Patrick Bergin

Patrick Connolly Bergin (born 4 February 1951) is an Irish actor and singer. In 1991, he starred opposite Julia Roberts in Sleeping with the Enemy and played the title character in Robin Hood. His other roles include terrorist Kevin O'Donnell in Patriot Games and the villainous Aidan Maguire in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2017–2018).

Early life Bergin was born in Dublin, where he grew up in Drimnagh. His father, Paddy Bergin, was a Labour Party politician who once studied to be a priest with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Blackrock, Ireland. He left Dublin for London in 1973,

Career In 1980, Bergin decided to pursue acting full-time and found work in repertory theatre. He played the explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton in Mountains of the Moon (1990) and followed this with diverse acting roles, including a trilogy of Yeats plays; Morphine and Dolly Mixtures, for which he won a BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Actor; Durango, based on John B Keane's novel; hosting TnaG's Suilín Draíochta; and narrating Patrick Cassidy's Famine Remembrance.

Bergin is also known for his role as Irish terrorist Kevin O'Donnell in the film adaptation of Tom Clancy's Patriot Games (1992). He described 1996 as the lowest point in his career, a time when he rarely received any calls for film roles. departing in March 2018.

Music Bergin leads the band Patrick Bergin and the Spirit Merchants. They had a top 10 hit in Ireland with their song "The Knacker", released in 2003, which tells the story of a person who recycles horse carcasses and turns them into glue. As a singer, Bergin collaborated with Vlad DeBriansky and appeared on his album Jacks Last Dollar. He also appeared in the video of DJ Steve Mac's song "Paddy's Revenge".

Bergin was onstage singing the Leonard Cohen song "Anthem" as Pope Francis, on his visit to Ireland, arrived in Croke Park for the Festival of Families as part of the World Meeting of Families 2018.

Charity work In 1993, Bergin bought an old church in County Tipperary and converted it into a poetry centre. He explained: "I've recently come to feel I can encourage children and teenagers with their writing.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 1989 AACTA Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Mini Series Act of Betrayal 1992 BAFTA Cymru Best Actor (Yr Actor Gorau) Screen Two Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor Sleeping with the Enemy 2018 International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema Best Supporting Actor Train Set Madrid International Film Festival