Clint Eastwood wants Ireland to go ahead and make his day

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Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood wants to make a movie in Ireland and pay homage to his Irish roots.

The actor and producer has told the Irish Sun newspaper that the ‘best parts’ of him are Irish.

Proud of his Monaghan roots, Eastwood revealed that he has spent many holidays in his mother Margaret Ruth’s homeland.

And the 81-year-old has confirmed that his biggest ambition before retirement is to make a movie in Ireland.

Eastwood told the Irish Sun: “I’d love to make a movie in Ireland sometime.

The best part of me is the Irish part, Egans on my mother’s side.

“She had roots in Monaghan and I’ve been there many times. It’s one of my favourite places to golf.”

Recipient of the first John Ford award by the Irish Film and Television Academy at a special ceremony in Los Angeles last year, Eastwood is keen to return to Ireland.

He also plans to visit soon to attend the John Ford symposium.
Eastwood added: “John Ford was a pioneer and I was a huge admirer of his Westerns. I grew up on all that and it definitely influenced me.

“It’s a great privilege for me to be associated with John Ford in this way, as he was such a pioneer of American film-making.

“Every film-maker I know is very influenced by Ford, whether it’s his westerns or the Grapes Of Wrath.

“When I worked with Sergio Leone he often talked about Ford’s influence on him. I’m sure he would have persecuted me like he did many of his other actors, but I would have been able to take it.”
Promoting his new movie “Trouble With the Curve”, Eastwood says his career is still developing.

He said: “I’m always learning something new and that’s why every film is a challenge for me. I like working. I thrive on it, so it’s fun for me.

“A lot of people ask me about retiring and seem to have thought about it a lot for me.

“I was always curious why somebody like Billy Wilder would stop directing in his 60s, or not be considered hireable in his 60s.

“Then you have people like John Huston who was actually directing The Dead aged 80 - in a wheelchair in Ireland with an oxygen tank beside him.

“Some people just have a different time in their life when they peak.”

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