Tom Kerrisk
Irish actor
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Tom Kerrisk is an Irish actor. He is known for playing Éamon in the Irish language folk horror feature An Taibhse (also titled The Ghost).[1][2]
Tom Kerrisk | |
|---|---|
 Kerrisk at the international premiere of An Taibhse at Frightfest, London, in 2024 | |
| Born | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2010s to present |
| Known for | An Taibhse, The Sleep Experiment |
Early life
Kerrisk was born and raised in County Clare, Ireland.[3]
Career
An Taibhse (The Ghost)
Kerrisk plays Éamon in An Taibhse, a period ghost story written and directed by John Farrelly and set shortly after the Great Famine. The film follows a father and his daughter who accept winter caretaker duties in a remote Georgian house where disturbing events unfold.[4] The film premiered in Ireland at the Galway Film Fleadh in July 2024 and later screened internationally at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest in London.[5][6] It subsequently played in North America at the Newport Beach Film Festival in October 2024[7] and featured in the Samhain: Roots of Halloween programme at the Vancouver International Film Festival Centre in October 2025.[8][9]
Several outlets described the production as the first feature length horror film made entirely in the Irish language.[10][11] Reviews in Irish and British media noted the film's atmosphere and the lead performances, including Kerrisk's work in the central role.[12][13][14][15]
At the 2024 Pigeon International Film Festival in Iceland, the film received a special honorary award for language preservation.[16] Irish regional press later reported that Kerrisk won Best Actor for the role at South African HorrorFest in 2025.[17]
The Sleep Experiment
Kerrisk played Christopher in John Farrelly's thriller The Sleep Experiment, released in 2022.[citation needed] He received Best Actor at the ninth Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival for this performance.[18]
Other screen work
Credits listed in film and television databases include Kent in A Hollow Tree, Peter in the short film A Walk on the Beach, Elliot in the short Antlers, Francis in the short Different, Bart in the short The House That Was Not, and a tour guide in the television film Christmas at Castle Hart.[citation needed] He appeared with the An Taibhse team in festival interviews and promotional materials.[19]
Acting style and reception
Commentary on Kerrisk's preparation for An Taibhse has highlighted a method approach that combined physical transformation with language immersion. Writer director John Farrelly stated that Kerrisk immersed himself in the Irish language and took a construction job to achieve the look of a working man, getting lean and growing out his hair and beard for the role, almost like a method actor preparing for the part. In a separate interview, Farrelly said that Kerrisk had to master Ulster Irish for the production.[20]
Critics have described Kerrisk's screen acting as restrained and closely focused, with an emphasis on stillness and measured shifts in tone. The Irish Times credited the leads with sustaining tension across the running time of An Taibhse.[21] Kim Newman noted that the film's final movement is supported by nuanced lead work.[22] Further commentary in Film in Dublin and Elements of Madness discussed the production's emphasis on atmosphere and the effectiveness of the central performances.[23][24]
Filmography
- An Taibhse also titled The Ghost as Éamon[25]
- The Sleep Experiment as Christopher[citation needed]
- A Hollow Tree as Kent[citation needed]
- A Walk on the Beach short as Peter[citation needed]
- Antlers short as Elliot[citation needed]
- Different short as Francis[citation needed]
- The House That Was Not short as Bart[citation needed]
- Christmas at Castle Hart television film as Tour Guide[citation needed]
Awards and nominations
- Best Actor for An Taibhse, South African Horrorfest 2025 reported in Irish regional press[26]