The ancient seer is one of the most important figures in Viking life because the Vikings believe in fate and the Seers can read the runes and often translate the wishes of the gods.

John Kavanagh

John Kavanagh’s most recent credits include the role of Arturo Toscanini in Florence Foster Jenkins directed by Stephen Frears. 2015 saw John play the role of Lysander in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” directed by Gavin Quinn at The Abbey Theatre and the role of Grandad in Ciarán Dooley’s short film The Great Wide Open. Further recent screen credits include the role of Rev. William Benham in Ralph Fiennes’ The Invisible Woman, the role of Inspector Michaud in In Secret, directed by Charlie Stratton, and the role of Derry Quinn in The Stag directed by John Butler.

John was a member of The Abbey Theatre Company for ten years before going freelance in 1977.  Since then he has played in a variety of roles, including “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Taking Steps,” “Faith Healer,” “The Norman Conquest” and “Twelfth Night.” More recent Abbey credits include “A Life,” directed by Ben Barnes; “Da” by Hugh Leonard, directed by Patrick Mason; “Fool for Love” written by Sam Shepard and directed by Annie Ryan and “King Lear” directed by Selina Cartmell. John’s credits at the Gate Theatre include; “A Dublin Carol” and “See You Next Tuesday” both directed by Robin Lefevre; “The Homecoming” which transferred to London’s West End; “Eccentricities of a Nightingale” directed by Dominic Cook, “Dancing at Lughnasa” directed by Joe Dowling, “A View From the Bridge” directed by Mark Brokaw, “The Speckled People” directed by Toby Frow and “Present Laughter” directed by Alan Stanford, which went on to the Spoleto Festival in the US.

His television work includes Jack Taylor: “Priest” (ZDF); “Titanic: Blood and Steel” (CBC); “Father & Son” (Left Bank Pictures); “The Clinic” (RTÉ); “The Tudors”” (BBC and Showtime); “Holby City”; “Inspector George Gently”; “Any Time Now”; “Rebel Heart”; “Vicious Circle”; “Shadow of a Gunman”; “Sharpe’s Sword”; “Screenplay”; “Love Lies Bleeding”; “Bad Company”; “Her Majesty’s Pleasure”; “Irish Stew”; “Lovejoy” and “Children of the North” (all for BBC). For Irish television, John has appeared in “The Riordans,” “Ballroom of Romance,” “Echoes” and “The Country Girls.”

Film work includes Closing The Ring directed by Richard Attenborough; The Tiger’s Tail directed by John Boorman; The Black Dahlia directed by Brian de Palma; Alexander directed by Oliver Stone; The Halo Effect directed by Lance Daly; Mystics directed by David Blair; Candlelight directed by Aisling Walsh; Puckoon directed by Terence Ryan; A Love Divided directed by Sydney Macartney; Pete’s Meteor directed by Joe O’Byrne; The Butcher Boy directed by Neil Jordan; Some Mother’s Son directed by Terry George; Braveheart directed by Mel Gibson and Circle of Friends directed by Pat O’Connor.