A WEST Belfast teenager who stars in a new Channel 4 drama television series has spoken of his excitement after its release.
Conlaoch Gough-Cunningham (17), a Coláiste Feirste pupil, is currently starring in Trespasses, a Northern Irish drama television series made for Channel 4 and starring former St Dominic's pupil Lola Petticrew, Tom Cullen and Gillian Anderson.
The drama is based on the novel of the same name by Louise Kennedy and set in the 1970s in the North during The Troubles.
Filming took place in Finaghy, Ballymena and Holywood in November 2024 before broadcasting on Channel 4 on November 9.
Conlaoch, who plays Tommy McGeown in the series, explained more about how he got involved.
"My agency had approached me about the opportunity about a local auditioning process," he said. "I had to go through a number of auditions. It was a very competitive process. I was delighted when I found out I got the role.
"Trespasses is a forbidden love story set in the backdrop of the Troubles but it is not the biggest part of the story.
"The storyline is basically a Protestant barrister who meets up with a Catholic teacher who engage in a forbidden romance.
"I play Tommy, who is the oldest son of the McGeown family, which is a mixed family. The family lives in a Protestant estate but are majority Catholic and that is where Cushla comes in to try and help us out."
Conlaoch says he has been inundated with messages of support following the series' recent release.
"I have never worked on something this big before. I was made to feel so comfortable by all the cast and crew from the very start, especially Lola," he added.
"Since it started on TV recently, the amount of praise I have been getting and messages has been crazy. It means a lot to me.
"I am so excited that people can finally get to see it."
Trespasses is available to watch on Channel 4 here.
