Автор: Sarrah Le Marquand

It's a scenario many an Australian actor can relate to—after years of taking on well-paid roles in Hollywood, the opportunity to make a film back in your homeland arises.

So it was for Cillian Murphy—who, after starring in popcorn outings such as Red Eye and Batman Begins—was offered back-to-back projects in his native Ireland.

First came Breakfast on Pluto with director Neil Jordan, followed by The Wind That Shakes the Barley, a confronting civil war drama directed by acclaimed British filmmaker Ken Loach.

Even better, the latter project was shot in Cork, the "rebel county" in Ireland's south where the 30-year-old was born and raised.

"I got to live at home and stayed in my old room," Murphy says.

"It was a lovely summer, my wife came over—it was quite blissful in terms of a filming experience."

But it wasn't only Cork's local boy made good who enjoyed the perks of the location.

As is Loach's custom, everyone in the community was encouraged to be involved, with townfolk signed up as extras and local musicians featured in the background throughout the film.

Yet even Loach has admitted to being surprised at the strong sentiment that still lingers in Cork concerning the issues in The Wind That Shakes the Barley, which explores the internal conflict that broke out between Irish rebels following the signing of a controversial peace treaty with the British in the 1920s.

"I don't come from a very politicised family, but I do know families that had people involved in that struggle and there were families that were split by it," says Murphy.

"Civil war leaves an indelible mark on any nation and this only happened two generations ago. Although it's not obvious, it's just there in your DNA."