The Mirror (London, England); 11/3/2001
Byline: ALUN PALMER Deputy Showbusiness Editor
ACTRESS Dervla Kirwan is clearly gripped by the new man in her life.
And the star, who plays a spurned wife in Hearts and Bones, is determined not to let things slip with boyfriend Rupert Penry-Jones.
Dervla, 30, looked radiant as the couple strolled hand-in-hand in the autumn sunshine. She fell for the heart-throb actor after they co-starred in the play Dangerous Corner in Leeds.
Their romance was exclusively revealed by The Mirror's 3am Girls.
And with the play opening in London shortly, Dervla has had plenty of time to visit Rupert's flat in Clapham, South London, and enjoy walks on the common.
One onlooker said: "Dervla certainly seems to be in love. She wouldn't let go of his hand and she kept staring into his eyes. There was a constant smile on her face. She was glowing with happiness.
"They strolled through Clapham oblivious to everyone. At one point she reached up to stroke his cheek. It was very touching."
Dervla fell for Rupert, the star of Channel 4 drama North Square, in September.
The romance spelled the end of her two-year relationship to Kiss Me Kate actor Darren Boyd.
Dervla's love life has been a roller-coaster ride. She was previously engaged to Ballykissangel co-star Stephen Tompkinson but the couple split after five years.
Rupert is no stranger to celebrity romances himself and has been linked with singer Kylie Minogue in the past.
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