Red Rock is an Irish soap opera, set in the fictional seaside town of Red Rock, that aired on Virgin Media One from 2015 to 2020. Focusing on the activities of the detectives of the local Garda Síochána station and townsfolk, three series of the programme were broadcast, concluding just over five years from the date of its debut, on January 8, 2020.
The series featured an ensemble cast of recognisable Irish talent, including Richard Flood, Conor Mullen, Jane McGrath and Cathy Belton, and was filmed on location in Dublin, including studios based at the old John Player Factory, as well as Howth and Dún Laoghaire. The series was partly funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, from the Sound and Vision Fund.
A total of 117 episodes were broadcast. Internationally, the series broadcast to viewers in the UK on BBC One daytime from 2016, and across the pond on Amazon Prime to viewers in the United States from 2017. Notably, American viewers received the broadcast of episodes towards' the end of the series run before anywhere else in the world.
Broadcast The series was broadcast as part of TV3's prime-time schedule, initially airing on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8:30pm. Upon commission, the channel revealed that forty weeks worth of episodes had been slated, to air right through until December of that year, with a mid-series break. From September 2016, the series received a major overhaul, with the theme tune being replaced and episodes extended to double length, with only one episode broadcast per week. The series was also moved to 9:00pm on Mondays to allow for story lines and scenes to be grittier, as the series would be post-watershed. A special double episode, commemorating two years on air, was broadcast on 9 January 2017.
In Ireland, the first episode pulled in an average viewership of 0.32m. Despite a brief slump in ratings, it grew to become TV3's most popular show, with repeats of the first series airing during the summer hiatus due to viewer demand. In January 2017, it was suggested the series could be axed due to falling viewing figures, but a TV3 representative stated that figures have been "increasing at a steady pace", and confirmed further episodes had since been commissioned.
Internationally, the series is broadcast on BBC One in the UK (during Doctors summer break, (except Episodes 8–30, as they were broadcast on BBC Two as Rio 2016 was broadcast on BBC One, and Episodes 36 and 37 in the last series on respectively 30 March and 31 March 2020 because London Kills was broadcast on BBC One), and in North America and in New Zealand, the series is available for download via Amazon Prime. The first episode to be broadcast on the BBC drew viewing figures upwards of 1.1 million, bringing the total of Episode One to 1.42m, and received positive reviews from viewers and critics alike.
Cancellation In August 2017, the series was placed on hiatus by TV3 due to the lease on the current set expiring, and the production having to be moved to a newly built set. This subsequently resulted in the second half of the third series, which was due to air from September 2017, being delayed until 2018. TV3 director of programming Bill Malone also stated that the viewing figures for these episodes would ultimately decide on the series' long-term future.
At the time of hiatus, a further twenty-three episodes were confirmed to have been filmed. It was also reported that despite it being publicised as a hiatus, production on the series had actually ceased, with props and sets being sold off at public auction. It was later reported that a further two episodes would be filmed in the autumn of that year, with an insider disclosing to The Herald; "Twenty-three episodes for next year are already shot and in the can. But what isn't generally known is that two more episodes are being made which will be shot late this year." However, despite this, only twenty-three episodes were slated for broadcast, suggesting these episodes were never actually filmed.
Thirteen of the remaining twenty-three episodes aired on TV3 from January 2018, while eight of the remaining ten episodes were premiered exclusively via Amazon Prime in the United States on the date of the mid-season finale, 23 April 2018. These eight episodes were broadcast on TV3, by then rebranded as Virgin Media One, from February 2019. The final two episodes, filmed in October 2017, were broadcast on 6 and 8 January 2020, respectively.
Cast Main characters Gardaí Richard Flood as Garda Superintendent James McKay (Series 1) Conor Mullen as Garda Superintendent Kevin Dunne (Series 2–3) Jane McGrath as Garda/Detective Sharon Cleere (Series 1–3.1, 3.3) Patrick Ryan as Garda Paudge Brennan (Series 1–3) David Crowley as Garda Sean Holden (Series 1–3) Boyko Krastanov as Garda Adrijan Kosos (Series 1–2.1) Leah Minto as Garda Ash Cahill (Series 3) Sean Mahon as Garda Sergeant Brian McGonigle (Series 1–2.1) Andrea Irvine as Garda Sergeant/Detective Sergeant Angela Tyrell (Series 1–3) Paul Hickey as Garda Sergeant Johno O'Riordan (Series 2.2—3) Valerie O'Connor as Garda Detective Inspector Nikki Grogan (Series 1–2) Chris Newman as Garda Detective Rory Walsh (Series 1–3) Carol O'Reilly as Detective's Clerk Linda McNulty (Series 3)
Townsfolk Cathy Belton as Patricia Hennessy (Series 1–3) Adam Weafer as David Hennessy (Series 1–3) Jack Nolan as Michael Hennessy (Series 1–3.1) Pandora McCormick as Claire Hennessy (Series 1–3.1) Paul Roe as Vincent Kiely (Series 1–3) Denise McCormack as Bridget Kiely (Series 1–3) Stephen Cromwell as Keith Kiely (Series 1–3) India Mullen as Katie Kiely (Series 1–2) Anthony Brophy as Liam Reid (Series 1–2) Róisín O'Donovan as Niamh Reid (Series 1–3) Ann Skelly as Rachel Reid (Series 1–3) Liam Carney as Tommy Tyrell (Series 1–3.1) Darragh O'Toole as Connor Tyrell (Series 1–3.2) Mary Conroy as Alice Bruton (Series 2.2—3)
Recurring characters Darren Cahill as Davey Webb (Series 1–2.1) Andy Kellegher as Brendan "Beady" Burke (Series 1–2.1) Stephen Jones as Francis "Laser" Byrne (Series 1–3.1) Lorna Meade as Aoife Burke (Series 1–3.2) Brid McCarthy as Maggie Brennan (Series 1–3) Melanie McHugh as Jules McGonigle (Series 2) Shauna Higgins as Melanie McGonigle (Series 1–2) Sarah Jane Seymour as Siobhán Reilly (Series 1–2) Jonathan Byrne as Joe Fallon (Series 2.1) Natalia Cooper as Irena Bajorek (Series 2.1, 3.2—3.3) Maghnús Foy as Robbie Scanlon (Series 2.2—3.1) Ronan Graham as Mick Moran (Series 2–3) Brian Roche as Little Barry (Series 3) Barry O'Connor as Tom Callaghan (Series 3) Joe Gallagher as Eugene Casey (Series 3) Fiona Hewitt-Twamley as Allis Scanlon (Series 3.1) Patrick Bergin as Jim Tierney (Series 3.1)
Plot
Series 1 (2015) The Kielys and the Hennessys Darren Kiely is found badly beaten on Red Rock Pier; he later dies from his injuries. This brings absent mother Bridget Kiely back into the lives of her children Katie and Keith, and husband Vincent. Michael Hennessy is the lead suspect for the assault; this re-ignites a feud between the Kielys and the Hennessys. To make the situation more complicated Michael's brother David is in a relationship with Katie, something he keeps secret from his solicitor sister Claire and overbearing mother Patricia.
Soon after Bridget comes home, she discovers a box of cash hidden in Darren's room. She keeps quiet about the cash and spends most of it. It is soon revealed that this cash was blackmail money Darren was receiving from David to keep his relationship with Katie secret. Darren was demanding more and more money, causing an angry confrontation between Darren and the Hennessy brothers which resulted in his death. A bitter and angry Michael revealed this to Katie who quickly ended the relationship and reported David's involvement with Darren's death to the gardaí.
David is eventually cleared of all charges due to lack of evidence; he was just about to move on with his life when Katie tells him that she is pregnant and he's the father. They plan to travel to England for an abortion, funded and encouraged by Patricia but Vincent and Bridget think she should keep the baby. As series one ends we see Katie trying to decide whether she should get on the plane or not.
Sharon Cleere and Brian McGonigle Garda Sharon Cleere is new to Red Rock garda station. Not long into investigating what happened the night Darren Kiely died she is scanning CCTV footage for the suspect when she sees Sergeant Brian McGonigle in a car kissing a teenage girl in a school uniform. Shocked and disgusted, she takes a copy of the footage and shows it to her partner, Garda Paudge Brennan. Paudge advises her to forget about it and leave it alone. Sharon decides to show the footage to Brian, telling him that an anonymous woman dropped it in. Brian explains that it was just a misunderstanding, thanks Sharon and keeps the footage.
Sharon discovers that the girl is 15 (underage), her name is Rachel, she is friends with Brian's daughter Mel and her father, Liam, who owns the Neptune Café, is a friend of Brian. When Sharon sees Brian with Rachel again she confronts him, Brian gets physically threatening and tells her to back off. Sharon then approaches Rachel and appeals for her to tell somebody about Brian. Rachel denies everything and tells Brian about Sharon. Brian arranges to have Sharon beaten badly while on a call to a break-in at a warehouse, while making it look like he saved her.
Sharon comes back to work despite Brian's efforts. He encourages her to apply for a transfer and when she refuses he begins to bully her at every opportunity while making her look incompetent at her work. This all gets to be too much for Sharon, who lashes out and attacks Brian. When questioned by Superintendent James McKay Sharon breaks down and tells him everything. That's when McKay reveals that Brian has already spoken to him, telling him that Sharon has been harassing him ever since she came on to him and he turned her down and that she'll accuse him of having an affair with an underage girl. Brian's lies cast doubt on everything Sharon says and she becomes an outcast in the station.
Despite the lack of evidence Rachel's father Liam and her sister Niamh are made aware of Sharon's accusations and Rachel is questioned; she denies everything but Liam believes she is lying. As the pressure to tell the truth builds up Rachel becomes distraught and runs away. For several days nobody knows where Rachel is until she makes contact with Brian, who finds her hiding out in a caravan park. She wants to run away with him but instead Brian ends his relationship with Rachel and tells her to go back home. She agrees and Brian leaves.
The next day Rachel still hasn't returned, she becomes suicidal and starts taking sleeping pills mixed with vodka. Doped and nearly dead she calls Brian, who panics and asks for the afternoon off. Sharon and Paudge get wind of this and suspect he knows where Rachel is and decide to follow him. Sharon turns on the GPS on Paudge's phone and glues it to Brian's car. Brian gets to the caravan park where he finds Rachel unconscious; he decides to call for an ambulance but then changes his mind. Sharon and Paudge have tracked Brian to the caravan park and go searching the caravans. As Brian tries to sneak off Sharon catches him and eventually cuffs and arrests him. She finds Rachel and calls an ambulance. McKay and several other Red Rock gardaí arrive on the scene shocked to discover the truth about Brian.
Rachel survives her suicide attempt but is still denying she was in a relationship with Brian. As she is being questioned Brian arrives at the station; he pleads his case to McKay who eventually punches him and sends him to the cells. After talking to Sharon about how Brian was about to let her die, Rachel is convinced to tell the truth about her sexual relationship with Brian.
Paudge Brennan