The Irish in Britain, including those of Irish descent, make up a significant part of the UK population. Here, you will find news, entertainment, events, sports and features from the local Irish Post newspaper.

RODDY Doyle has said he will never write a sequel to his book The Commitments — despite a number of lucrative offers to do so.

The book, which was made into an award-winning film in 1991 by Alan Parker, centres on soul band The Commitments, formed by a group of white working-class Dubliners in the 1980s. 

The book ends with the band splitting up on the verge of major success. The success of both the book and the film have prompted a number of offers to Doyle to explore what could have happened next — but he is insistent this will never happen.

“I’m always wary of sentimentality,” he said. “I think if the band had reformed it would have been very sentimental.

“I’ve been asked to write sequels for The Commitments — for the movie especially — and it isn’t in any way a temptation because I think it would just be from the first frame overly sentimental.”