FP Talk / Producing Swing Bout with Sinéad O'Riordan

---

At Fishpond, we always want to help you to continuously learn and grow as an artist, and every month, we invite you to listen in (and contribute) to inspiring and enlightening industry conversations. You can always choose to attend live over Zoom, or watch back afterwards in your Video Library. 

Date: Wednesday 2nd July 
Time: 3pm
Duration: Approx 40 mins
Click here to join the conversation



For our next conversation, we'll be talking to Sinéad O'Riordan from ORion Productions. Sinéad recently produced the award-winning feature film Swing Bout (2024), as well as taking on the crucial role of Emma. She'll be joining us to discuss the challenges and rewards of wearing many creative hats on a project, so if you're an actor who is interested in producing, she'll have lots to share. 

Sinéad led the casting of Swing Bout (with the help of Fishpond) alongside director Maurice O'Carroll, so we'll also be discussing what she's learned from being on both sides of the casting process over the years, and audition advice for actors. 

Watch the trailer for Swing Bout here and read more about the film and Sinéad's work below.

This talk will be followed by a short Q&A, so be sure to tune in and have your questions at the ready, and make the most of this opportunity to connect with Sinéad. We're always rooting for you and we're here to help you stay in control of your career.



More on Sinéad

Sinéad O'Riordan is an actress, producer, and founder of ORion Productions. She holds an Honours Degree in Electronic Engineering, an Associate Recital Diploma from LAMDA, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Producing from Screen Ireland.

A commanding presence in Irish film and television, Sinéad is celebrated for her layered performances, fearless character work, and creative vision behind the camera. In 2024, she made a powerful impact with her first leading role in the Irish feature film Swing Bout (which she also produced), portraying a conniving, morally ambiguous boxing coach.

The performance was widely praised for its intensity, nuance, and magnetism. Her dual contribution, both on-screen and behind the scenes, earned her a prestigious Discovery Award nomination at the Dublin International Film Festival (2024). The Guardian described her as “particularly good as a dodgy coach,” while FM104’s Andy McCarroll called her “absolutely fantastic."

Donald Clarke of The Irish Times commended her commanding presence as the hard-nosed manager and lauded her no-nonsense capability in bringing the film to life and noted that “[O’Riordan] swaggers impressively as the unyielding manager,” praising her “gift of getting stuff done.” Clarke also observed, “There is a sense of thrust and agitation to her manner that suggests a person not happy to let problems slide,” underscoring O’Riordan’s grit and resilience both on-screen and behind the scenes.

Most recently, Sinéad played the lead role of Noreen in the short film The Forest Dreams of the Past (Ybira Productions), which is currently in post-production. Her other notable credits include the multi-award-winning series The Dry (Element Pictures), Curers (Northern Ireland Screen), and Sucking Diesel (Amazon Prime).

As a producer, Sinéad co-produced the Puttnam Award-winning short WIRELESS, which screened at OSCAR® and BAFTA-qualifying festivals and is currently featured on Aer Lingus Inflight Entertainment. She also produced the Screen Ireland-funded short Conversations with My Dead Father, which won Best in Cork at the Fastnet Film Festival 2022.

In addition to her creative work, Sinéad has served as an EPK Producer on major productions for Netflix and Apple TV+, including LIFT (Kevin Hart) and SWAGGER (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), among others.

Theatre credits as both actor and producer include the highly acclaimed productions of The Motherf*cker with the Hat, Breathless, and The Woolgatherer—all of which received widespread critical praise.

The Story of Swing Bout

Swing Bout is a 2024 electrifying crime thriller set backstage at a major boxing event, tracing Toni Gale's tumultuous journey from the dressing room to her ring walk in a single night of deceit, betrayal, and life-altering decisions. Toni, like most boxers at the beginning of their fight career, has dreams of becoming a world champion. But on fight night—under the bright lights, with a chance to perform on a major televised card, reality hits hard.

Toni finds herself bankrupt in confidence and even lower on cash. She becomes entangled in a web of corruption spun by her promoters, the Casey Brothers. Alongside her conniving coach, they tempt her to take a dive against a hot prospect (Vicious Vicki) with underworld ties, in exchange for a lucrative payoff. As tensions mount in the dressing room, Toni wrestles with her conscience, forced to navigate shifting loyalties and moral compromise—all unfolding in the high-stakes, claustrophobic world behind the scenes, where the boxing ring remains unseen.

Written and directed by Maurice O’Carroll and produced by Sinead O’Riordan, the film stars Ciara Berkeley, Chrissie Cronin, Sinead O'Riordan, Ben Condron, and Frank Prendergast, Megan Haly, Niamh Cremin, Johnny Elliott, Ger Kearney, John Connors, Eddie Jackson, Ruth Hayes, Carol O Reilly, Cora Fenton, William Morgan, Eugene D'Arcy, Marie Delaney. Cinematography was done by Mark O'Rourke.

Swing Bout has earned acclaim for its bold reimagining of the boxing genre and the way it subverts traditional boxing movie tropes. Rather than centring on in-ring action, Swing Bout takes a strikingly different approach—it keeps the cameras backstage. The film focuses instead on the tense psychological build-up, moral dilemmas, and emotional stakes leading up to a televised swing bout, offering a fresh and deeply human perspective on what it truly means to fight.

Critics have praised the film’s authenticity, performances and sharp, focused script. The Guardian described it as “a gritty underdog tale” that punches above its weight, driven by powerful performances and an intense climax. The review also highlights Chrissie Cronin, calling her “an excellent Chrissie Cronin,” and commending the depth she brings to her role. The Irish Examiner describes Berkeley as "excellent," noting she "combines a superb physical performance as the razor-sharp young boxer with a more nuanced psychological approach"

Maurice O’Carroll has received specific praise for both his writing and direction in reviews of Swing Bout. The Irish Examiner describes his direction as delivering "a clear-eyed and unsentimental account of one woman's bitter experience of the sweet science," and highlighting the film’s spare, no-frills approach that matches the stripped-back nature of boxing itself. It has also been widely applauded for its originality, strong performances, gripping atmosphere, sound design, cinematography, and a spine-tingling original score by Bryan Pepper.

Donald Clarke of The Irish Times  commended Sinead's commanding presence as the hard-nosed manager and lauded her no-nonsense capability in bringing the film to life and noting that “[O’Riordan] swaggers impressively as the unyielding manager,” praising her “gift of getting stuff done.” Clarke also observed, “There is a sense of thrust and agitation to her manner that suggests a person not happy to let problems slide,” underscoring O’Riordan’s grit and resilience both on-screen and behind the scenes.

Swing Bout premiered at the Dublin International Film Festival in 2024, received numerous nominations at the Oldenburg International Film Festival and won Best Picture at the 2024 Paladino d’Oro Sport Film Festival, enjoyed a four-week independent cinema run, and is now streaming on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and YouTube Movies.

Given its minimal budget, it's been termed a "gutsy, authentic debut" and considered by many as a standout indie sports thriller and continues to go from strength to strength as a truly unique Irish independent film.