Collection
The St. Patrick's Day Collection
10 items
For centuries Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, has been revered as the founder of Christianity in Ireland. Today, his feast day on March 17th is a day inextricably associated with national identity as Ireland and Irishness are celebrated throughout the world in a colourful slate of cultural and religious events.
This varied compendium of films illustrates St Patrick’s life and legacy, and the traditions that honour him. It includes early newsreels of shamrock-bearing colleens during World War 1; filmlets about St Patrick’s childhood haunts in Co Down and Croagh Patrick, site of annual pilgrimage; a record of nationwide activities during the Patrician Year in 1961; historical pageants in the 1950s; colourful parades in the 1980s; and a melodious collection of St Patrick’s staples sung by Bing Crosby and friends.
We are delighted to present this archive collection for, as the narrator tell us in Saint Patrick’s Country (1935), “though Patrick died more than 1600 years ago, his memory is still fresh in Irish hearts.”
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5m 23s
This excerpt from the 1927 MGM film The Callahans and the Murphys was believed to be lost. The silent comedy film, adapted from a novel by Kathleen Norris, stars Marie Dressler and Polly Moran and tells the story of two feuding Irish immigrant families living in a tenement. When the film was released, it caused outrage, with the Catholic Church calling for it to be banned, and the Irish diaspora picketing cinemas that screened it. The scene that caused the most consternation was set at a picnic on St Patrick’s Day, where the characters celebrate Ireland’s national holiday by dancing, drinking, and brawling. This depiction proved to be a stereotype too far for the Irish diaspora. In response to the violent reaction the film provoked, MGM initially recut it and removed this objectionable scene. However, when this failed to placate Irish groups in America, England, and Australia, MGM withdrew the film entirely and allegedly destroyed all the prints.
The film was believed to be completely lost until recently. For two decades, this scene sat on the shelves of the IFI Archive under the name An Irish Picnic. It was only thanks to the enthusiasm of an IFI Archive staff member with a particular interest in silent cinema that its true identity was recently discovered.
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1m 00s
In this newsreel filmed on St Patrick’s Day 1916, Mrs. Tredennick presents shamrock pins to the officers of the 18th Battalion London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) at the Duke of York’s Headquarters in Chelsea.
The London Irish Rifles (LIR) was a volunteer rifle regiment of the British army. From 1908 to 1920, the London Irish were transferred to the Territorial Force and renamed the 18th (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment (London Irish Rifles). Shortly after the end of the First World War, it was reformed and renamed the Territorial Army, which today is known as the Army Reserve.
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8m 54s
This short film presents five much-loved Irish airs and ballads against a backdrop of the Irish landscape. Bing Crosby sings How Can you Buy Killarney? (from his St Patrick’s Day Parade album), John Feeney sings The Connemara Shore and Connie Foley sings Lovely Leitrim. These songs of yearning and nostalgia are illustrated with images of Irish Travellers, fishermen, foresters and farmers, ancient monuments, rich farmlands, seascapes and the River Shannon. In Cavan, the Power Dancers and Ulster champion Marie McCluskey performs a jig in a schoolyard.
Locations in the film include Oughterard, Ashford Castle, Co. Mayo, Fenagh Abbey, Co Leitrim, Co Galway, Cavan, the River Shannon, and the western coast.
This digital copy has been created from the sole print of the film preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive collection. The original 16mm print was clearly much-loved and often-screened and shows some signs of wear and tear including occasional slight picture jumps and audio gaps. We hope this will not affect your enjoyment of the film.
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1m 36s
The story of the Irish patron Saint, Patrick is explored through footage of his adopted homeland in picturesque Northern Ireland.
This 1935 film from the Pathe Pictorial cinemagazine series depicts the village of Raholp, Co. Down, where St. Patrick grew up. The narrator tells how very little has changed in the sleepy village since the saint’s childhood – a man thatches the roof of a cottage, a woman fetches water from a well, children feed calves, a farmer herds cattle and a young boy walks with a goat along the road to Saul, where St. Patrick first preached Christianity in Ireland. Downpatrick Cathedral features next; where legend has it, St. Patrick is buried.
This film is part of The Irish Independence Film Collection – The Early Irish Free State that explores facets of Irish society after the War of Independence and up to the birth of the Irish Republic.
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25m 58s
Ireland is beautiful all-year-round but spring is when it really blossoms. Produced by Colm O’ Laoghaire (director of the Amharc Éireann newsreels for Gael-Linn) this film is a celebration of all things Irish and a delightful window on 1950s Eire.
The film focuses on An Tóstal (Irish for “The Pageant”) which was a series of festivals and events established in 1953 to celebrate Irish culture and draw more tourists to the country. The wealth of events and happenings the country are shown. In Dublin President Sean T. O’Kelly launches a parade featuring flower-festooned floats from Aer Lingus while outside The Pale we see Gaelic football and hurling, fly fishing in Lough Corrib, and a traditional music festival in Ennis.
The film was produced in 1957 for Bord Failte Éireann and released in 1958. An Tóstal events were hosted around the country from 1953 until 1958 when they ended everywhere except in Drumshanbo in Co Leitrim where an annual festival still takes place today. The local pride engendered by An Tostal inspired annual clean-up plans which were formalised into the National Tidy Towns Award, which is still going strong.
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30s
This short simple newsreel (location unknown, 1914-1918) shows two Irish girls pinning sprigs of shamrock on the caps and coats of soldiers. There are Irish soldiers from various regiments, from Connaught Rangers, Royal Artillery to Fusiliers.
Some of the men are wearing bandages and appear to be wounded while others casually stand by having a cigarette.
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27m 35s
A meticulous record of the Patrician Year 1961, a year of religious celebration loosely marking 1,500 years of devotion to St. Patrick in Ireland. The film features the visit of Papal Legate Cardinal Gregorio Pietro Agagianian to Ireland where he is greeted by President Éamon de Valera, Taoiseach Seán Lemass and Archbishop John Charles McQuaid. He travels to Maynooth, Cork City, Thurles, and Dublin city, including suburbs Whitehall, Kimmage, Ringsend and Blackrock.
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54s
This newsreel set in London shows the Lord Mayor of London arriving at Saint Patrick’s Church for the celebration of Mass for Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Irish women are seen selling flags in the street to passersby. These women were most likely collecting for charitable organisations, like the London Irish benevolent society, or for Irish War widows and orphans.
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28m 48s
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.
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54s
This footage captures a pilgrimage to Ireland’s Holy Mount, Croagh Patrick from 1921 where thousands of people toil over bog and boulders to reach the summit and pray for peace.
Croagh Patrick is a 764 metre-high mountain and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Ireland. It is the third highest mountain in County Mayo after Mweelrea and Nephin and forms the southern part of a U-shaped valley created by a glacier flowing into Clew Bay in the last Ice Age. It is climbed by pilgrims on Reek Sunday every year, which is the last Sunday in July.