Irish Film Institute
IFI Archive
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IFI Irish Film Archive

Demolition of Ballymun Towers

Duration17m 12s
As part of a regeneration programme in 2004 and 2005, demolitions took place of three of Ballymun's residential blocks: the Thomas McDonagh tower, the Patrick Pearse tower, and the Seán MacDermott tower. The footage also depicts community events held to coincide with the demolitions, including performances by rapper Tommy Kiernan Dunne, Finbar Furey of The Fureys, and novelist and poet Dermot Bolger.

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30m 00s

Dermot Bolger - Imprint: Writer in Profile

Novelist and poet Dermot Bolger sits down with Theo Dorgan to discuss his life and work. In particular, he explores the misperception of his writing as 'realism', his establishment of Raven Arts and his admiration of W.B. Yeats. Other topics are  discussed including dealing with death and loss, criticism and ‘coincidental writing’. Bolger compares the writing process to a journey undertaken where the destination is unknown. He champions the work of Irish writer Francis Stuart and explores the synchronicity of his writing and current affairs. Imprint, a literature review programme, and its sister show Imprint: Writer in Profile screened on RTÉ1 for three seasons. Both were presented by Irish poet, writer and lecturer Theo Dorgan. Over the course of the Writer in Profile series Dorgan conducted extended, in-depth interviews with a wide range of Irish and international writers including Colm Tóibín, Bernard MacLaverty, Jennifer Johnston, Joseph O’Connor, Michael Longley, Doris Lessing, John Montague, Eavan Boland, Gore Vidal, Richard Ford and Margaret Atwood.

30m 00s

Leland Bardwell - Imprint: Writer in Profile

The late Leland Bardwell discusses her early childhood spent in India with her Irish parents. The family returned to Ireland when she was 2 years old and it was here that she would later carve a career as a novelist and poet. Bardwell outlines her trajectory from first publication for Arena Magazine in the ‘60s, encounters with her peers Patrick Kavanagh and Flann O’Brien, to publishing Girl on a Bicycle in 1977. Bardwell also expresses her interest in marginalized sections of society and the suppression of young women in Ireland. Imprint, a literature review programme, and its sister show Imprint: Writer in Profile screened on RTÉ1 for three seasons. Both were presented by Irish poet, writer and lecturer Theo Dorgan. Over the course of the Writer in Profile series Dorgan conducted extended, in-depth interviews with a wide range of Irish and international writers including Colm Tóibín, Bernard MacLaverty, Jennifer Johnston, Joseph O’Connor, Michael Longley, Doris Lessing, John Montague, Eavan Boland, Gore Vidal, Richard Ford and Margaret Atwood.

30m 00s

Thomas Kilroy - Imprint: Writer in Profile

Irish playwright Thomas Kilroy was born in Limerick and through a career spanning fifty years, he has resisted fixed categories and boundaries in both his stagecraft and themes of his plays. This episode begins with a discussion about what interviewer Theo Dorgan refers to as a ‘double life’ – Kilroy’s role as a playwright and a Professor of English. This leads the conversation on to the theatre scene in Ireland in the 1960s, the start of a new generation of playwrights at the Abbey Theatre, and his experience working with Stephen Rea. Kilroy was involved with the Field Day Theatre Company but later left as he believed it should have been more politically focused. Imprint, a literature review programme, and its sister show Imprint: Writer in Profile screened on RTÉ1 for three seasons. Both were presented by Irish poet, writer and lecturer Theo Dorgan. Over the course of the Writer in Profile series Dorgan conducted extended, in-depth interviews with a wide range of Irish and international writers including Colm Tóibín, Bernard MacLaverty, Jennifer Johnston, Joseph O’Connor, Michael Longley, Doris Lessing, John Montague, Eavan Boland, Gore Vidal, Richard Ford and Margaret Atwood.

30m 00s

Edward Said - Imprint: Writer in Profile

In this episode, cultural critic Edward Said describes himself as ‘a writer for occasion’ - caught between journalism and being a ‘long distance runner’. Said discusses his upbringing; his status as a Palestinian intellectual; his  de-mystification of (particularly American) imperialism; and his positive response to criticism. Theo Dorgan questions him about his memoir Out of Place and Said explores the various political perspective people have projected on him, accusations of ‘terrorism’ and his views on the politics of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Imprint, a literature review programme, and its sister show Imprint: Writer in Profile screened on RTÉ1 for three seasons. Both were presented by Irish poet, writer and lecturer Theo Dorgan. Over the course of the Writer in Profile series Dorgan conducted extended, in-depth interviews with a wide range of Irish and international writers including Colm Tóibín, Bernard MacLaverty, Jennifer Johnston, Joseph O’Connor, Michael Longley, Doris Lessing, John Montague, Eavan Boland, Gore Vidal, Richard Ford and Margaret Atwood.

9m 04s

Up the Canal

This short film explores how the Grand Canal in Dublin has changed over the years. The voiceover provided by Irish novelist, short story writer and humourist John D. Sheridan, notes how methods of transport have changed and how fewer boats and barges now use the waterway. The aural memories are illustrated by poetic footage of the canal in the 1960s. The director, Margaret Currivan, won first prize for Up the Canal in the 'Film Shows Cup’ at the 1961 Dublin Amateur Cine Society competition (a competition predominantly entered by male filmmakers at the time). Margaret Currivan (b. 1923) was an avid amateur filmmaker, most prolific from 1954 to 1966. Currivan had a keen interest in photography and co-owned Currivan's Photographic Services in Dublin with her husband, Patrick Joseph (PJ). The shop processed and sold film, projectors, cameras and equipment and the filmmaker would, therefore, have had access to equipment, supplies and quick processing. Her films chronicle the story of her family, PJ and children Helen, Dan, and Paddy, engaged in key events including birthdays, Christmases and holidays. Currivan sometimes appears in her films, alluding to partial recording made by PJ. However, the shots are few and authorship is retained by Currivan who is noted to have also meticulously edited her films using a manual reel-to-reel device and splicer.

30m 00s

Richard Ford - Imprint: Writer in Profile

American novelist and short story writer Richard Ford opens up about his childhood dyslexia, the slowness of his writing and his beginnings in poetry. He talks to Theo Dorgan about earning a reputation as a ‘dirty realist’ after his novels The Sportswriter and Independence Day. Ford originally wanted to join the police force and had applied to the CIA but suddenly decided to become a writer instead. Ford talks openly about how he nearly gave up writing, but persevered until the Frank Bascombe series of novels became successful. Imprint, a literature review programme, and its sister show Imprint : Writers in Profile screened on RTÉ1 for three seasons. Both were presented by Irish poet, writer and lecturer Theo Dorgan. Over the course of the Writers in Profile series Dorgan conducted extended, in-depth interviews with a wide range of Irish and international writers including Com Tóibín, Bernard MacLaverty, Jennifer Johnston, Joseph O’Connor, Michael Longley, Doris Lessing, John Montague, Eavan Boland, Gore Vidal, Richard Ford and Margaret Atwood.