It's been amusing watching overseas publications try to explain the phenomena of the Irish showband as they muse upon news of an upcoming film on the subject starring Liam Neeson. Based on a script by Barry Devlin, member of the cracking Horslips, The Virgin of Las Vegaswill see Neeson playing an aging showband hack boozing his way to oblivion in the titular Nevada hellhole. Bono will take a production credit.

After announcing the news at the Venice Film Festival, Parallel Pictures’ reps went on to reveal that Brendan Gleeson will direct an adaption of Flann O’Brien’s imperishable

At Swim-Two-Birds

. Colin Farrell, Cillian Murphy and Gabriel Byrne are currently “attached” to this indecently promising project. Reports of Uncle Tom Cobley’s involvement remain unconfirmed.