Athlone Film Club is delighted to be taking part in the St Patrick’s Day celebrations by showing the classic Irish film Mise Eire, on Tuesday March 16 at 8pm in the Dean Crowe Theatre.
The film was directed by George Morrison in 1959, and was famously scored by Sean O’Riada and has an iconic status in the history of Irish film. The film was re-mastered and re-released on DVD last year to mark its 50th anniversary.
Mise Eire documents the birth of the Irish State by using filmed archive material to tell the story of a 20-year period in Irish history from the 1890s to 1920, with a particular focus on the 1916 Easter Rising. This period witnessed the flowering of Irish nationalism, not just from a political standpoint, but also through cultural and social forces like the Gaelic League, the GAA and through the founding of the Irish national theatre, the Abbey, by WB Yeats and Lady Gregory. Morrison uses the archives to show all these strands of Irish life during the period, culminating with the Easter Rising and uses fascinating archive shots of key players in the Rising such as Pádraig Pearse, James Connolly, Éamon de Valera, and one of the leading post-1916 figures, Michael Collins.
Sean O’Riada’s stirring score added immensely to the film by adding emotional impact to the archive images. The score of the film was based on traditional Irish songs and airs – the instantly recognisable main theme ‘Mise Eire’ is an arrangement of ‘Roisin Dubh’ and sets the tone for the whole film. ‘Mise Eire’ is now one of the most recognised pieces of Irish music in the world, and is a stunning accompaniment to the most famous Irish documentary ever made.
So come along and enjoy the best of Irish film and music and get in the St Patrick’s Day spirit! Temporary membership for the night is only €7; all members are invited to a complimentary wine reception in the theatre bar at 7.30pm. For more information log on to www.athlonefilmclub.com or email [email protected].
