Actor Mel Gibson explains how he was named after Saint Mel’s Cathedral in Longford.

Pat Kenny travels to London to interview Hollywood star Mel Gibson who talks about his Irish roots.

He lives in Australia, he works most of the time in America and he makes only very fleeting visits to Europe.

Over tea, at London’s Dorchester Hotel Pat and Mel discuss his Irish family and the fact that he was named after Saint Mel’s Cathedral in the town of Longford, where his mother was born and reared. He also has Irish roots on his father’s side, whose family came from Cork and subsequently emigrated to Australia. His parents met and married in New York, where Mel was born. The family then moved to Australia.

Mel Gibson describes his upbringing and attending a strict Christian Brother’s school in Australia. While he resented the Christian Brother’s discipline at the time, he feels that his education helped him to develop values.

This episode of ‘Kenny Live’ was broadcast on 27 March 1993. The presenter is Pat Kenny.