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Documentary

Films in Documentary

11m 06s

Along the Milky Way - The Roy Spence Collection

A comical documentary film by Roy Spence focuses on the various stages of a bottle of school milk. The commentary is given by a pint-sized cartoon character called Junior who appears on the milk-bottle cap. He explains the whole procedure to a little girl at school who has confused the words ‘diary’ and ‘’dairy’. This charming educational film was made for the Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland. Roy Spence is an award-winning amateur filmmaker. For the past 50 years Roy has been making and screening a series of remarkable and sometimes eccentric films in his cinema in Comber, Co. Down. The films span many genres from sci-fi to horror to folk-life documentaries shot between 1965 and 1986. His collection of over 40 films (13 documentaries/non-fiction and 29 fiction feature films) is held and preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive.

54m 00s

Ár Dover Féin - The Louis Lentin Collection

In 1937, ten young men between the ages of 13 and 23 migrated from Achill Island, Co. Mayo to Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow in Scotland to work in the potato fields. Tragically, on the night of their arrival, a fire swept through their makeshift accommodation claiming all of their young lives. This documentary investigates the Kirkintillock tragedy and considers the plight of migrant workers over the years. This one-hour drama-documentary has won numerous awards including Second Prize Gold Plaque WorldFest Heuston, Certificate of Creative Excellence US International Film and Video Festival, John Healy Award and overall Media Award Carrick-Gold Festival. With kind permission of Dr. Ronit Lentin.

1h 19m

Babyface Goes to Hollywood

This documentary tracks the fascinating career of Jimmy Babyface McLarnin, often referred to as the greatest Irish boxer of all time. Forgotten Irish boxing legend Jimmy McLarnin, aka ‘The Babyfaced Assassin’, a journeyman brawler originally from County Down battled his way to fortune and glory in the 1940s via two welterweight world championship titles, and a whole heap of controversy to become one of the greats of Irish boxing history. Director Andrew Gallimore recounts McLarnin’s Greatest Hits (literally) with considerable relish, illuminated by a wealth of archive footage, much of it previously unseen, and punctuated by commentary from McLarnin himself (via vintage audio) and a host of colourful ringside experts, not least legendary author Budd (On the Waterfront) Schulberg. Babyface Goes to Hollywood was made with the support of the BAI Sound and Vision Broadcasting Funding Scheme and Setanta Sports Ireland, and was shot on location in New York City and Hillsborough, Co. Down. With the kind permission of Morgan Bushe.

16m 00s

Beara

An exploration of the wild desolation of West Cork, Beara is a landscape film featuring the unique flora and fauna of the Beara Peninsula off the coast of Cork. The film begins with a slow zoom in on the Beara Peninsula on a map of Ireland. What follows is a breathtaking depiction of nature. Raging waterfalls, stunning water reflections, turbulent waves, sea cliffs, bathing birds and nesting puffins form some of the striking imagery of this film. This film is part of The Patrick Carey Collection.

23m 43s

Belleek, An Enduring Heritage - The Roy Spence Collection

This award-winning documentary on Belleek pottery was made jointly by filmmakers Roy Spence and J.J Tohill. Narrated by RTÉ newsreader Cyril Smith, this stunning documentary highlights the talent and craftsmanship that goes into each and every single piece of fine china and the generations of skilled artisans who create these works of art. Roy Spence is an award-winning amateur filmmaker. For the past 50 years Roy has been making and screening a series of remarkable and sometimes eccentric films in his cinema in Comber, Co. Down. The films span many genres from sci-fi to horror to folk-life documentaries shot between 1965 and 1986. His collection of over 40 films (13 documentaries/non-fiction and 29 fiction feature films) is held and preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive.

52m 30s

Colman Doyle Ábhar Machnaimh

This long-form documentary profiles veteran Irish photographer, Colman Doyle, who has documented almost every major historical event in Ireland over a 50 year period. Directed by James Kelly, this insightful documentary explores Doyle’s vast archive of photographs covering the political, social and economic history of Ireland – both North and South – through the second half of the 20th Century. The film follows Doyle as he returns to shoot photos of West Kerry, reconnects with his early work as a press photographer and takes an in-depth look at the work in his collection over the last few decades. Colman won many awards throughout his career including PPAI Photographer of the Year, Four Masters, British Press Pictures of the Year and many more. The National Library of Ireland now house over 25,000 photos from his collection. With kind permission of James Kelly.

7m 37s

Coming Out of the West

A thought provoking documentary on the pros and cons of two openly gay men living very different lifestyles, Gary, who lives in Kilmeena in the West of Ireland and Keith, who moved from the West of Ireland to the city centre of London. Throughout,we see and hear the varying perspectives from each about their experiences with their lifestyles and how they’ve dealt with them over the course of their lives. With kind permission of Cian Tracey.

11m 00s

Conquest of Light

Conquest of Light celebrates the process, expertise, and craftsmen at the Waterford Glass factory in Ireland. Through stunning and vibrant cinematography, Louis Marcus examines the mesmerising construction of clear crystal glass pieces created by the craftsmen of Waterford. The process from the intense heat of the furnace to glass blowing, shaping, cutting, honing, filling and finishing is all depicted in this celebration of the art of creation of Waterford Glass. Conquest of Light was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short in 1976. It is part of The Oscar® Collection and The Louis Marcus Collection.

52m 00s

Cot, Coracle and Currach - Hidden Treasures

Hidden Treasures is a four-part documentary series examining the history of Irish folklife. The series combines restored 16mm field recordings (produced by the National Museum of Ireland from the 1950s to the 1970s) with contemporary recordings of traditional rural crafts and rituals. These images emphasise the self-sufficiency of rural householders and craft specialists, as they utilise everyday materials to make practical objects for use in their daily lives. Episode one explores the traditional craft of boat-making in Ireland – from small wicker coracles to sturdy wooden currachs which are still used in parts of Ireland today. Hidden Treasures is part of The Loopline Collection Volume 2.

44m 00s

Cradle of Genius

British documentarian Paul Rotha celebrates the playwrights and players of the Abbey Theatre, the national theatre founded by W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory in 1904. The film, made some years before the theatre moved into its present-day Abbey Street premises, tells the history through colourful reminiscences from an extraordinary line-up of Abbey stalwarts – Siobhan McKenna, Maureen Delaney, Harry Brogan, Shelah Richards and Cyril Cusack. The actors speak fondly of their time as young actors in the Abbey School of Acting and recall iconic moments in the theatre’s history such as the riots during the first run of Seán O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars. The highlight of the film is an intimate and humorous conversation between octogenarians Barry Fitzgerald and Seán O’Casey at O’Casey’s home in Devon. Cradle of Genius is part of The Oscar® Collection: A Selection of Irish Academy Award® Nominated Short Films. It was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short in 1962.

8m 42s

Crock of Gold - The Roy Spence Collection

When two children discover a herd of cows at the end of the rainbow they are disappointed as they were expecting to find gold. The film traces the journey of butter from cows grazing, to milking, to the final churning of milk into a crock of gold – packets of butter – much to the delight of the children. It is a simple delight, and moments like the creative sound mixing in the laboratory scene gives you a taste of Spence’s filmmaking talents. Roy Spence is an award-winning amateur filmmaker. For the past 50 years, Spence has been making and screening a series of remarkable and sometimes eccentric films in his cinema in Comber, Co. Down. The films span many genres from sci-fi to horror to folk-life documentaries shot between 1965 and 1986. His collection of over 40 films (13 documentaries/non-fiction and 29 fiction feature films) is held and preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive.

6m 00s

D.A. Pennebaker - Documentary Where Art Thou?

This outtake excerpt from the Documentary Where Art Thou? project features a short conversation with renowned Northern Irish director John T. Davis and pioneering US documentarians D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus. Pennebaker examines the development of storytelling in documentary and the drive and determination needed for this style of filmmaking. Documentary Where Art Thou? is an unfinished project featuring a series of interviews with prominent Irish and international documentary filmmakers and examining the subject of documentary production. The interviews were filmed at workshops funded by Screen Training Ireland and include interviews with directors D.A. Pennebaker, Kim Longinotto, Les Blank, Peter Wintonick, Molly Dineen, Peter Lydon, Victor Kossakovsky and Jon Bang Carlsen. The documentary was never completed but IFI is delighted to feature exclusive outtake excerpts from the original interviews. Documentary Where Art Thou? is part of The Loopline Collection Volume 2.

55m 00s

Dear Daughter - The Louis Lentin Collection

Dear Daughter was the first televised exposure of the horrific abuse of hundreds of children in Ireland’s industrial schools. Christine Buckley bravely recounts the extent of the atrocities she experienced as a child in Dublin’s Goldenbridge orphanage in this drama-documentary. Born in Dublin, she was the daughter of a married Irish woman and a Nigerian medical student. At the age of three weeks old she was given up to be fostered. Dear Daughter delves into her traumatic childhood at the orphanage and her persistent determination to find her parents. Dear Daughter was one of several television documentaries (including Lentin’s Stolen Lives (1999) and Mary Rafferty’s States of Fear (1999)) which heightened public awareness of institutional abuse, and lead to the commissioning of the Murphy and Ryan reports, which investigated the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin leading to a full State apology to victims of clerical child abuse by then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Dear Daughter was awarded the Creative Excellence Award at the US International Film and TV Festival 1996 and was nominated for Social and Political Documentary, Banff Television Festival, 1996. With kind permission of Dr. Ronit Lentin.

56m 45s

Dear Daughter - Trish McAdam Filmmaker Playlist

Our second IFI Filmmaker Playlist is curated by filmmaker and visual artist Trish McAdam. Since the production of her early shorts in the 1980s, Trish has created a vibrant and varied body of work, embracing a range of forms and subjects and retaining a singular, independent voice. We're delighted to welcome Trish to the Irish Film Institute to select her top picks from films preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive and presented on the IFI Archive Player. Dear Daughter was the first televised exposure of the horrific abuse of hundreds of children in Ireland’s industrial schools. Christine Buckley bravely recounts the extent of the atrocities she experienced as a child in Dublin’s Goldenbridge orphanage in this drama-documentary. Born in Dublin, she was the daughter of a married Irish woman and a Nigerian medical student. At the age of three weeks old she was given up to be fostered. Dear Daughter delves into her traumatic childhood at the orphanage and her persistent determination to find her parents. Dear Daughter was one of several television documentaries (including Lentin’s Stolen Lives (1999) and Mary Rafferty’s States of Fear (1999)) which heightened public awareness of institutional abuse, and lead to the commissioning of the Murphy and Ryan reports, which investigated the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin leading to a full State apology to victims of clerical child abuse by then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Dear Daughter was awarded the Creative Excellence Award at the US International Film and TV Festival 1996 and was nominated for Social and Political Documentary, Banff Television Festival, 1996. With kind permission of Dr. Ronit Lentin.

28m 48s

Discovering Ireland

This tourism promotional film was produced in 1982 by Bord Fáilte (now known as Fáilte Ireland) and presents Ireland and its rich history as an attractive holiday destination. From the bustling streets of Dublin during the St Patrick’s Day Parade, to the serene calm of the River Shannon, this film, directed by Louis Marcus, shows the breadth of choice Ireland has to offer any visitor. The 1980s were especially difficult times for Ireland. With high unemployment rates resulting in mass emigration, the country relied heavily on tourism to sustain the economy. Films like this one proved a useful tool in promoting the country to foreign travellers as an ideal place to visit, by showcasing the nation’s cultural and natural amenities. With extensive improvements in transportation and local infrastructure, coupled with extensive marketing plans to promote Irish heritage, Ireland quickly became a busy tourist destination in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Discovering Ireland is part of The Louis Marcus Collection on the IFI Archive Player.

10m 43s

Dots, Whips and Cobwebs - The Roy Spence Collection

This film looks at the work of three prominent lace makers in Carrickmacross, Northern Ireland in the 1980s. Mary Wilson, Mary McMahon and Rose Feeney show various intricate lacework techniques that were inspired by their natural surroundings, as well as teaching us the history and language of lace through detailed demonstrations, all captured beautifully in this film by Roy Spence for the Ulster Folk Museum. Although the popularity of lacework has declined in recent years, the Ulster Folk Museum continues to preserve these disappearing traditions for future generations. Roy Spence is an award-winning amateur filmmaker. For the past 50 years, Spence has been making and screening a series of remarkable and sometimes eccentric films in his cinema in Comber, Co. Down. The films span many genres from sci-fi to horror to folk-life documentaries shot between 1965 and 1986. His collection of over 40 films (13 documentaries/non-fiction and 29 fiction feature films) is held and preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive.

10m 29s

Dublin, Capital City of Ireland

This silent tourism film made for the Irish Tourist Association (the precursor of Bord Fáilte and Fáilte Ireland) provides a warmly-hued panorama of 1940s Dublin. Dublin is presented as a city of romance and contrasts which has survived countless changes through a thousand years of history. On this particular day Croke Park was packed to capacity as Limerick took on Kilkenny in the 1940 All Ireland Hurling Final. Going into the city centre, Dublin trams can be seen passing through a busy O’Connell Street, past Nelson’s Pillar (now home to The Spire) towards Bank of Ireland on College Green. The infamous Moore Street Market is a hive of activity, full of busy shoppers looking for a bargain, in complete contrast to the tranquil gardens of Stephen’s Green, where people are sprawled out on sun loungers making the most of a blissfully sunny day. As the film proudly states, “to the visitor, it is a city of pleasure offering every amenity for enjoyment and happiness”.

13m 53s

Errigal

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 storms and lightning blends with a superb score by Irish composer Brian Boydell.

20m 00s

Essie's Last Stand

It’s Dublin, 1999, and 76 year old Essie Keeling, Georgie her dog and her neighbour Karl Byrne are fighting eviction by property developers and homelessness. This timely, inspiring story of determination and resistance offers a crucial lens through which to view Dublin’s current housing crisis. Despite her age and ill health, the lovable Essie is a force to be reckoned with. She refuses an offer of one thousand pounds when asked to make way for the demolition and redevelopment of her home into luxury apartments. Gathering a mass of supporters, including Richard Boyd Barrett and Nell McCafferty, Essie and Karl make a stand that captures the public’s imagination and wins the heart of the audience. Don’t miss our exclusive clip below, where Loopline revisit Essie one year later. Director Liam McGrath has documented Irish society for over twenty years with a regular focus on Traveller Culture. He is known for the feature documentary Southpaw: The Francis Barrett Story (1998) and was winner of the 2015 Best Director Television IFTA for Dolores Keane: A Storm in the Heart.

52m 00s

Gathering In - Hidden Treasures

Hidden Treasures is a highly acclaimed four-part documentary series examining the history of Irish folklife. The series combines restored 16mm field recordings (produced by the National Museum of Ireland from the 1950s to the 1970s) with contemporary recordings of traditional rural crafts and rituals. These images emphasise the self-sufficiency of rural householders and craft specialists, as they utilise everyday materials to make practical objects for use in their daily lives. Episode three explores community participation in a range of rural activities such as harvesting, hay-making and turf-cutting. It includes a traditional performance by a group of Strawboys at a wedding in County Mayo. The appearance of these revellers disguised in straw costume and wearing conical straw hats is believed to bring luck, wealth and health to the newlyweds. Hidden Treasures is part of The Loopline Collection Volume 2.

14m 33s

Glamour of Galway

Galway old and new, is captured in glorious colour in this 1957 Bord Fáilte (now Fáilte Ireland) tourism film produced and directed by Colm Ó Laoghaire. Situated on the west coast of Ireland, Galway is one of the largest cities in Ireland and boasts a complex history dating back to medieval times. The film highlights the city’s many wonderful historic buildings and points of interest such as market days, picturesque thatched cottages, the Taibhdhearc Theatre, the Galway Blazers hunting club and the electric atmosphere at the world renowned Galway Races.

54m 39s

Grandpa, Speak To Me in Russian - The Louis Lentin Collection

In Grandpa, Speak To Me In Russian Louis Lentin explores the history of his paternal grandfather Kalman Lentin, who came to Ireland in the mid -1890s from the small, Jewish village of Zidik, North West Lithuania. Kalman Lentin was one of thousands of Jews who escaped the repressive Russian regime and one of few who came to Ireland. In this docudrama, Louis Lentin and his son, Miki, journey through the Baltic countries to uncover the story of the family and the lost world of the Jewish village. With kind permission of Dr. Ronit Lentin.

12m 00s

Granite and Chalk

As rebels planned Ireland’s 1916 Easter Rising, they were watched by two spies code-named Granite and Chalk. This documentary delves into British intelligence to tell their story, one century on. Funded by Fís Éireann/ Screen Ireland (formerly Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board), After ’16 is a creative response by Irish filmmakers to the events of Easter 1916. This collection of nine short films is a mixture of live-action, animation and documentary, telling stories from the eve of the Rising all the way to the Troubles in 1970s Northern Ireland and beyond.

12m 18s

Hallowed Fire: The Art of Evie Hone

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 influences. Hone discusses her education and upbringing, and demonstrates the process of creating stained glass. The film is shot mainly in black and white (due probably to budgetary restrictions) with colour stock reserved to show some of her finest stained glass work at the end of the film. Hone was born in 1894 in Co Dublin. Shortly before her twelfth birthday, she suffered from infant paralysis which impacted on her health throughout her life. This did not however deter her creative abilities and after years of studying art in London and Paris, she returned to Dublin to set up her own studio in Rathfarnham. Her initial love of abstract art and cubist painting was later replaced by a career working in stained glass. One of her greatest masterpieces is the Stations of the Cross window made for Kiltullagh Church in Galway, which was sold by Whyte’s Auctioneers for €42,000 in 2005. She was a friend and contemporary of Mainie Jellett and together they were instrumental in introducing modern art to Ireland.

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