‘Fossa school gave me a great grounding’

THE FASSBENDER INTERVIEW: Part 1

HE probably doesn’t even know it but a former Kerry footballer has been one of the greatest influences in Michael Fassbender’s life.

Tom Long, who wore the green and gold with distinction in the 1950s and 60s, was headmaster at Fossa National School when the young Fassbender, who lived just a hop, skip and jump away from the classroom, spent eight years there in the 1980s.

“Fossa school gave me a great grounding. It’s such a great place and I’ve such great educational memories from there,” the Hollywood star told KillarneyToday.com.

“Tom Long always instilled this passion in us for poetry and history and it’s definitely where I got a real passion and love for both of those subjects. He had such an influence on me.”

The Academy Award nominated star calls to meet his former teachers whenever time permits and his arrival at the school gate causes a flurry of excitement, not least with the star-struck mums arriving to collect their children at the close of the school day.

“The school is so progressive and to see what they’re doing now is wonderful and really forward thinking. There has been great investment in the place by the people in the school and the parents,” Michael said.

“They’ve got this super autism section now and it’s nice to see they have got that astro turf scenario going too.”

When he was inducted into the Order of Innisfallen in his home town in October, Michael specifically asked that his former teachers from Fossa be invited to the reception in Muckross House and he made a point of embracing them all warmly when he caught a glimpse of them across the crowded room.

Tom Long: an inspiration to Michael
Tom Long: an inspiration to Michael

He said he has very fond memories of his teachers Mary Murphy, Linda O’Donoghue – who he remembers as Linda McNeice – and Angela Lynch and he loved what they taught him about about Irish myths and legends and the poetry they shared with him. He is in no doubt that what he learned in Fossa helped him in many of the roles he has played.

When he went on to St Brendan’s College, music became his real passion and he always believed he would either end up with a career in either music or journalism. At that stage in his life, acting wasn’t even on his radar.

“Journalism was something that really interested me. There is something very interesting about being at the forefront of news and what’s happening,” he said.

“Media is definitely moving in a different direction now but there’s still a place for good old fashioned journalism. There was always something that I found very intriguing and exciting about it,” he said.

“I was on this music trip for a couple of years too and it was something that I wanted to pursue when I was 15 but eventually I just realised that I just wasn’t good enough.”

That dawned on him when a musician friend from Muckross in Killarney, Stephen Hodd, called around one day and played for him.

“I just thought ‘Wow’. He was in a different league, at a different level and he continues to be a great musician today”.

After repeating his Leaving Cert with grades he described as “pretty average” Michael knew he wouldn’t be going to go on to university but, as fate would have it, by that stage he had met Killarney acting tutor Donie Courtney, from Ardshanavooley, who started after-school classes in St Brendan’s College. The bug bit.

“At 17 I knew I wanted to act. My parents wanted me to continue my studies but when I did a couple of Donie’s classes at the school then it became very clear to me what I wanted to do,” Michael said.

screen-shot-2016-11-15-at-13-11-47Tomorrow: Fassbender: The Teenage Years: Breakdancing in an old church, Megadeth on the stereo and Reservoir Dogs in Revelles

Pictures: Valerie O’Sullivan. Click on individual images for details

gadeath on the stereo