Irish Language

Christmas

Dublin Christmas Lights – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 185

5th December 2016

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December 1962 and traffic in Dublin is at a standstill as crowds gather on O’Connell Bridge awaiting Santa’s arrival. Rudolph et al must have been resting for the big night as Santa chose a rather unorthodox method of transport – water skiing his way up the River Liffey to mark the beginning of the festivities. […]

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Christmas

Christmas Day Swim – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 83

5th December 2016

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This newsreel records the annual Dublin Swimming Club Christmas swim, which took place at the Clontarf Baths on a freezing December morning in 1961. The crowd of wrapped-up onlookers cheered on the athletes as they braved the cold waters. The winner Neil Kennedy who was awarded the trophy by Máire Potter. The Clontarf Swimming Club […]

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Christmas

A Wet Christmas in Howth – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 83

5th December 2016

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What better way to spend Christmas Day in 1961 than water skiing in the freezing cold Irish Sea? Mr and Mrs Carr brave the cold waters at Balscadden Bay as onlookers, in awe of this chilly Christmas tradition, cheer them on. Howth and Martello Tower are just visible in the distance. This traditional Christmas swim […]

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Documentary

Waiting for the Light

1st November 2016

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This compelling biography shines a spotlight on one of the titans of Irish cinema George Morrison. Waiting for the Light is a moving and illuminating portrait of the then 85-year-old Irish film auteur, George Morrison. Ciarín Scott explores his work, his life and his love in frank and intimate interviews interwoven with previously unseen stills […]

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Documentary

Ocras

30th August 2016

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This powerful documentary in Irish examines the history and legacy of the hunger strike by Irish Republicans in the Maze prison in 1981. In this documentary directed by Margo Harkin, the people centrally involved – both inside and outside the H Blocks of Long Kesh prison – reveal the inside story of an event that […]

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Entertainment

Miss Dublin Wins Contest – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 126

24th August 2016

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In the Abbey Dance Hall in Drogheda, a group of ladies from 6 counties competed in the finals of a beauty contest to be crowned Miss Mannequin 1961. Local beauty contests were very popular in Ireland in the 1950s and ‘60s. Contestants traveled from all over Ireland (including Meath, Kilkenny, Kildare and Dublin) to take […]

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Drama

Tubberware

24th August 2016

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Tubberware is a humorous and unusual short film directed by Irish playwright Paul Mercier. In a provocative exploration of Irish cultural heritage and identity in the modern world, the film presents a day in the life of an Irish-speaking district in the heart of Connemara and cleverly satirizes the effect of tourism on the community. […]

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Drama

FLUENT DYSPHASIA

24th August 2016

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In this short by Daniel O’Hara, Stephen Rea plays Murph, a father who wakes up after a night on the town to the shocking realisation that he is now fluent in the Irish language but has completely forgotten how to speak English. Confused by this unusual situation he desperately reaches out to his daughter, Jane […]

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1960s-1980s

Irish College Ranafast

24th August 2016

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Father Joe Dunn introduces Ranafast, the Gaeltacht area in the Rosses region of Donegal, telling us: “We hear a lot about the vanishing Irish, the flight from the land, and the depopulation of the Gaeltacht. But the little village has not suffered any depopulation, particularly during the summer months when the famous Irish college is […]

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Entertainment

Mansion House Home Exhibition – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 171

24th August 2016

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Step into The Ideal Homes Exhibition in Dublin’s Mansion House and discover the most desirable homewares for 1962. The latest inventions and design innovations are on show including a host of time-saving gadgets which make life easier for the busy home-maker. Enjoy a wide range of products such as the washer/dryer combo that works at […]

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Irish Culture

LEINSTER RIFLE SHOOT – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 171

24th August 2016

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The 1962 Leinster Gun Championships were held in Dublin with gunmen visiting from the 6 counties of Ulster to take part. There were a hundred rifle clubs in Northern Ireland and only 3 in the Republic of Ireland at this time. Thorough safety checks were carried out on all the guns before the competition. George […]

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Irish Culture

JAPANESE GOODS ON DISPLAY – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 126

24th August 2016

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A visit to Brown Thomas’ sumptuous department store where a range of beautiful and unusual Japanese trinkets, toys and other goods are on display. In 1961, it wasn’t uncommon in Ireland for many ordinary household items to be manufactured in Japan. However, this exhibition showcased goods which demonstrated the beauty of Japanese artistry in more […]

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