It tells the story of Queen's past, present and future, with Ciarán guiding viewers through the University’s journey over the last two centuries. It connects many strands of Queen’s cultural impact – and its greatest influences. 

Ciarán, nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Kenneth Branagh's Oscar nominated Belfast, opens the film with lines from Seamus Heaney's The Cure at Troy:  

“History says, don’t hope / On this side of the grave / But then, once in a lifetime / The longed-for tidal wave / Of justice can rise up / And hope and history rhyme.”  

Ciarán has a long-running connection with Heaney reading the poem Scaffolding, at the launch of the Seamus Heaney Centre; in 2023, he read from Seamus Heaney a Life in Letters at the South Bank Centre.  

Ciarán studied law at Queen's University but chose to pursue his passion for acting. He enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and later began his acting career at the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre.  

Ciarán, who was awarded an honorary degree for services to film and drama at Queen's, narrates the University’s role as a refuge during the Troubles, recalling how the Students’ Union became a haven for young people amidst the conflict. He also highlights the University’s contributions to the arts, sport and world-leading research, underscoring its status as a global institution shaping the future.  

At the heart of the film is a celebration of Queen’s as a space of inclusivity, culture and pioneering research. A fitting and compelling tribute, the film is a journey through Queen’s 180-year history, from its foundation in 1845, when it was dubbed ‘Ireland’s Oxford’, to the present day as a place of sanctuary.  

“For the last 180 years, Queen’s has, all at once, been a stable presence, a force for positive transformation, a pioneer, a problem-solver.”  

The centrepiece for Queen's 180th-anniversary celebrations, it showcases Queen’s impact on the world and its continued ambition for the future.  

As Queen’s continues to celebrate this milestone year, Ciarán’s contribution to the film is a fitting tribute – one that honours its legacy while looking ahead to the next chapter.