With Ireland riding on the crest of a cinematic wave, Hollywood heavyweight Colm Meaney features in the ultimate sequel – Paddy’s 2023 Cheltenham Festival advert!
Saddling up to walk the line of sporting rivalry between Ireland and Great Britain, Colm comes face-to-face with ex-England International Peter Crouch at the gates of the hallowed racetrack in our latest tv ad/Oscar nominee which you can see in full below.
Ireland v the U.K at Cheltenham. It’s time to settle this turf war once and for all…
18+ BeGambleAware #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/sW8sbheUNy
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) February 24, 2023
The Gangs of London actor is seen disembarking from a bus packed full of fellow Irish racegoers – including RTE racing pundit and former jockey Jane Mangan – when he runs straight into ‘the opposition,’ led by Crouchy.
Colm is a larger-than-life actor, so we knew we needed someone of equal stature to take him on in our ad.
Crouchy was the only one who could possibly measure up.
If we’re honest, nobody really knows how ‘Barry’ ended up in there. We think he just wandered onto set and got caught up in the heat of the moment when he heard Colm firing insults at the big man.
Crouchy, his leading lady Abbey and ‘Barry’, AKA Shaun Williamson, and the squad of British racing fans soon get stuck into ‘the visitors’, with the big man the first to strike.
“Oi, Oi. Didn’t think you lads would turn up this year,” he smirks.
Meaney kicks back inferring that everyone knows Cheltenham is Ireland’s ‘patch.’
But ‘Barry’ intervenes: “You’ve been punching above your weight for too long.”
Abbey cheekily chimes in that she’s been saying the same thing about her hubby Peter for years.
As the exchange cranks up a gear, Meaney returns, claiming the last time the home side had more winners at Cheltenham they “still had an economy.”
The mudslinging continues apace when Crouchy brings up the sore point of Ireland’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and Barry alleges St Patrick was Welsh.
The Irish retort sets a gear change in motion when someone in the background yells, “At least he wasn’t English!”
Soon, labels like “penalty chokers,” “stew eaters” and “queue lovers” are traded as both sides discharge a volley of ridiculous insults back and forth.
But an incensed ‘Barry’ crosses the line when he levels Meaney and co., roaring an insult from which there is almost no recovery: “Tayto munchers!”
He realises he has taken the name of a hallowed Irish national treasure in vain when everything comes to a jarring halt.
An incredulous Meaney replies: “We’re just having a bit of craic!”
The awkward exchange is quickly swept to one side and when embarrassed Crouch insists he apologise.
With bridges seemingly mended, a hapless ‘Barry’ puts his foot it in once more for his mob when Meaney remarks that he looked a bit “nervous” earlier.
Much like a certain member of the some famous family we’re all aware of, he arrogantly claims that it is “physically impossible” for him to sweat.
The ad concludes with Crouchy and Meaney standing shoulder-to-shoulder (well, sort of!) as they push their way through the turnstiles to attend the greatest four-days of horse racing action on the calendar, which kicks off on Tuesday March 14th.
READ MORE
- Cheltenham Tips: Rory Delargy’s 12/1 fancy for the Gold Cup non runner no bet
- Cheltenham Tips: Ruby Walsh’s Gold Cup preview for the Festival
- Cheltenham Tips: Mick Fitzgerald’s best non-runner money back Festival picks
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