Actor-director John Connors says he wants Conor McGregor to star in movie

McGregor attended this week the Irish premiere of Connors’ new movie, The Black Guelph, which he hosted in his own Dublin pub The Black Forge.

The powerful film, which is actor Connors first to direct, is set in Dublin’s underworld and depicts drug dealing, homelessness and a victim of a paedophile ring.

“Conor was sitting next to me at the showing and he really liked the film,” said John.

“I’d love to work with him, I think he’s a star. I think there’s a lot more to him as an actor than we saw in Roadhouse. I was a big fan of Roadhouse, particularly him, because he was that real ’80s’ machoistic action star, Arnie kind of Sly (Stallone) type of star. But I’d love to see him do something a bit different.”

He adds there’s several projects he could get McGregor to co-work with him on.

“I’m definitely into doing something about MMA or boxing, as boxing is a sport that I grew up with. I’d definitely want to portray some of those full-time fighters for sure, and who better than do to it but McGregor.”

Connors first shot to fame as the killer of Nidge in Love/Hate, and in his new movie he pays tribute to the late Stephen Clinch, a co-star from that legendary TV series and who features in The Black Guelph.

“Stephen was one of my best friends of all time,” reflects John. “He died two years ago in May just gone. Once we finished the editing we got the news. I felt like I had to do something as a tribute to him. He plays a small role but he’s brilliant in it.

”

With two corrupt Guards being centre to the storyline, as well as a Garda Sergeant who turns out to be a paedophile, Connors confirms there can be some dark elements to the force, but also good.

“Well you don’t have to be a gangster to be a gangster, some of our greatest gangsters are in suits. There are some gangsters higher up than even in the Guards,” he insists.

The film also depicts both sexual and physical abuse by priest and a brother in the Catholic Church.

​ He explains the background to the name of the film.

“The Black Guelph were a group of militants that protected the Pope in ancient Rome, but wanted the Pope to run all the matters of society including economics. It was really like a dictatorship of the Pope. Essentially we are saying is Ireland the state was the Black Guelph.

• The film is available online on www.Morphed.tv, and if you use the code UpIreland you can get it for half price for €6.50