‘When The Sky Falls’: LMN Movie Based On True Story Of Irish Journalist Veronica Guerin, Who Was Victim Of Fatal Shooting In 1996


When The Sky Falls is an older true-story movie that is making its debut on the Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) channel this weekend. When The Sky Falls first aired on June 16, 2000. It is factually based on the fatal shooting of Irish investigative journalist Veronica Guerin. When The Sky Falls is directed by John Mackenzie and was written by Guy Andrews and Ronan Gallagher. The cast stars Joan Allen as Sinead Hamilton, Liam Cunningham as John Cosgrave, Patrick Bergin as Mackey, Jimmy Smallhorne as Mickey O’Fagan, Karl Argue as Smokey/Teenager, Gerard Mannix Flynn as Dave Hackett, Karl Argue as Smokey, and Kevin McNally as Tom Hamilton.

When The Sky Falls follows the life of a gutsy Irish reporter who goes deep into Dublin’s organized crime world to investigate brazen drug lords. Despite threats of violence, she continues to push forward until the real story is told.

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Cate Blanchett in the 2003 movie Veronica Guerin. [Image via Veronica Guerin/Facebook]

In addition to the Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) movie, When The Sky Falls, the story of Veronica Guerin was also the subject of the 2003 Veronica Guerin movie starring Cate Blanchett. The real story of Veronica Guerin was in the news in June, 1996, after she was shot to death in an area near Dublin. News of her death shocked and devastated the public, including her colleagues and family members. No one was more affected by her death than her 7-year-old son, Cathal, who was seen kissing his mother’s casket just before the doors to the hearse closed shut, according to The Independent. Her funeral was a heartbreaking moment for everyone who looked on. In fact, thousands of people came out to say their last good-byes to the woman who never stopped speaking publicly about the drug infestation that had plagued inner city and middle class neighborhoods.

People who knew the real Veronica Guerin describe her as a tenacious reporter who didn’t let the fear of danger stop her from shining the spotlight on criminal activity. As a woman, she was a decent human being who hated corruption and sought to bring justice to those who’d been wronged. Often the first person to know the details of a story — even before her colleagues and law enforcement officials — Guerin was a brilliant reporter who knew how to get to the meat of a story, according to a report by CBS News.

Her research and investigations completely exposed Dublin’s corrupt underworld. And her death brought about changes to the community who desired to stamp out murderous drug lord criminals. Since her tragic death, her son Cathal Turley, also known as Cathal Guerin, is all grown up. Veronica’s former husband, Graham Turley, remarried in 2011, according to another report by The Independent.

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In When The Sky Falls the names were changed. It was based on the killing of Veronica Guerin. [Image via Veronica Guerin/Facebook]

Filmed in Ireland, When The Sky Falls is produced by Icon Entertainment International, Irish Screen, Redeemable Features, Bórd Scannán na hÉireann, and Sky Pictures, according to The Internet Movie Database. The drama thriller has a running time of 110 minutes and has themes of violence, criminal world, drugs, and fatal shootings.

Here is the New York Times 2000 review of When The Sky Falls

“In this crime drama adapted from a true story, Sinead Hamilton (Joan Allen) is a public relations agent turned journalist who is appalled at the corruption and drug trafficking in her native Dublin; determined to do something about it and make the city a safer place in which to bring up her son, Hamilton begins a series of investigative pieces exposing the major players in the city’s dope trade, as well as possible links between drug dealing and the Irish Republican Army. Hamilton’s stories win wide acclaim and lead to a public outcry to see that justice is served; they also make Hamilton a number of very dangerous enemies among the underworld, as well as the more corrupt segments of the law enforcement community. When the Sky Falls is based on the true-life story of Irish investigative reporter Veronica Guerin; Guerin worked on the early drafts of the script before she was murdered by members of the drug cartel she helped to expose, leading the producers to change the names of the characters and alter the story’s outcome.”

Watch When The Sky Falls tonight at 8/7 central on LMN and enjoy the trailer below. Inquisitr has reported on two other true-story movie on Lifetime, including Ungodly Acts and Perfect High.

#WhenTheSkyFalls Trailer

[Image via It’s Not Me/Twitter]

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