6 things you didn’t know about Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse Ronan - star of Mary, Queen of Scots
Saoirse Ronan - REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Saoirse Ronan is one of Hollywood's most talented young actresses. We discover a few interesting facts about the star, including her love for New Zealand.

Ever since she burst onto the scene in films such as The Lovely Bones and Atonement, Saoirse Ronan has been a name to watch. Here are some facts about the 28-year-old Irish-American actor you may not know.

Things you didn’t know about Saoirse Ronan

  1. ‘Saoirse’ is a traditional Irish name meaning ‘freedom’ or ‘liberty’. Pronounced ‘Seersha’ or ‘Sirsha’, it is now gaining popularity outside Ireland, alongside other traditional Irish monikers such as Neve, Ciara, Maeve and Siobhan.
  2. She was just 12 and a big-screen newcomer when she was nominated for her first Academy Award. As the troublesome younger sister of Keira Knightley, she shone in Atonement, alongside Knightley, James McAvoy and Vanessa Redgrave. She has now notched up four Oscar nominations, including for Brooklyn, Lady Bird and Little Women.
  3. Ronan’s favourite charity is the ISPCC – the Irish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children. She has publicly supported the charity for several years and also appeared in a TV commercial – “Every child has a right”.
  4. Her most-treasured stamp in her passport is New Zealand – director Peter Jackson filmed some of the scenes for The Lovely Bones in Wairarapa. Ronan also attended the New Zealand premiere of the film at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington in 2009.
  5. Her good mate, songwriter Ed Sheeran has a tattoo of Ronan’s writing on his arm, done during the film clip of his song Galway Girl, in which Ronan appears.
  6. She teamed up with the Irish food board, Bord Bia to promote Origin Green, Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme. This brought together Ireland’s farmers and food manufacturers with the common goal of sustainable food production. “This land belongs not to us, but to the ones who come after. There is much more to be done – we need to embark on a journey with sustainability as its destination,” says this environmentally-minded actor.

Watch: Five minutes with Saoirse Ronan

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