Saoirse Ronan has revealed the immense pride she feels to call herself an Irish actress, and credited the ‘brave’ women who came before her.

The star, 29, who was born in New York but comes from Irish parents, admitted her roots are ‘incredible stock to come from’, and ensured she ‘doesn’t take it for granted’.

Appearing on the front of Harper’s Bazaar UK October issue, Saoirse explained the meaningful relationship she has to her heritage.

She explained: ‘Think of Sinéad [O’Connor], of Sharon [Horgan], everyone who was around in the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties, who just didn’t give a f*ck and moved away from the template that had been set. 

‘There’s been a lot to overcome for all women, but I think in a country like Ireland, where there was such ownership over us in every sense – physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially – how unbelievably brave. 

Proud: Saoirse Ronan has revealed the immense pride she feels to call herself an Irish actress, and credited the ‘brave’ women who came before her

‘What incredible stock to come from. I don’t take that for granted at all.’

She added: ‘When you’ve got other women in your corner, they will defend you like nothing else. 

‘If you have that – which I’ve always had from my mother – you carry it with you your whole life.’ 

Elsewhere in the interview, Saoirse opened up on her downfalls and admitted she has a ‘childlike’ temper.

She admitted: ‘Oh, I’ve punched pillows, I’ve kicked bushes. Very childlike. 

‘I would say that’s very juvenile – though I haven’t got super-angry in a while, which is quite an achievement for me.’

Saoirse generally keeps a low-profile in the public eye, but has often been spotted out with her boyfriend, Jack Lowden.

The pair have been dating for at least three years after meeting on the set of the 2018 movie Mary Queen of Scots, in which Saoirse played the title role and Lowden was her husband, Lord Darnley. 

Interview: The star, 29, who was born in New York but comes from Irish parents, admitted her roots are ‘incredible stock to come from’, and ensured she ‘doesn’t take it for granted’

Candid: Appearing on the front of Harper’s Bazaar UK October issue , Saoirse explained the meaningful relationship she has to her heritage

Jack recently wowed viewers of the new BBC1 drama The Gold earlier this year with his portrayal of Kenneth Noye.

The Essex-born star plays the ambitious crook involved in the biggest armed heist in British history – the Brink’s-Mat gold bullion robbery in November 1983.

Viewers have been so blown away by his performance, they have been left wondering if he could be tipped to play the next James Bond .

It’s been a slow rise to fame for Jack, who once dreamed of becoming a footballer and attended stage school in Edinburgh as a teen before landing roles in Irn Bru adverts and local plays.

But after landing his big break in 2016’s War and Peace, he became a household name, appearing in Mary Queen of Scots in 2018, where he met his girlfriend Saorise Ronan, and more recently appeared with Gary Oldman in the drama Slow Horses.

Jack was born to Gordon and Jacquie Lowden, in Chelmsford in 1990, describing himself as an ‘IVF baby’.

The family moved to Scottish village Oxton when he was young, where his father worked for the Bank of Scotland – while his mother took on a host of different jobs.

Speaking to the Evening Standard in 2019, he revealed: ‘She did almost every job under the sun, including working at Edinburgh Zoo. I remember her dressing up as a rhino.’

Alongside his brother Calum, Jack ended up attending Manor School of Ballet in Edinburgh.

However football was his one true love, and he dreamed of becoming a professional.

Love life: Saoirse generally keeps a low-profile in the public eye, but has often been spotted out with her boyfriend, Jack Lowden

He explained: ‘I wanted to be a footballer. It absolutely broke my heart when I realised I wasn’t going to be one.

‘If someone waved a wand and I was able to play football really well, I’d bite their hand off and do that, over this [acting].’ 

Meanwhile he and A-lister Saoirse also hit it off. Their on-screen romance lead to a relationship off-camera, and the two quickly began dating. 

The couple now live together in London, but split their time between Ireland, Scotland, the US, London and the various places across the world that their work takes them.

While the couple rarely make comment about their relationship publicly, they are often snapped out and about together – and Jack occasionally shares pictures of Saoirse on his Instagram page.

However in one interview earlier this year, he couldn’t help but gush over his partner, telling iNews: ‘My first love is actors. And when you’re given a Ferrari like her, it’s all about how you make everything good for the Ferrari to show off.

‘Don’t make a Ferrari do what a Renault Clio does. It’s a dreadful analogy but they’re like gold dust, good actors.

‘When there’s someone like that, you just have to facilitate them and you will get gold. And my God, did we.’

However he hinted that he preferred to keep his relationship as private as possible, adding: ‘I’m not an idiot…We’re hugely appreciative of the level of scrutiny we have… We’re treated well but we don’t seek it either.

‘People have got it far worse. It’s also obviously of our own making. Whatever – as long as we’ve got each other, we’re alright with any of that.’

Meanwhile he also revealed he ‘is not competitive’ with his girlfriend, telling the Big Issue : ‘I’d lose. There is just zero competition, because there is no competition.” 

The October issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK is on sale from 07 September.