User:AnemoneProjectors/Eileen Harrington

Eileen Harrington is played by Angeline Ball. Eileen is a daughter of Lance and Agnes, sister of Roisín and mother of Kieran. Ball said that Eileen "has a kind of dual personality that's not always evident." She called the character "a fighter and a survivor" and explained that she left Redwater 20 years ago, which was "a difficult decision", and moved to the United States with her young son. Although Ball descrined this as "very brave and courageous", she added that Eileen is "quite fragile" and said that "What you see with Eileen is not what you get. Her exterior is very polished and designer-clad, but there's an underlying sadness about her—I guess a grief and loneliness. She feels a bit like an outsider, having left all those years ago." She called Eileen "a strong woman" as she had to fend for herself. She also said that Eileen like to "show that nothing's a big deal" and "appears not to be a deep thinker". Eileen's return to Redwater makes her "less polished, less 'New York'", and her American accent drops away, as does her "hardened exterior". Eileen left Redwater because of her grief after she lost a child to drowning, and because for independence from her "a very strong mother and sister". Doyle Kennedy said that Roisín's relationship with Eileen is "interesting" and in reality, she and Ball have been friends for many years. Roisín is resentful of Eileen beacuse Eileen left the farm and Roisín never had the opportunity to do so herself. She said, "They spark off each other in that way that sisters do—they're very sharp, very sarcastic. They're akin to a match and kindling, but there's something strong between them." Ball said Eileen and Roisín's relationship is "strained and competitive" and Eileen could be deeply bitter towards Roisín because Roisín did not suffer a loss and did not have to leave. She called it a "love-hate relationship".

A writer for The Sun TV Magazine said that there is "no love lost" between Eileen and Roisín.

Category:Female characters in television