iet ta ▁Governor ate <0x0A> </s> ▁This ▁Is ▁the ▁Sea ▁is ▁a ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Irish ▁film ▁directed ▁and ▁written ▁by ▁Mary ▁McG uck ian ▁and ▁produced ▁by ▁Michael ▁Gar land . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁rom ance ▁film , ▁foc using ▁on ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁the ▁character ▁Haz el ▁Sto kes , ▁played ▁by ▁Sam anth a ▁Mort on , ▁and ▁Mal ach y ▁Mc Al is key , ▁played ▁by ▁Ross ▁Mc D ade . ▁ ▁Plot ▁The ▁two ▁lo vers ▁live ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁ ▁Sto kes ▁is ▁a ▁Protest ant , ▁while ▁Mc Al is key ▁is ▁Catholic . ▁ ▁Their ▁relationship ▁is ▁complicated ▁by ▁the ▁sp ying ▁of ▁Sto kes ' ▁brother ▁J ef , ▁played ▁by ▁Marc ▁O ' She a , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁attempts ▁of ▁R oh an , ▁played ▁by ▁Gabriel ▁By r ne , ▁to ▁rec ruit ▁Mc Al is key ▁into ▁the ▁Republican ▁movement . ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁also ▁stars ▁Richard ▁Harris ▁as ▁Old ▁Man ▁Jacob s , ▁an ▁al ly ▁to ▁the ▁couple . ▁ ▁Title ▁The ▁film ' s ▁title ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁song ▁" This ▁Is ▁the ▁Sea " ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁music ▁album ▁This ▁Is ▁the ▁Sea , ▁by ▁the ▁folk - rock ▁band ▁The ▁Water bo ys . ▁ ▁Sound track ▁The ▁film ' s ▁sound track ▁uses ▁seven ▁different ▁Water bo ys ▁songs . ▁ ▁Mike ▁Scott , ▁The ▁Water bo ys ' ▁lead ▁singer , ▁shares ▁music ▁cred