People are invited to take a special walk down memory lane at Buncrana Cinema next week and delve into our cultural past through film as part of the Bealtine Festival – An Age and Opportunity arts initiative.
Hosted by the Inishowen Development Partnership, in collaboration with ChangeMakers Donegal, ‘Destination Donegal’ will take place at Buncrana Cinema, St. Mary’s Hall on Monday 20 May from 1 pm to 3:30 pm.
Entry [which includes light lunch and refreshments] costs €5 [payable at the door] and prebooking is also necessary via the IDP office in Buncrana [Details Below].
The event will feature archive footage of Donegal from the Irish Film Institute (IFI), including the Angling Festival in Moville (1959), boat-building in Killybegs and carpentry projects in Teelin as well as local recordings from the past compiled by Hugh Quirke.
Other highlights include Cursaí Ostáin (1957), a short documentary about a hotel course for young women in Bundoran (featuring participants from Inishowen), and Radharc’s Irish College Ranafast, documenting the experience of young Gaeltacht visitors in the early ‘60s.
There will also be a post-show discussion with Pasty Toland of ChangeMakers Donegal and traditional music as part of the EMBRACE project – which is funded through the International Fund for Ireland.
Aine McLaughlin Community Development Officer with IDP says the Bealtine Festival, gives older people the chance to access the arts and various creative events.
“We are delighted to able join in the Bealtine Festival in Inishowen this year and give older people the chance to walk down memory lane and ponder about the Donegal they grew up in,” said Aine.
IDP’s Sláintecare Healthy Communities Social Prescribing Link Worker Carmel Gallagher, who helps to coordinate the popular Movies & Tea along with the hard working and accommodating team at Buncrana Cinema said the post show discussion will give people a chance to connect with each other and talk about how life used to be in Donegal.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with Patsy Toland of ChangeMakers Donegal,” said Carmel.
“Pasty has a wealth of experience in carrying out interviews with local people about life in Donegal and Africa in the 1950s and 60s through the ChangeMakers Donegal Elder Tree programme – this series of short archive films will evoke lovely memories for Inishowen people.”
Returning archival footage to its homeplace
Meanwhile, Sunniva O’Flynn, the Head of Irish Film Programming at IFI, said they are delighted to be able to return the archival films to the places where they were made and present them to the communities that resonate most with them.
“We are delighted to partner with Inishowen Development Partnership and ChangeMakers Donegal for the second presentation of the Local Films for Local People: Destination Donegal programme,” said Sunniva.
“The public presentations provide welcome opportunities for shared community experiences and the exciting possibility of seeing oneself on screen. Audience feedback greatly enhances our understanding of the films and the contexts in which they were made.”
Prebooking is available now by calling IDP in Buncrana on 07493-62218. Limited free transport is also available from central points in Inishowen thanks to TFI Local Link. Please mention this at the time of booking if transport is required.
