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O’Kalem_His Mother
Drama

His Mother

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A wealthy American tourist couple happen upon a talented violinist, Terence, and his mother in a small cottage in rural Ireland. Terence grasps the opportunity and, thanks to his mother’s meagre savings, leaves his peasant roots in Ireland for the bright lights of the New York stage. He thrives in New York society but, back […]
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For Ireland’s Sake
Entertainment

For Ireland’s Sake

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For Ireland’s Sake tells the story of Marty O’Sullivan (Jack Clark), a young blacksmith who forges pikes which are used as weapons against English soldiers. Spotted by British Soldiers, Marty flees and manages to evade capture thanks to the quick thinking of his sweetheart Eileen (Gene Gauntier). She cunningly hides Marty in her voluminous cloak […]
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Evie Horne
Documentary

Hallowed Fire: The Art of Evie Hone

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This short documentary about renowned Irish cubist painter and stained glass artist Evie Hone was one of a series of artist profiles commissioned by the Cultural Relations Committee of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. Filmed at her Dublin studio in Marley Park in Rathfarnham in 1950, it explores the artist’s life, creative process and […]
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Errigal_09-min
Documentary

Errigal

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This stunning documentary is set against the scenic backdrop of Mount Errigal in County Donegal. The mountains of Donegal are depicted like fairytale characters, where the hero Mount Errigal competes with neighbouring villain Mount Muckish. A fantastical narrative explains that the landscape is ‘a battleground where the weapons are the elements themselves’. Dramatic footage of […]
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Yeats Country_01 copy-min
Documentary

Yeats Country

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Yeats Country is a lyrical film commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs to commemorate the centenary of the birth of William Butler Yeats. The first film made by cinematographer and director Patrick Carey in Ireland, this documentary celebrates the landscape of Yeats’s poetry through stunning photography and a voiceover rich in poetry and in […]
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Housing Discrimination
Documentary

Housing Discrimination

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Shot in 1953, this film highlighted housing discrimination practiced by the unionist-controlled council in the town of Fintona in County Tyrone. It outlines the inequalities faced by the poorer, and usually nationalist, inhabitants, and details how new council houses are being given to unionist residents who are in less need of the houses than nationalists. […]
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Lipservice 2
1980s-2000s

Lipservice

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The Oral Irish, a compulsory language exam dreaded by secondary school students, is the subject of this short directed by Paul Mercier. In a Dublin school, an examiner (Sean McGinley) meets a variety of students to test their proficiency in the Irish language. He encounters low levels of fluency but impressive levels of bravado as […]
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yu ming
Drama

Yu Ming is Ainm Dom

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Tired of his dead-end supermarket job, Yu Ming (Daniel Wu) decides to learn Irish and leave his home country of China for a new life overseas. With a simple spin of a globe he decides that Ireland will be his new home. When he researches Irish culture and learns that Gaelic is the country’s official […]
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Aqua
Drama

AQUA

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An Irish language short film, Aqua tells the tale of Nick and Laura, an enterprising young couple, who plan to record the sounds of Irish rivers and sell them to the Irish-American market claiming it has soothing powers. Directed by Edel O’Brien, this film looks at the flipside of Celtic Tiger Ireland when greed was […]
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Clare Sa Speir
Drama

Clare Sa Spéir

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A neglected and overworked housewife reaches her record-breaking point.  Attempting to break a world record, mother and wife Clare is determined to live in a tree for 32 days. In her absence, her reluctant husband is forced to take on the heavy burden of her domestic duties. Meanwhile, despite the obstacles of torrential rain, loneliness […]
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voyage to recovery
Gearrscannáin

Voyage to Recovery (Turas Téarnaimh)

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A young man (Joe Lynch) contracts tuberculosis to the dismay of his wife (Joan O’Hara) and to the shame of her aunt (Marie Keane). He recovers following a long spell convalescing in a tuberculosis sanatorium. A public information film infused with tension and humour and directed by actor/playwright Gerard Healy, this dramatized film looks at […]
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safe cycling
Entertainment

SAFE CYCLING

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Cycling through a city can be a stressful experience. This public information film was produced by the National Film Institute (now IFI) for the Department of Local Government. The film made by filmmaker (later archivist) Liam Ó Laoghaire (aka O’Leary) advises on the best cycling practice around busy Dublin streets. This public safety film from […]
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