Ballinascreen

Impressed by Terence McDonald’s film The Parish Centre, Fr Michael Collins commissioned McDonald to make Ballinascreen, documenting his parish in Draperstown, County Derry. This charming hour-long colour film, with a detailed narration by Gerry Wills, captures the farming practices, local industry, traditional music and dance, sport, religious life and education of the parish and surrounding area, as well as the ways the lives of those in the community are changing.

Farmers have begun to replace human labour with machinery, tiles replace thatched roofs and a metal factory has joined the longer-established shirt factory. Market day may not have the footfall of previous years, but the cattle mart remains a thriving centre of business and local conversation. A horticultural show fosters healthy competition between the generations in challenges of baking and vegetable growing. Pupils of the Seamus Kerrigan Dance School give an energetic performance and a young John Hume interviews members of the community.

This film is part of The Terence McDonald Collection. To watch more of the collection click here.