Rachael Dowling's illustrious career in the entertainment industry began with her screen debut in John Huston's classic film adaptation of James Joyce's The Dead in 1987. She went on to star in a wide range of productions, including Tom Collin's Bogwoman, opposite Peter Mullan and David Yates' The Tichborne Claimant. Other notable roles include P.J. Dillon's Rewind, Tears In The Rain opposite Sharon Stone, and RTE drama The Treaty opposite Brendan Gleeson as Michael Collins. Additionally, she appeared in Double Act, a Channel 4 series for children based on the novel by Jacqueline Wilson, and Scarlett, the US TV sequel to Gone With The Wind. Her extensive filmography also includes Widow's Peak, and she is well known to Irish television audiences as Sharon in Glenroe, a long-running rural Irish drama serial.
Rachael has also had a successful career on stage, recently appearing in Edna O'Brien's adaptation of The Country Girls, which had a highly successful run at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre, as well as on tour in Ireland. Her professional theatrical debut was in Jim Sheridan's New York production of Brendan Behan's The Hostage in 1985, and she went on to work with Mr. Sheridan on several of his theatre productions at The Irish Arts Centre in Manhattan. She also appeared in his films The Field and In The Name Of The Father.
Rachael's extensive theatre credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Child's Christmas in Wales, Peg O' My Heart, She Stoops To Conquer, The Hostage, Forty Four Sycamore, Aristocrats, Torchlight And Laser Beams, A Slice Of Saturday Night, The Streets Of Dublin, Da, Purple Dust, Big Maggie, School for Scandal, Pride And Prejudice, and Uncle Vanya. In the mid-90's, Rachael took a career break to study Film and Television Production at Hunter College in Manhattan, and later returned to Dublin City University (DCU) in Ireland, where she was awarded her MA in Film Studies with first-class honours and first place in her class.
She has also lectured at The National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Film History. Furthermore, Rachael has written and directed an award-winning short film Stealth, which was screened at several international film festivals. She has also directed for the theatre, including Missing Football, an award-winning first play by Irish writer Peter McKenna. Additionally, Rachael continually works with Irish screenwriters and directors as a script editor and creative consultant.
