Some Mother's Son

Between love and loyalty... Between life and death... Lies a choice no mother should have to make.

Based on the true story of the 1981 hunger strike in a British prison, in which IRA prisoner Bobby Sands led a protest against the treatment of IRA prisoners as criminals rather than as prisoners of war. The film focuses on the mothers of two of the strikers, and their struggle to save the lives of their sons.

Helen Mirren

(Kathleen Quigley)

Fionnula Flanagan

(Annie Higgins)

Aidan Gillen

(Gerard Quigley)

David O'Hara

(Frank Higgins)

John Lynch

(Bobby Sands)

Tom Hollander

(Farnsworth)

Tim Woodward

(Harrington)

Ciarán Hinds

(Danny Boyle)

Geraldine O'Rawe

(Alice Quigley)

Gerard McSorley

(Father Daly)

Dan Gordon

(Inspector McPeake)

Grainne Delany

(Theresa Higgins)

Ciarán Fitzgerald

(Liam Quigley)

Robert Lang

(Government Minister)

Stephen Hogan

(Young Turk)

Peter Howitt

(SAS Leader)

Bosco Hogan

(British Captain)

Jimmy Keogh

(Jimmy Higgins)

John Kavanagh

(Cardinal)

Oliver Maguire

(Frank Maguire)

Doreen Keogh

(Mother Superior)

Anna Megan

(Rosie Quigley)

Hugh O'Donnell

(Paddy)

John Higgins

(John Deegan)

Joan Sheehy

(Woman Searcher #1)

Mal Whyte

(Barrister)

Alan Barry

(Judge)

Barry Cassin

(Prosecutor)

Brian Mallon

(Prison Officer Jones)

Sean Lawlor

(Platoon Leader)

Michael Sherrie

(Assistant Governor)

James Hickey

(Young Son)

Karen Carlisle

(Prisoner's Girlfriend)

Fiona Higgins

(Prisoner's Sister)

Jer O'Leary

(Hunger Striker #1)

Tim McDonnell

(Hunger Striker #2)

Tony Flynn

(Cyclist)

Liam Byrne

(Prisoner Murphy)

Pat Mulryan

(IRA Man #1)

Valerie Roe

(Girl in Farnsworth's Office)

Deirdre McAliskey

(Woman in Court)

Michael O'Sullivan

(Prison Officer Davis)

Jennifer Gibney

(Woman Searcher #2)

Robert Taylor

(Election Agent)

Kate Perry

(Prison Officer's Widow)

Anthony Brophy

(Prisoner's Leader)

Mickey McEneaney

(Merry Mac)

Patrick McEneaney

(Merry Mac)

Gene Berrills

(Merry Mac)

Ronan O'Donoghue

(Radio Announcer)

Richard Neilson

(Radio Announcer)

Richard Butler

(MP (uncredited))