Martin's one of the lads
By Grainne Cunningham
Tuesday Dec 12 2006
IRELAND's best-known mature student Martin Sheen will be taking some of the old country home with him this Christmas - he has picked up the local slang.
IRELAND's best-known mature student Martin Sheen will be taking a little bit of the old country home with him this Christmas - he has picked up the local slang.
Talking about his favourite Irish poet, WB Yeats, he says "I love your man" and he refers to "the lads" just like a regular college student.
But his days behind a desk, at least at NUI Galway, are over after he hands in his last essay. His only problem is knowing when it is finished. "I'm such an old windbag," he said.
The actor, who is an Irish citizen born of a Tipperary mother and a Spanish father, described his semester at the college as an "extraordinary adventure".
He was in Dublin yesterday to promote his latest film, 'Bobby', the star-studded biopic about Robert F Kennedy, which is directed by his actor son Emilio Estevez and which opens here on January 26.
Sheen, known for his role as fictional US President Josiah Bartlett in 'The West Wing' TV series and as Capt Willard in the iconic film 'Apocalypse Now', has been coming to Ireland regularly since 1973 and always had a romantic dream of studying here.
But he admitted yesterday that, as a non-drinker, he didn't imitate the social habits of a typical student. His one outing to a pub for a quiz on movies ended in near disaster when he only knew two of the answers.
However, during his months here, he was struck by the quality of community spirit which endures in Ireland.
"You are a nation community. You still care about each other and that is reflected in your greetings to each other," he said.
Despite his instantly recognisable features, there were a few students who did not recognise the actor, but one of his favourite anecdotes concerns one who obviously did:
"Is it yourself?" the student inquired when he came across Sheen wandering around the campus, apparently lost.
"It is," said Sheen.
"Where is your minder?" the young man demanded.
Sheen said he didn't know what a "minder" was. "Your bodyguard," came the reply. "I don't have one," said the actor.
"More power to you," said the student and off he went.
- Grainne Cunningham
