BBC and RTÉ double down on Avalon’s Dublin Trilogy adaptation

BBC Northern Ireland and RTÉ have jointly ordered two series of Avalon’s Dublin Trilogy adaptation, which has been in the works for several years.

It emerged in 2021 that Chris Addison, one of the creators of Sky and FX’s Breeders, would adapt Caimh McDonnell’s eight-strong series of darkly comic crime novels, tying once again with Breeders indie Avalon. At the time there were no broadcasters attached.

It has now emerged that two 6 x 60-minute series have been commissioned by the PSBs, called Tall Tales & Murder. Addison will serve as director and executive producer, while Stuart Carolan – the creator of five series of RTÉ’s hit crime drama Love/Hate and story producer and writer on Netflix’s 2024 smash The Gentlemen – will serve as writer and exec producer.

The series will be produced in association with Ireland-based Metropolitan Pictures and Screen Ireland.

The first novel in the set, A Man With One of Those Faces, is set around Dublin’s local police agency the Garda and follows a case of mistaken identity in which a man is sent on the run with help from a group of unlikely friends.

Tall Tales & Murder will star Ella Lily Hyland (Black Doves), Aidan Gillen (Love/Hate), Philippa Dunne (Amandaland) and Packy Lee (Peaky Blinders) in the lead roles.

Addison, who has directed on HBO hit Veep, said: “I’m frankly giddy with delight to get to team up with the twisted and highly original mind of Stuart Carolan to create this show.

“We’ve taken Caimh’s wonderful novel as a jumping off point and ended up with what I like to think of as a dark and delicious screwball drama.”

The series were ordered by RTÉ’s head of drama David Crean and director of acquisitions & co-productions Dermot Horan alongside BBC NI’s head of content commissioning Eddie Doyle and commissioning editor Jason Butler.

Joining Addison and Carolan as exec producers are Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett and Jon Thoday for Avalon, with David McLoughlin and Catherine Tiernan for Metropolitan Pictures.

The series producer is Caroline Norris, the producer is Gemma O’Shaughnessy and Addison will direct with Neasa Hardiman.

Doyle said: “Tall Tales & Murder is storytelling at its darkest, funniest and most surreal. We’re looking forward to bringing audiences with us on this wild and thrilling ride from Stuart Carolan and Chris Addison, masters of their craft.”

Aslett added: “We are delighted to be working with RTÉ, BBC and Screen Ireland and backing the very best contemporary Irish talent.

“Stuart’s brilliant scripts have created a wildly original crime drama that shines a light on a modern Ireland and we can’t wait to bring this show to life.”

The first series is set to land next year and will be distributed by Avalon.