Sean Dooley

Anyone been watching him in "Gunpowder".?

Nasty bugger! I'm going to give him a wide birth in the Ponty in case he finds out I'm catholic.

 

Think I'm safe in the West Stand?

 

Yes. He takes a good part.

 

the guy ( excuse the pun) who plays Catesby is apparently a direct desendent on his mothers side ( Catesby farrington ?)

 

Yeah I heard that this morning. They were interviewing Gatis who plays the King's spymaster.

He plays a good part as well. Talented bloke.

 

Dooley presided over the double execution in last week's episode - the hanging, drawing and quartering of the young priest and then the crushing of the lady of the manor/priest hider. I've not seen Ep 2 yet but the first was very disturbing.

Lots of people complained apparently about the detailed execution scenes - horrific they were, but I thought The Tudors was much more graphic.

It's horrible history, all of it, but it makes very good drama.

 

I've watched 2 and 3 today. Few twists and turns along the way.

Cromwells story would make an interesting drama. He succeeded where they failed, temporarily anyway.

Religion seems to be man's worst ever invention.

 

You're right about that. Incredible how strong a hold it had over people, especially then. The one that disturbed/angered me most was Thomas Cromwell who had been Henry VIII's right hand man for so long but got his head cut off because he wouldn't make a simple statement about his religion. He could have lied about it to save his life, but that was too much. He could have gone on exactly as he had been doing, in private, while publicly saying what needed to be said.

The one certainty about most sides of religion is that there's always the "true" one and the rest are false. I've always declared myself CofE where necessary but, privately, I've never had any time for it - any of it.

PS - I know you are talking about OLIVER Cromwell by the way

 

A bit of artistic licence was taken - the execution of the priest was toned down - he'd had also been emasculated and got to watch his parts and his bowels burnt in front of him
before be finally died. The woman appears to be based on a saint from York - Margaret Clitherow. The rock under her back was to break it.

 

Yup. They lived their religion, and the powers that be used it to keep them in line.

Someone should have just invented "nice and neighbourly" and saved a hell of a lot of wars and distrust.

 

Yes, a standard H/D/Q affair really. Must have been a delightful spectacle for the executions fans.
And yes, same story about the back breaking/crushing that I read not too long ago on a visit to York. I had never heard of Margaret Clitherow but looked her up when I got home. Same "crime", same horrific punishment. I suppose the tragedy is that if people like her had given up their secrets (ie the priests hiding behind the panels of their homes) they would have still been executed for what they did. But it might have been a bit quicker.

 

I'm really glad you mentioned Margaret Clitheroe. I couldn't think where I'd heard of that before.

We visited her house in York on a school trip. Wasn't she tried as a witch?

 

No, just the heinous "crime" of hiding priests
http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/tudor-stuart/margaret-clitherow

 

Just found that. Same crime as Catesbys sister then.

 

It's been a very enjoyable drama so far, I'm looking forwards to the finale next week. Shaun used to post on here, or the old BBS.

 

You can watch episode 3 on demand if you can't wait mate.

 

I've heard he lives in Hemsworth now.

 

What was his handle?

 

Very good actor.

 

Plays a dodgy priest in Jamestown as well.