolutely! It's fascinating how our individual perspectives shape our experiences, even in the same environment.
I agree
Agree. I've my imperfect, but always loving, stable nurturing, not rich, childhood gifted me with an optimistic outlook and trust in goodness, generosity of others. My dearest friend who had a chaotic childhood because of alcoholism and neglect is mistrustful, and often bitter. Sad but totally understandable.
Two men born in different circumstances born around same time.
@@markalley3287 I agree they can live in the same house and have different experiences.
A truly talented man is Frank McCourt.
Writing HIS story & HIS own lived experience portraying sadness, pain, love & joy with tenderness & humour.
He deserves praise & accolades.
Screw the hundreds of people who have come forward, like Richard Harris to explain that Frank has been a bast-rd and user his entire life, his Mother was trying to survive and they treated her horribly, it was truly disgusting.
$1000 says you're not even Irish and have never been to Limerick but you have your feelings, if not facts to form opinions.
I attended a talk McCourt gave several years ago and he was warm and very funny and humble. I'm really struggling to believe all that Harris has to say and wonder what his motive might be. I love Richard Harris as a performer but I'm kinda scratching my head over here.
My uncles lived just around the corner from the McCourts and told me they didn't have it as bad as the movie was made out to be my uncles said everyone had it rough my own family was by no means rich but the mccorts had family had shoes my family didn't. Richard Harris is a limerick legend the true king of limerick we even have a Statue of Richard Harris in the middle of the town center. There a reason why all the old times hated Frank and that's why there's no Statues of frank Mccourt.
@@SlimKeith11I'm a proud limerick man and still only live 15 minutes from Frank's old house he never had anything good to say about limerick. I'd belive my own family who were there when all this was supposed to be happening and if you Mentioned mccorts name all the old timers never had anything good to say about him. There's a reason why there's a statue of Richard Harris and not mccort.
@ that’s good to hear from someone who knows. Thanks for your input
Can't imagine many actors this day and age willing to ring a radio show and give unfiltered interviews like this. Their PR handlers would have a fit!
True. He would have had to be on a 'mission'.
Can't imagine many decent people this day and age willing to ring a radio show and give unfiltered malicious, gossip about old drinking buddies like this.
@@hilariousname6826 exactly. Harris had a reputation as a horrific womanizer and vicious alcoholic and he couldn’t STAND anyone else being famous. His endless screeds about Richard Burton, for example, show how lost he was in projection and self-righteousness with zero humility or insight. It’s disgusting, frankly.
It was the way it was no matter what Harris says. I think its him that is bitter. Loved the book.@@hilariousname6826
Harris was a notorious pi$$tank, wifebeater and general PO$ ... oh yeah, and a fine actor. His opinions are just that.
I don't think that Frank McCourt only moaned in his books at all, he was amusing and witty, and although it's a sad story in many places, he still made me laugh whilst reading it. I also think that the film was brilliant, and that Richard Harris takes a heck of a liberty in assuming that he knows more about someone's life than the person themselves.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I love hearing different perspectives on McCourt’s work and the film adaptation. It really shows how impactful his storytelling can be!
They lived with their mother, not you! I believe the MacCourts. Not the mother.
He knew them, he knew their mother Angela. He played rugby with people who shared the authors upbringing, and who did not recognise the community he described. The most telling thing was how this family was not helped, as was typical of the poor at that time. That tells you they were not popular, and given how vile the two brothers were to their mother, I am not surprised by that. Americans having a twisted view of their heritage is par for the course, but this author had a victim mentality, without understanding that there might have been a self inflicted reason that his family were 'victims'.
If so there certainly was a lot to moan about..all my granparents were Irish .
Ah yes that tragic Irish sense of humor. The book was loaded with it. Hardly one long moan. Richard Harris is on crack
I had a mad childhood in Limerick with a lot of laughter and fantastic characters
I stayed in one of the castles down there, Grey Abbey and I loved it, happiest time of my life
It was a true story and a true story for too many people in Ireland. Richard H may have had an ok upbringing but not everyone did. It wasn’t just in limerick it was countrywide .
I believe every word in that book Angela's Ashes, they were born into a situation where the father was an alcoholic, and wasn't able to look after them. The mother did the best she could. Because it doesn't sound nice, doesn't mean it isn't true, it is true.
Thank you for your insightful comment! It’s crucial to acknowledge the broader context of these stories and how they resonate with so many.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s important to acknowledge the realities of such situations and appreciate the strength of those who endure them.
He had more than an ok upbringing. His family were wealthy business owners. He lived in a very large home wanting for nothing. Look him up.
@@donalkinsella4380 Who? the McCourts or Richard Harris. I thought the McCourt family started life in NYC and returned to Limerick.
My dad was a good friend of Frank’s brother Malachy. They shared an apartment for a couple years in NYC. He also met Frank and their mother. Malachy was a great fellow.
Malachy would have given his shirt off his back to my dad. They played rugby together in NYC before my dad moved up to Boston to start a business with a college friend.
This sounds like a bitter man.
Thank you for this little bit of daylight on the story I really enjoyed reading! I agree that it sounds like a bitter man.
A Snob.
🎯
It’s hard for people alive today to understand the widespread poverty of the past. My father was born in the early twentieth century. He didn’t like to talk much about his childhood but he did tell me that he never had any shoes until he joined the army as a teenager. In the Summer he went barefoot and in the winter he wore rags on his feet. Can you imagine any child in the western world today, however poor they may be, not having shoes.
Ireland was in the stranglehold of the catholic church. They kept the people poor and suffering, but no longer! And don’t forget it was WOMEN who caused the most pain to little children….. NUNS!!!
Some of us young families understand poverty all too well, even here in the states
My dad grew up like this in Ireland. First pair of shoes at 15 years old
I found this a fascinating interview, but I must take exception to one thing, having read the book four or five times. Frank never said that his father was a Protestant and unable to get work because of this. His father WAS Catholic but from the North. His father made him learn the catechism to become an altar boy. He also used to rouse the boys to song about freeing Northern Ireland . He wrote that Angela's family , being from Limerick didn't like the his father, saying that "he had those funny ways of the North" and "the look of a Presbyterian " . Also the fact that he was a drunkard, who could never be depended upon to support his family added to their distain for the man.
I’m not going to defend Frank McCourt. I will say that growing up in extreme poverty surrounded by illness, death, hunger, and abuse from an alcoholic father will damage a child’s psyche. Not all children are equally resilient. Frank and his brother probably had to learn to use people from a young age just to survive. And they are probably entitled to some resentment towards their mother for not doing more to protect them in childhood. I’m not saying that I would want to be friends with either man. I’m not saying they are good people. Im simply saying that a childhood, even half as bad as Frank describes in his book, is the perfect cauldron to create very damaged adults. I can’t fault them for being damaged by a miserable childhood. Again, not all people are equally as resilient or impervious to hardship.
The point of the argument was that the hardship was correct, but, did they own the hardship more than their neighbors.
I grew up in Limerick and that book is certainly true to the Limerick I knew. Richard was a fine actor, and I’ll leave it at that.
Richard Harris was a posh middle class Welsh/English thespian, who tried to sound like 'one of the lads' and who thought the likes of working class folk like the McCourts should know their position in life and remain on the poverty line...If you had to ask any actor American or British to speak in a Limerick accent they wouldn't be able to do it...But if you asked them to speak in a typical Irish accent, they would sound like RH....The man is a total phoney, and it kills him to see a working class person from the slums have some success in life..Probably why Frank McCourt gave him a dig in that NY bar...but as you say he was a fine actor, and maybe he should just stick to acting and lying around intoxicated in his Bahamas mansion!...take away his acting and he's an a-hole like the rest of us!
Totally get what you mean! Limerick's vibe is something else, and Richard really brought it to life!
Absolutely agree 💯
Lovely man. We would laugh about fearsome Katie my nan.
Ta all 4 posting.
Much as I love Richard Harris,, I'd take anything he says with a pinch of salt 😂
My grandad was born in Limerick in 1907,, very very poor, hard times indeed,,
Agree 💯
Correct
Thank you for sharing your grandad's story! It's a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength of those who came before us.
I grew up round around those areas some of it is close to the truth. However the people of Limerick are a resilient bunch
One of the best book I have ever read.
Crying, laughing, all the little things who makes each life on earth so personal.
Best regards from Reykjavik Iceland
The book was based on lies
So if it wasn't truthful and he defamed family member then who cares as long as you laughed.
@@SlimKeith11 who are you referring to specifically when you say that? It's a genuine question as well, sometimes online it looks like being snarky but I'm actually asking
In the early sixties living in northern Quebec in a small village, my dad worked as a janitor to support 8 kids. We didn't go hungry or anything and managed to all grow up self sufficient adults but a neighbor two houses over lived in a shack that had no floors, just on th ground. As a kid, I could tell they were very poor, but still didn't know how poor until I started working. To this day, I have no idea how they survived through the minus 20-30 below winter in northern Quebec.
I really appreciate you sharing your experiences! It’s stories like yours that remind us of the strength of the human spirit and the importance of community.
A forthright, honest and sober Richard Harris. Very entertaining.
Richard Harris had a unique way of captivating his audience, didn't he? His honesty really shines through in this performance!
I highly doubt he was sober, the man was a chronic alcoholic.
@@mrsinn2642 A drop of whiskey for the flu, no doubt.
@@mrsinn2642 Yes but he stopped drinking in later life
Great interview. Love Richard Harris and Peter O’Toole. Great talents and good people.
Harris has a personal problem with Frank McCourt for what ever reason. Seems like a bit of jealousy there regarding the book and McCourt's success. Most of all though, [ IMO, ] he talks absolute shite when he say's people living in the same area, experience the same childhood and growing up situations. When I and my brother and sister were small kids, our father was pissed out of his head most days, could not hold down a job, and buggered off, never to return, after flogging all the meagre home furnishings, while we were at school and our mother at work, trying to support us, when my brother and I [ twins ] were 7 years of age, and our sister 6 years old, meanwhile my best friend who lived in the flat next door had a hard working, teetotal dad, who adored his kids and worked his arse off to do the best for them.
Everybody can have totally different memories, particularly concerning their childhood.
McCourt has been called a liar and embellisher by multiple people.
Read There is an Isle by Criostóir Ó Floinn. He grew up in Limerick and was in the same school as one of McCourt's brothers and has rejected McCourt's version of events.
Harris has no reason to be jealous. He has had far more success than Frank McCourt.
@@amysill3815 McCourt was real Limerick, Harris was a welsh protestant from a rich area who wanted to be seen as a real Limerick man.
Oh wow, your personal anecdote and boilerplate psychoanalysis does away with a whole slew of arguments.
Not saying your account is wrong, but you don't seem to think at scale.
Sad to have this actor judge a man whose pain he cannot feel and whose story he must deny. McCourt’s life is from a whole ‘nother world, one I know far too well. But the gracious comments rewarded me for letting Harris have his say. When I hear folk being gentle, kind, wise and fair, my can be as loving to Harris as I wish he had been to his old acquaintance. Thank you for your own gentle answers. ONWARD.
😅my father was an alcoholic, he stole from my mother his whole life, he drank everything and so, we went to work at a very young age caddying and delivering milk, we had bed fleas, we had an overcoat over our bed, to keeep us warm in the winter. When we went to school we were batterered by christian men and women who were brutal and fierce. We never had anything like ice cream or cola or anything like that except at Xmas. Life was extremely rough, the church added to our hardship. I was in Greece when my father died, I went to the nearest bar and raised a glass to his death.
I really appreciate you sharing your journey. It’s inspiring to see how you’ve faced such challenges and come out stronger on the other side. Thank you for being so open!
A very intersting listen. However, how much did Mr Harris really know of what went on in the McCourt family behind closed doors? I have aunts, uncles and cousins who, if we told them, would not believe how cruelly my siblings and I were treated and spoken to by our parents.
I really appreciate your comment! It's brave of you to share your experiences, and it highlights how different family stories can be.
Heck, my own brother had a much different childhood than I did, and we lived under the same roof.
At the moment I closed the book I broke down in tears. Mr. Harris was a great actor, I’m not sure why he had such ill feelings towards Frank McCourt. If it’s just because he felt a loyalty to his childhood home he obviously did not experience what the McCourt brothers had experienced.
It’s an old man’s grievance and ego.
I think he explains it pretty well in this interview.
Harris is superbly loyal to his hometown of Limerick, as almost everyone from Limerick is expected to be.
Additionally, many people from Ireland, and Limerick in particular, took great issue with the depiction of life in Ireland: from the book, and later from the film. That McCourt's tales reinforced the stereotype of Ireland being a third world backwater.
And their unfortunate Mother.
What surprises me about this interview is how personal it is. Harris has every right to not like the book or the film and no doubt his experience on the Ennis road was a world apart from the lane. Up to the 60’s Ireland had pockets of extreme poverty and not everyone fitted into the community sometimes not through their own fault. Having an alcoholic father would have been enough for the church not to help.
Both recollection are probably flawed as most are but no one can say one is untrue.
You make a great point! Personal experiences shape our perspectives, and it’s important to acknowledge the complexities of each individual’s story.
I was born in limerick, and had a great childhood, great friends, good people, its not a rough city as people make it out to be,
An Irish friend lent me the book when it came out, she said a lot of old people in Ireland were embarrassed by it and tried to claim it wasn’t that bad
It's interesting how literature can evoke such strong reactions, especially when it touches on personal and cultural experiences. Thanks for sharing your friend's perspective!
Great to here Richard Harris's voice, it feels like the interview was done today or yesterday.. very articulate speaker. They are all gone now RIP, they all had their flaws and good sides too, as we all do.
I grew up in Limerick and lived off the Ennis Road near Landsdowne Park.
I went to good schools .Salesians and Laurel Hill. It all went well until my Mother became seriously ill .My Father had to sell the family home to pay her medical fees.
There were no handouts especially from the Church.
My Father was a strobg perso and never gave up.
I was glad to leave the small town snobbery and the Priest ridden society which kept people in grinding ignorance
.I was fortunate in the family I had.
Years ago my relatives of Irish origin helped each other when times were tough. They adopted each other’s babies when the mother was sick etc. I have 3 relatives who were adopted by family. This is my impression of the Irish. 🇨🇦
@@katesleuth1156 like anywhere family’s differ. Some are kind, some are cruel, some are just having too hard a time themselves to help each other.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful family history! It's inspiring to see how love and support can transcend difficult times and create lasting connections.
Sounds like Newfoundland too
@@jenniferdnoseworthy2348I was thinking the same thing! My Grandparents were from Colliers Conception Bay and my Mom Mom and her brothers and sisters would care for each other’s children for extended periods of time during times of illness and also during long holidays. My Poppy and his brother were orphaned at a young age and was raised by family. There still is a great love of family that exists to this day ☘️ ❤️ God bless you!!
Best written book I've ever read. I could smell the smells. It was horrible and wonderful at the same time.
McCourt sadly maligned his own mother, family and upbringing for sales. When family countered the account in court McCourt claimed it was a memoire - not a true story- for an American audience. Not sure what on earth you smell?
This is fascinating. The interviewer has such an unassuming manner in his questioning that he draws out the most revealing answers from Richard Harris. Fantastic work indeed.
Alcoholism drove the story of the McCourts children’s childhood. It’s no wonder Harris did not make that connection with his own history.
Precisely.
My nieces ex partner of 20+ years ago,the father of her fine son,came to england aged 9 with his family from Ireland. He and his brother had to go to school alteernate weeks as they only had one pair of shoes between them.
My own mother lived around the corner from Frank McCourt and she remembers the family well ..no she was not in the Poor lanes but she was literally around the corner. The one comment that Harris said that my mother said the exact same thing about was that it was the father’s fault ..he was a drunkard and that was the beginning and end of the whole thing and she said that he made his Father out to be a poet and his mother out to be a prostitute and the reality was that his father was a drunkard
@@basketballfan5763 I think he made it pretty clear his father was an out and out drunkard but that he probably got his intelligence from him. Just because you're an alcoholic doesn't mean your stupid.
Agreed.
@@patrickporter1864 Harris is wrong about him being a Protestant
Children remember what they want to remember
My dad drank and gambled leaving my mother with nothing
My youngest brother can’t see past our dad I put it down to not being old enough to understand what was happening
He only saw the best bits of our dad he didn’t understand what he did to us as a family and that he ultimately didn’t care whether we ate or had a roof over our heads
I think it’s the same with the McCourt brothers they didn’t understand that their mother did her best for them and their father just didn’t care
@basketballfan5763 I think of it is looked through the eyes of the alcoholic family, I think more truth could be found.
I've read Angela's Ashes and was almost surprised by the lack of anger and bitterness in how the story was told. My mam's father was very similar to Frank's father and on the rare occasions that she spoke about him she was very angry and bitter. She hated him until the day he died. So, I know what that kind of pain sounds like. Frank writing about his father's story telling and kindness was very poignant. Frank wanted to love him despite everything.
My mother stopped watching the movie and started crying saying it was too much like her childhood.The common theme being Alcohol and her Catholic father,it's a world wide curse of the Irish.Im in New Zealand and we are not immune from it.
We miss you Richard, you were a great patriot!
@seanmcnamara1267 yes, he was he used to, at his own expense, go around in america telling americans to stop funding the IRA, that is the sort of man irish people should call a patriot, not terrorist murderers
Thank you for your heartfelt comment! It means a lot to see how much Richard's contributions are appreciated.
It's interesting to see different perspectives on historical figures and their actions. Every country's history is complex, and it's essential to understand all sides of the story.
I read Angela's Ashes and then promptly forgot it. I saw the movie on cable back in the day, and all I remembered was Robert Carlyle and his character washing his suit with carbolic soap and all the water all over all of the time. After hearing Richard Harris discuss the author's attitude toward his mother and what they did to her after she died I feel my brain did the right thing. I love Richard Harris, and I miss his presence here on the mortal coil.
I grew up in a respectable neighbourhood in a small city. In our high school, we had kids from the poorest to the richest families, and to a degree, we all socialized, and there were close friendships that crossed class lines. However, I would never presume to gainsay an old schoolmate from a poor neighbourhood regarding their experience of poverty, unless, possibly, as a kid, I had spent an awful lot of time in their home.
Sorry, I can't take anything seriously that Ricard Harris says about McCourt. His hate and jealousy for him are palpable. Geez Louise, take a break, Richard. You're super mad. I understand the importance of loyalty to one's place of birth or country. It's natural. But for crying out loud, McCourt was writing about what he lived, HIS reality. It's true that writers (and, incidentally, I'm one of them) cannot be depended upon to be objective. And are they unique in this? Of course, not! We all tell our stories through our respective lenses and, Richard, as an artist ought to know this. I may add that I read McCourt's book, albeit didn't see the movie, and, yes, the poverty and destitution were wrenching. I suspect Harris is ashamed of this fact. So, I totally understand.
You make some excellent points about the subjective nature of writing and how personal experiences shape our narratives. It's essential to acknowledge different perspectives in art and literature.
Explain how Harris could be jealous of the author. He explained quite well why he did not like the man (and his brother) for the way they treated their mother in life, and in death, and for how they used Harris. There was a reason the family were not helped, when the poor helped each other out all the time. Their attitude to their own mother probably explains it well.
Yeah! Just like a million little pieces ! All true!
Just listened to a very bitter man , God bless frank Mc Court and his family may peace be with them all.
There’s an element of jealousy in what Harris says , when he says Malachy was trying to “ get above his station” by playing rugby for Bohemians it sort of tells you that Harris is the snob that thinks the McCourts were getting more famous than he was and needed taking down a peg or two, it’s classic Irish begrudgery, the old “ who the hell do they think they are “ attitude at anyone getting ahead in life . Harris’s lack of charity in his words kind of vindicates the McCourt’s take on Limerick people ironically.
I’ve never read the book but I do come from one of the most socially and economically deprived areas in Ireland and I can tell you first hand there was snobbery even in working class areas, if you got a breakfast in the morning before school other than tea and toast you were considered privileged , if you’re Dad didn’t drink it was like your family won the lottery .
Even the Catholic Church courted the upper class , usually pub and shop owners , the fur coat brigade that took up every front seat at Sunday mass, the pub owners were the bane of the community but given respect by the church because of donations.
The teachers appropriated a class distinction without merit as most of their ranks were filled with reprobates and sadistic pedos.
Anyone with any gumption left Ireland at that time because of the narrow parochial attitudes that stifled individualism, creativity and freedom of expression, the repressive school system usually run by the overly rigid Christian Brothers created a country full of abused children who grew up to rebel against authority figures , the convents, well, the evil that went on behind those walls is the shame of Ireland, thank God the light has now been shone in the darkest corners and there’s no hiding places for the deviants and abusers.
The priests of the small god Cathol have a lot to answer for...
Well written indeed. A window into a society and a people oppressively controlled and divided by an evil cult (religion). As a 4th generation Australian of Scottish Irish ancestry, I'm so fortunate that my forefathers sailed here to escape the ancient, tribal, religious and parochial poverty characteristic of the troubled 'old country' and established a freer, more open and egalitarian society - albeit a colony first of England and now the US 🦘
Richard Harris was a legendary actor. Among other roles, he was the original Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies. He had no reason whatsoever to feel any jealousy for the McCourts. I have read Frank McCourt's book and it is full of hatred for Angela and cruel remarks about her. Harris is not wrong.
Come on not all catholic priests abuse children. It’s a tiny minority, of course it is. Reprehensible as that is. It’s also shameful they covered it up and by doing so caused more suffering as they moved these people around. But the church is still a force for good in my opinion. Flawed as all religions are with human beings running them
Considering the role of the Church in the iniquities of the past, I find it odd you should mention God in respect of the revealing of such appalling behaviour.
Lovely to hear Richard Harris...my maternal Grandfather's city (mum grew up in Dublin). He too grew up in poverty in Limerick, but you'd never hear a bad word about Limerick from him...was fiercely proud of it. 😀
Bullshit
I remember reading Angela’s Ashes and I felt a wee bit traumatised and as a person that loves history,especially to areas I can relate to,I’m from Aberdeen here in Scotland,I’ve been fortunate enough too see the history of my city especially between 1880s on through the years to the early 90s even.
The poverty is shocking to observe.
And even when one walks the graveyards the child mortality rates were so very high,Things thankfully got better for the bairns though it feels like that’s being sabotaged .
My last words are of gratitude for Richard Harris the actor,writer raconteur The man
I'm a huge Richard Harris fan and I enjoyed Mccourt's book (and the film). I can see both sides here. It's important to remember that Harris had a very privileged childhood compared to Mccourt; none of us will ever know what it was like living in Frank's house as a child, all we can do is speculate. I'm a writer (also an Irishman) and i'm sure Mccourt manipulated/altered certain facts/representations of people because that's what writers do (just because a book is advertised as autobiographical/ a memoir, it doesn't mean that it's all true). I admire both men for using their talents of writing and acting to attain success. A grand pair of lads, regardless of their issues with each other.
The father who put his beer on his child’s coffin, McCourt was correct when he wrote he was lucky to survive at all. Other comments support McCourt’s own experience.
harris is dishonest in my opinion did he ever return to his beloved paradsise in limerick ,isuspect not, ofc i know little about him but i know limerick
its a bit rich of harris ,demanding loyalt to limerick a terible dump for most of its existance ofc harris was anglo irish his ancestors kept limerick poverty stricken for centuries
Harris sticks up for his hometown. He was right about Alan Parker's career being pretty much finished by this point. "The movie is two and half hours of rain."
Richard Harris, wonderful in the Field❤. Wish we had some men around now to talk about the bs going on in Ireland
The Bull is me
Yeah he'd give those fascist wannabes both barrels
The Field is one helluva movie. Class.
Love that film. Hiked through the village before it was filmed, then a few years later after it was filmed. Everything was The Field restaurant, The Field butchers,The Field pub etc,lol. Lovely village...
It is unfair for Frank McCourt to be judged on loyalty to his city of birth in this memoir when his true life circumstances were so deeply rooted into poverty and his relationship with the cruel and often torturous community of the Catholic church. Because of the harshness of the Catholic church and its clergy toward poor Catholic families in Ireland at that time, Frank became highly resentful of its strict rituals and rigid rules and, in particular, its hypocrisy. It was the hypocrisy of the Church that ate away at him, causing him to harbor deep resentment and anger, that he projected on to his mother, among others. I felt that Frank as a child was deeply crushed and wounded by the lack of sympathy, compassion and interest from those who served God (clerics and nuns) and by virtue of their work, were supposed to demonstrate care and empathy. Interestingly, the Protestants may not have experienced the same level of betrayal such as financial insecurity, behavioral dysfunction due to alcoholism and addictions while following the strict rules and obligations of the Church, leading many poor Catholic families to lives of dysregulation, deep-seated anxiety and depression. The non-stop rain and darkness depicted in the movie are indicative (symbolic?) of the profound inner turmoil and psychic pain experienced by the McCourt family. Frank and Malachy disregarded their mother up until her death because she had been too deep into her own suffering to show any love and compassion for her children. As children of dysfunctional parents, they were unable to show empathy. Despite all, they have the right to their own feelings.
Though I greatly admire Richard Harris for his fine work as a film and stage actor, I find it superficial of him to express that the reader of "Angela's Ashes" will view his city of Limerick as a dull and broken one! This is not the case at all, and you must give the reader more credit. Though the film version of the story could have been more artistically portrayed, I, upon reading this blistering memoir for the first time, will never forget the impact of reading its brilliantly-crafted first paragraph of the first chapter! An awe-inspiring masterpiece!
Beautifully stated comment! I completely agree. Frank McCourt penned a book about HIS life and recollections growing up in Limerick. The Catholic Church is such a paradox. Pretending to help the poor/disadvantaged while closing the door on the McCourts who were desperate for food and sustenance.
@31Alden thank you very much.
My mother grew up in the city,she lived in a tenement in Arthur's Quay. She was outraged by Angela's Ashes which my brother and I found very difficult to fathom because she never read the book! I had read it,and explained that most of Europe was living in poverty at the time. This fact did not placate her. Many of the people of her generation that I spoke to in Limerick were upset at the portrayal. I took from it that there was a deep sense of shame and they didn't want the world to make any judgement on Limerick itself or to a lesser extent the Catholic Church or the nuns.
Richard rightly points out the Protestant business owners and employment. My mother told me Limerick City people used the expression,at the time 'old decency' because they were more charitable to the poor.
Whilst I was in Limerick Malachy was involving himself in the Bell Table and this caused minor controversy I seem to recall.
I haven't seen the film adaptation maybe one day I will.
You are fair and gentle and thoughtful. You feed my soul good food and validate the love in my heart. Love suffers long and IS KIND. Such love is still alive. ONWARD!
I would have loved to have a pint with Richard Harris, love straight talkers like him. The Ghost of Richard Harris is a great documentary about him.
I didn't like Angela's Ashes. Very depressing book. Everyone was poor them times but they made the best of it. Shocking the way they treated their mother disgusting,horrible.
As a limerick man allso know as a shannon sider I love Richard Harris ,but Richard came from a rich family and by right he doesn't know anything about poverty
It's interesting to consider how a person's background influences their art. Richard Harris certainly had a unique perspective that resonated with many, regardless of his upbringing.
My family are from Lettermore; a rural area in the west of Ireland . My parent’s moved to the north of England in the 1930’s, due to the lack of work and chronic poverty.
I thought Frank McCourt’s book, Angela’s Ashes was brilliant‼️. It was the first honest book about what life was like really like for many Irish people during that period,
No leprechauns or fairies, just realism that I had never read from other authors. It is comforting to read warm tales about Ireland. Unfortunately, many people would sooner deny the realities of a people who survived incredible hardships and went on to create amazing lives. I am more than proud to be Irish ☘️
smAngela’s
No wonder so many people find the irish fools, you're a perfect example.
The movie came out around the time of a very unfair narrative of Limerick around the late 90s 00s.
Im glad Harris came out in defence of his home town regardless of what part he came from. He wouldnt have it thrown under the bus.
My first thought when I read, “Angela’s Ashes” was that Irish people really help each other. That reality of Irish life back in the day was not reflected at all in that book- Richard Harris us actually saying this too as I am typing!!!
There is a lot of people in Ireland didn't believe him ,I went to see the film Angela's ashes and I felt I needed an umbrella watching it with the emphasis on it raining all the time .
There are a lot of people who wouldn’t believe what went on in the Magdalene laundries, or the abuses of some priests. Truth tellers are often vilified.
It's fucking Ireland and it still Rains all the Time. Are ye all living under a Rock for Jaysus sake.
Ever been to Ireland?
@@AffectionateAstroStation-lx5is Scotland is a rainier place and I'll leave out the f word .
@@patriciacorcoran4582 Your fucking Joking Patricia so you are.🤣🤣
If Frank McCourt is, as described by Harris, "bitter" -- over an impoverished upbringing in Limerick -- so WHAT? Who would not be bitter over such a harrowing childhood?!
Thanks to Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes I learn to love Ireland's history and I made feel that Limerick is an amazing place that deserves to be visited. On the other hand Richard Harris' cruelty and bitterness reminded of the killers of the 800 babies and children found at Tuam care home in Ireland.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s amazing how a book can open our eyes to both the beauty and the struggles of a place. Your perspective on Limerick is truly appreciated!
I stayed in a B&B in Limerick and recited limericks to the owners, a magic moment.
🇮🇪 ❤
I read the book , but my Irish grandmother who was born in 1902 was still alive said she was disgusted at how someone could write such things about their own mother. But I can see both Points of view (Richards &Franks)
I grew up in an Irish village. My youth was spent cycling around to deliver meals to people who had food insecurity. It’s just what people did for each other!
Coming from Irish heritage I’ve heard many a sad tale and song from my mother but Angela’s Ashes left me cold. But after reading McCourts first memoir I have to agree with Mr Harris as this memoir portrays an angry man with few redeeming qualities. Admittedly I barely made it 3/4 through as I’ve never found it necessary for an author to graphically describe his compulsive m--- habits. Through his own memoir he comes off as thoroughly unpleasant.
RH obviously had personal beefs w/ the McCourts and explained them rather well. The less defensible thing, though, is that he seems to think some bond of loyalty is owed to a city that treated the McCourt family, and doubtless others on the brink as they were, rather shabbily. The dispute seems to resolve to a loyal tribalist (RH) who presumably looks back at his time there fondly, and a pair of dissidents who didn't. It wasn't McCourt's job or obligation to make Limerick look good. It was to tell his truth, which people can accept or reject. If McCourt was a warped bitter man, as RH contends, that doesn't necessarily derate his own account of his own life, which RH and no one else was there to witness. He presumes to be an insider, but actually he was inevitably an outsider.
Best argument of all.
I enjoy Harris' work on the screen, and he's a very fine actor, but having read McCourt's first two books and having met the man at an education conference in San Francisco , I would have to say that most of what Harris has to say here is complete shyte.
Harris doesn't even stick to the facts. At around 33:00 of the video, he bangs on at length about how Frank's father would have been at the "top of the queue" for any job on account of being a Northern protestant. Malachy McCourt (senior) was a Catholic and a former IRA member.
He mentions Alan Parker's movie, Evita, as being a commercial flop. It was in fact, a huge success, earning over 140 million USD.
And as for his opinions, characterizing Frank and his brother as bitter, this is a right laugh considering Harris' own bitterness that shines through the whole interview.
I'm not sure what got up Richard's nose regarding the McCourts, but his bitter, hateful diatribe strikes me as complete rubbish from a man with a rock-sized chip on his shoulder.
I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts! It’s clear you have a deep understanding of the McCourts' story, and I love that you’re bringing that knowledge into the discussion.
Too right.
I knew Malachy. He was the bartender at Perry’s on Union St in San Francisco in the mid to late 1980’s. He would ring a bell & announce THE O’HARA SISTERS are in the house!! Everyone cheered. Wonderful guy ☘️☘️
It's amazing to hear such fond memories of Malachy! He truly knew how to create a vibrant atmosphere at Perry's. Thanks for sharing your experience!
You didn’t know Malachy, you knew the brother Michael in San Francisco. Malachy tended bar in NYC and had a bar called Himself
Well said Richard a proud limerickman ❤
Richard came from the right side of the tracks.It was a different Limerick for him. Frank experienced the deprived poverty side of Limerick.
I find it interesting that an angry, bitter sounding man is calling another man angry and bitter.
My father born and lived all his days in Leitrim said that in the 1930s Limerick was the poorest part of Ireland in those days and many in Limerick died of TB.
Regarding the McCourt brothers I think they were unconsciously depressed. Living under a violent alcoholic can have disastrous consequences on children. Btw everyone in these comments are talking as if no such people exist in Ireland. Sadly they do just like everwhere else. If what Harris says about the McCourt brothers is true it is very sad that they didn't come to a place of forgiveness and peace of mind.
Harris does show here that he may have experienced some sort of betrayal from the McCourts or maybe he is rather depressed himself.
He was a womaniser and never settled into a long lasting love relationship.
My hunch is he and the McCourts are probably more alike than either party could ever admit.
@@outoforbit00 I think your last comment there is very true!
tend to agree
I appreciate your thoughtful comment! It’s important to acknowledge the struggles that many faced during those times, and your perspective adds depth to the conversation about the McCourts.
@@emeraldchronicle
Like most drunks Frank's father was probably a nice man when he was sober, but hell to live with.
Harris wouldn't be living in the poverty stricken regions McCourt grew up in. Harris came from the a wealthy family, lived in a large home with everything he needed and wanted. He played rugby which at the time was a British sport for Brits. The first chance he got he left the country to live in Britain. If you want to know how tough it was in Limerick back in the day, go there now.
Yes he Harris did but he told the truth and loved limerick unlike frank. And sure Frank's brother Maliki played rugby for Bohemians the posh team
@@JohnK-ct3qy McCourt told of his living conditions, Harris who didn't experience those living conditions at all wrongly contradicted him. McCourt told the truth whilst Harris gave the impression he live amongst the impoverished of Limerick, he didn't. He was far far removed from the working class (lower class) families of Limerick.
Harris was of British Stock,
Bollicks he was Irish as they come,look at the head on im
@bollockchop501 It's what's in his head that counts.
Outrageous that Harris blames the McCourt family for the Limerick community neglecting them. The McCourt dad was a drunk! Why should his wife and children be BLAMED for THAT?!
I watched the film Angela's Ashes... wow i was surprised to hear about Frank. McCourt.... I guess will what they went through.. it can make you hard or more compassionate..I know Frank McCourt came to Canada for a book signing but i was disappointed I couldnt meet him..
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s always inspiring to hear how a story can impact someone. Frank’s journey is definitely a powerful one.
They are all dead now, the McCourts and Harris and they all had something to say for themselves. I met Frank and Malachy in New York City and both , especially Frank, were very congenial. I love listening to Richard Harris and only see him one time in O'Flaherty 's on 46th St . My mother and father lived in Limerick when I was a young child and always spoke highly of the people there.
Thank you for sharing your memories! It’s so special to hear how the McCourts and Richard Harris touched your life. Limerick has such a rich history, and it’s clear that it left a lasting impression on you.
What a horrible and unfair one sided interview with a man who grew up with chauffeurs and gardeners and who wasn’t touched with genuine hardship!
He admitted he knew nothing about living in complete poverty but simply knew others who had their own opinions.
My honest take from this interview with two men who are in violent agreement is that you must be loyal to the city no matter what! You can’t tell your story if it is in any way negative to the city! The truth if it shines a poor light on the city is not allowed and you especially cannot talk bad about the city if you are overseas! It’s seen as being ‘disloyal’. I think that is an innately Irish thing!
This is mainly Richard Harris’s opinion of a man he doesn’t like rather than a balanced view with the truth.
The interviewer showed complete bias devoid of any real balance!
One more thing about loyalty, if Harris was truly loyal to the city of Limerick and it’s people why was he living comfortably in the Bahamas rather than back on the Ennis road? Would it have something to do with the weather perhaps???
Unfortunately the Irish won't accept the truth about the abuse of women and children which did happen. I'm not saying that Frank didn't embalsh the book and the story. But unfortunately much could be based on lived experience.
Richard Harris is very noble and kind to take up for McCourts Mother. Poor soul did not deserve mistreatment from her sons.
I read Angela's Ashes when it came out and it very much echoed my own father's upbringing in that same era. I also have friends from Limerick who outright knew several people in that book and said "I won't speak ill of those who have passed, but I will say I can very much agree with much that is said!"
Richard Harris sounds pitifully bitter about the McCourts. Not sure what all his whinging is about! It sounds like he is bitter about not being part of their circle. He comes off as the pampered rich boy he is and wallowing that another Limerick man stole his attention.
Very interesting , thank you very much . Great fan of Richard Harris , wonderful actor and Irishman .
He was actually British by blood
My Irish born mother, who moved to the US at 18, hated the book. But she lived her entire life denying abusive treatment of her own children. Her baseline of acceptable human behavior was poisoned and unhealthy. The Irish need to stop gaslighting people who point out abuse. The "user" trait is VERY IRISH. My extended family is littered with narcissists.
I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts. It takes courage to confront these issues, and your perspective adds valuable depth to the conversation.
Your writing drew my attention, as it's pure and an honest perspective drawn from understanding or thinking about the Irish in a deep way.
I was born in the east end of London to Irish parents in 1962, moved to Ireland in '73, the height of the troubles, and with a cockney accent it wasn't easy but Ireland to me is a very special place that must be protected , every county , this is a very special place.
@@emeraldchronicle thank you, it's been an interesting journey and without Ireland and the Irish it would have been less interesting!
I believe the Irish, (and I live here, family man etc) to be the biggest rouges under the sun and will talk about you and slag you off, but when you're down the Irish will pick you up and dust you off and get you going again, no questions asked!
Never mind our poets, musicians our authors our culture our heritage, for such a small country on the one dimensional map of the world it sure packs a punch!.
Let's keep it safe.
Astute insight and I thoroughly agree. We Irish are such a complicated bunch, with so many contradictions and double standards. Our collective psyche is a contorted collection of inherited beliefs, like Chinese whispers passed down with embellishments in every generation. Most of us grow up without any clue of who we really are as individuals, no matter how much we think we do. Even if we get some inkling at some stage that there might be more to us than we thought, our path to 'finding ourselves' is thwarted by interference and unsolicited 'advice' from the people who have been wrapped up in the fantasy. God help us if we find ourselves in therapy, as that's when all the dirt comes out that's been swept under the carpet. The beliefs we held that formed our identity, worldview and the shared narratives about who did what, are all questioned and turned upside down. Nothing is as it seemed. We are a stranger to ourselves, and are left with the task of unraveling everything to separate truth from illusion. The double standards, and inconsistencies with some of the nonsensical beliefs, societal customs, expectations, and moral gray areas is mind boggling. Some things are absolutely prohibited and totally unacceptable, resulting in societal ostracization. Yet other transgressions, that are far more insidious and evil, pass unnoticed and unchecked. This is ok, but that isn't. It's madness. I've left 20 years ago, but it's taken a very long time to work through the societal conditioning and underlying beliefs. There's a lot more than people think, beneath the smiles and the fun loving attitude of the Irish. We carry a dark dark inheritance deep in our bones.
That's a family thing.
To Emerald Chronicle: I wish you had not used those awful AI images. We all know what dire poverty looks like, we don’t need to see it over and over. It becomes poverty porn. Especially the false images of an old woman in dire conditions presented as if these were images of Angela in her old age. The interview itself was very interesting though, and thank you for sharing it.
Thank you for your feedback! I appreciate your perspective on the use of AI images and will take it into consideration for future content. I’m glad you found the interview interesting!
I agree. Especially the images of Angela in some impoverished, littered, aged state.
Hyper-real images are uncanny valley, Al doesn't do context or authenticity ... or lrish faces in this case.
Love❤Richard Harris ..a man of true integrity
Huh?
And of opinion, obviously @@Pearcity
He's telling the truth here. It's amazing how many people are desperate to defend a jerk like Frank McCourt just because they found his book entertaining.
@@margyeoman3564 having read McCourts autobiography I have to agree with the late great Richard Harris
@@ExiledStardustmy family only lived around the corner they had it worse then th mccorts but they never complained or had hate in there Hearts for limerick. There a reason why a Statue of harris and not the mccort in the middle of limerick city. My son plays for youth munster now up the cookies.
Lived in Limerick. There waa one thing they couldnt stand, anyone acting above their station. They didnt mind how posh you were as long as you didn't pretend to be posher. Maybe it works the other way too. Dont act below your station.
Absolutely! Authenticity is key. It’s all about being true to yourself and respecting where you come from!
I've always liked Richard Harris's acting, especially pre Harry Potter; but was quite taken aback at hearing the loathsome things he has to say about Frank McCourt and his family. It really was beneath him to come out so obviously full of sour grapes and vitriol. He did himself no favours at all, and it's such a shame that this is how I will now remember him. I think though, he does give a suggestion as to why he felt the need to vent spleen so vehemently about Frank at the very beginning of the interview, when he said that Frank once punched him on the nose. I think that that's all this is about....that and "artistic rivalry/jealousy". He said he had to come out and "defend Limerick" from all the terrible things Frank said in Angela's Ashes about the place he grew up. I have read that book a few times, and I don't get any sense of him really badly rubbishing the place....he said it was wet and miserable with an alcoholic father, lived in poverty, and with plenty of cruel, mean nasty nuns, priests and school teachers. ...those are the factors that made Frank's time in Limerick so horrible and made him want to escape. Why is that such a problem for Richard and his cronies? Why did he feel Frank should not have said it, and call him a liar etc? It is a book!...and whether Frank omitted certain things or took artistic license or not...is his choice...it's his book, his life, his experience. None of Richard's business. I also think Richard saw an opportunity to try to boost his own standing in Limerick by putting Frank down. Also, Angela died in New York, so it would have been quite a difficult task at that time to take her body back to Limerick for a burial. Richard wasn't actually physically there to know what was said and done. He's gossiping like one of the old ladies wrapped in shawls. Such a shame.
All I can add to this topic, is the fact that I asked my own mother about what she thought of the book and the film.... she was a native of another small, coastal city - Waterford - brought up in the same period 1930's Ireland. Her comment was that she could find no Humour in the people portayed ... Where is their Character and Spirit, she asked. The Negativity of the McCourt household and their friends and associates in EVERY aspect of their lives was simply Unbelievable. My father, likewise, found it completely alien to the period in question - albiet set in Damned Hard Times. Neither of them could see any merit in the McCourt's presentations of their Limerick home, and thought it was a toxic presentation loaded with Bitterness..... Both Book and Film.
Unsurprisingly, I had already drawn the same conclusions myself before questioning them.
Thanks!
Well how very very decent of you. Thank you so much.
The movie actually netted a reasonable profit, it wasn't a flop.
I think a city can be a genuine sh!thole and some of it's people can have that old, crazy mindless fidelity to it, as evidence by Harris. At the same time, Angela was clearly a terrible mother (probably raised by terrible parents), so had terrible sons.
All things can be simultaneously true.
Quite an astute comment.
Harris didn't care about the woman, or her family, he cared about his own sense of nostalgia. Probably got offended first time someone linked him to the book. "weren't you from there, originally?"
You notice he lived most of his life in London and California, not Limerick.
@@uncletiggermclaren7592 And I noticed that Harris conveniently didn't mention exactly why Frank McCourt hit him in the nose and ran.
We all know Harris was no prize as a decent human being, how he treated people, so all the swelled-chest pride of Limerick and sense of familial duty are so ridiculous.
Wonderful actor, probably a terrible human being.
Thank you for sharing your insights! It’s refreshing to see such a nuanced take on the film and its characters.
I really appreciate your insightful comment! It’s interesting to see how nostalgia can shape our perceptions of identity.
@@uncletiggermclaren7592 He was from a posh background outside Limerick.
One question I have is a lot of it about the father being an alcoholic and all the hardship within the family was fuelled by what they call
“Dysfunction family”
Thank you for your thought-provoking comment! It's crucial to discuss these issues openly, and I appreciate you bringing it up.
My husband grew up on the ennis road in Limerick went to same school as Richard Harris always had good to say about Richard very proud of Richard in Limerick xxx
Thank you for sharing that lovely connection! It’s amazing how proud the community is of Richard and his contributions.
I'm not sure if I can believe that middle class Richard Harris can give the same account of Limerick as working/underclass Frank McCourt. I know folk who said, Ireland was never like that, and others who said, 'goodness this is so true to life then'. The difference between those people.... class.
The Catholic Church also showed deference to the upper classes, treating the working class appallingly.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s always interesting to hear different viewpoints on such a rich and layered narrative. Your insights really add depth to the conversation!
Richard Harris, a legend
Thank you for recognizing his talent! Richard Harris was indeed a remarkable artist who inspired so many.
I know personally how those "who think they know the truth" can destroy you.
It's unfortunate how some people can be so set in their ways. Your experience really highlights the importance of understanding and empathy.
I wish to think Richard Harris for his honest opinion on Frank McCourt.
His honest opinion is slander. Really, nothing to be admired.
I grew up in limerick on one of the council estates it was a very deprived existence and I lived all of my life with the shame of coming from a council estate there was and probably it still is very decided between the rich and not well off I did not have a good experience of life there and I have no pride of my so called home county I could writ books on the discrimination I felt there and still feel to this day I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to lt.leave when I was a teenager and create a life for myself unfortunately I had to come back to Ireland to retire but I never want to go back to limerick I have 5 sisters and 3 brothers whom I never see or hear from the family relationships are very strange in Ireland it’s my experience it would say disunited I loved Angela’s ashes it was sad but it’s was real especially if you come from a or family especially in those times those were the the times I lived there and I know about the poverty of that time in limerick to this day I have never recovered from the shame of coming from limerick even though I’m now very well educated and have had a very good life experiences no thanks to the nuns that suppose to have taught me at school best of luck to those who love the city but I don’t have those admirations for it thanks for the video I think the mc courts were great men to survive such a childhood and succeed in their lives in America
Thank you for sharing your story. It’s important to reflect on our experiences and recognize how they shape us. Your resilience is truly inspiring!
My birrh Great-Grandfather from Limerick was a Protestant ane a Marine Engineer orgunally from.Plymouth, England and he did live on the Ennis Road in Limerick.
Thank you for sharing this.
Please look up Gerry Hannon confronting McCourt on The Late Late Show.
That was definitely a memorable moment! Gerry Hannon had some tough questions, and it was great to see that level of confrontation on such a big platform.
It was gold. With Gerry dressed as Kerrygold mascot....
@@MarkL-we8uk he looked like a pound of butter melting under the lights
@@gungagalunga9040 all added to the whole aura of it.
That fool was an inarticulate clown
Richard Harris was a tremendous actor but his opinion is that of a disconnected middle class man who never experienced the Limerick thst McCourt did,Harris was the child of a flour merchant ,A description of Richards childhood home really shows the type of Limerick he experienced,"Overdale was "a tall, elegant, early 19th-century redbrick" house with nine bedrooms, in a wealthy part of Limerick, the houses "built at the turn of the 20th century for Limerick's burgeoning middle class... people who could afford properly grand drawing rooms, a bedroom each for the children and one for the pot, plus space for a few servants"
I’ve never understood the anger people feel towards this book.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s always refreshing to hear different viewpoints on such a powerful book.
Ireland was a third world country up to the mid fifties But of some people esp Irish like bury their heads in the sand
I have lived in other countries and similar situations evolved esp if one of the parents had a drink problem
It’s important to acknowledge the complexities of Ireland’s past and how societal issues can affect families. Thank you for sharing your perspective!
I knew Frank in New York in the 1980s, he was a lovely man, never "ugly." Angela the mother smoked cigaretts with the moeny that might have ben used to feed her children in Limerick, as Frank shows in the book. Hence the book's title.
It's wonderful to hear you share your memories of Frank! The connection between his life experiences and the title really highlights the complexity of his story.
So happy to have come across this..............I am a NY born and bred IIrish Catholic who lived in the NY Catholic Fouldling Hospital for the first three years of my life and I have ALWAYS been able to tell who is full of shite ...... and my instincts, according to Richard Harris, whom I loved, were ALWAYS right in step with Harris when it came to BOTH McCourt's. They REALLY give the Irish a bad name.
Back when it came out I had no desire to read it. What little I knew of Frank McCourt just turned me off. Didn’t need to read more sad tales of Ireland.
I truly appreciate you taking the time to comment and share your thoughts. Your experiences add so much depth to the conversation!
If you're bred in the NY that makes you American,not Irish.
@@darrincassidy9045 Ffs, you Irish who feel the need to point out to every Irish-American that they are not Irish are as tiresome as those Irish-Americans who boast about being 'Irish".
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the movie. A little professional jealously methinks
Thanks for publishing this.
I'm only 3 minutes in and I've had to take a break, "they would use you". Ireland's fortunes are built on that attitude!!
Thank you for your kind words! It really motivates me to create more content for you all.
Richard Harris is wonderful in this interview. Top Class , I recommend it.
The McCourts were very negative people.
If you were brought up with severe poverty would you be all wine and Roses. Harris had a very easy childhood and had plenty opportunities ,so he can't understand the McCourts.
I completely agree! Richard Harris brought so much depth to the interview. His insights were truly captivating!
how do you know this?
You're a negative person and a gossip monger
Anyone recall - there was an animal incineration plant in Limerick, the stench was galactic, Martians noted it - it was for animals bTB/Brucellosis, what was it called? Ironside?
Ward Waste Product
It sounds like you have a vivid memory of that place! The incineration plant was indeed quite notorious for its odor. It's fascinating how some locations can leave such a lasting impression.
Sounds like sour grapes to me. Frank McCourt was an absolutely brilliant writer. And Angela‘s Ashes is pure gold. I’ve read it countless times because it is just an incredible work of art, but never came away thinking anything negative about Limerick. Don’t know what this guy is on about, but all I heard was baseless griping.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s great to hear how much you love "Angela's Ashes." It's a powerful book that has touched so many lives.
Gotta love Harris, no airs and graces about him, a proper Irishman.
Thank you for your kind words! Harris really brings a unique authenticity that many appreciate.
Harris came from a very rich posh background and was Welsh by blood.
@@greatest7391 and youre a knobhead
He spent his life trying to be British. Living in hotels and talking about his home in the Bahamas. He’s a narcissist playing whatever character he needs to
I don't a love a slanderous, petty jerk.