This Is the Sea

This Is the Sea is an Irish film, released in 1997, directed and written by Mary McGuckian and produced by Michael Garland. It is a romance film, focusing on the relationship between the character Hazel Stokes, played by Samantha Morton, and Malachy McAliskey, played by Ross McDade. The two lovers live in Northern Ireland. Stokes is a Protestant, while McAliskey is Catholic. Their relationship is complicated by the spying of Stokes' brother Jef, played by Marc O'Shea, and by the attempts of Rohan, played by Gabriel Byrne, to recruit McAliskey into the Republican movement. The film also stars Richard Harris as Old Man Jacobs, an ally to the couple. The film's title comes from the song "This Is the Sea" from the 1985 music album This Is the Sea, by the folk-rock band The Waterboys. The film's soundtrack uses seven different Waterboys songs. Mike Scott, The Waterboys' lead singer, shares music credits for the film with singer Brian Kennedy. Des Whelan is credited as Director of Photography.