Obair Scannáin / Film Work

This list is no way complete but i have a bad memory for these things and cannot remember programme names or even programmes themselves so i will add them as i can - sorry about that.

Mar Stiúrthóir / As Director


"Doire 'n Chuiling"
A half hour film about a day in the life of an older married couple who farm in the old fashion with a close relationship with land and animals and nature.   Observative in style and with an extensive music sound track this film is an essay on a lifestyle and culture that is now extremely rare.  It includes domestic scenes as well as beekeeping, gardening, turf cutting, fair day in Kenmare and personal moments.  An award winning film it was my first attempt and all credit goes to RTE and Catchall Goan who took the chance and commissioned some of us as first time directors for their summer series in Irish - Teilfis Pobail"

"Fead a' tSeabhaic"
The comrade to the above mentioned Doire an Chuilinn film, this particular film follows the story of Flute Maker Hammy Hamilton from Northern Ireland.   A story of two traditions meeting and marrying and of craftsmanship and traditional music.

"Gaoltacht go Gaeilge"
A film essay shot on super 16 and using a voice over narration in verse form as well as an extensive music sound track this project discusses the history and prospects of the survival of the Irish language and culture.
"Omós don Sulán"
This is a film essay shot on super sixteen with an extensive musical sound track.  It follows the birth of the river Sulán and follows its growth and eventual demise as it joins the Lee and then the sea in Cork harbor.   Lighting Camera - Seamus Deasy,  Sound Brendan Deasy

"Cabhair"
A half hour tv program on a young mans life as he came to terms with being gay and coming out in the Dublin of the seventies.

"An Tuar Solais"
A film on the men of the light house service on the coasts of Ireland.   This was shot as the light houses were made automatic and the keepers made redundant.  I loved these man and their work and think that they got an absolute bad deal as we still need human eyes to watch and safeguard our coasts.

"An Misiúnaí"
A film about the life of a missionary priest Diarmuid O Riordain, from the time he "signed up" at the age of twelve , his time in Indonesia and Africa and his supposed retirement at home where he still carries on his priestly duties but also carves wood an art he developed during his live in the bush.
"Ridire Shráid a'Mhuilinn" A half hour film on the life story of Noel C Duggan of Millstreet.   Noel C started out as a hardware merchant in his youth and built his interests and Bossiness so that he now owns the Green Glens and Drishane house and castle amongst other things.  His boldest stroke was probably successfully hosting the Eoruvision song contest in Millstreet in  the Green Glens which is also home to so many international Horse jumping competitions.

Mar Léirtheoir / As Producer


"Ceol na talamhan"
("Song of the earth" 13 half hour film docs.  and 4 x 1 hour 1996/98)    This project was a long held ambition of mine.   In pulling it together i realised that i was to near the subject matter - namely a year in the life of my comunity , the Cuil Aodha gaeltacht, to be able to record it independantly.  It was for this reason that i searched out a man i had met previously when he was directing an Irish music series calloed 'Bringing it all back home".   I asked Peter Carr if hr dwould direct and he said yes.   The result was nearly three years work but i am happy with the result and feel that the dissappearing culture has been captured and archived in this series so that future generatins or our people can see and learn from it.   Camera was by Seamus Deasy, Tony Cauldwell, Peter Robertson and sound was Brendan Deasy, Brendan    etc.  These programmes are slow paced with a large element of musical sound track as i wanted people who had no Irish (the observed language) could still follow the story and get involved with the mood of the films.

Mar Chumadóir Ceoil / As Music Composer


"Requiem for a civilisation"
A film essay on the life of Dr Noel Brown.  This film was directed by Frank Stapleton and was an Ocean films Project.   I composed a continious organ track to go with the film and had this idea that it could be performed live while the film was showing in much the same manner as the silent movies were partnered by the organist in the bigger cinemas in the begining.

"Tearmain"
two films directed and made by my sister Liadh Ni Riada.    These were nice films which followed the lives of the staff and the inhabitants of an old folks retirement home in Conemara.

There are holes here to be filled.   There was a film by Cathal Black called i think, Love and Rage. I wrote a slide for that and performed it with Sean O Liathain - i do not know if this ever appeared but that reminds me of another programme called Come West along the Road in 1971 in which Sean and myslef took part as well as many more from Cuil Aodha.

Ag glacadh páirt / As participant


"Amidst these Hills"
was an hour long documentry made by John Keogh of RTE on my own life.  It was part of a  series called "I live here" and was broadcast some time in the late eighty's i think.

"Fir na hEireann"
A talk show/interview programme made for TG4 in 2001.   Half an hour in length it is a mix of personal  opinions and answers to questions on my youth, family,work  etc.

BiBi Baskin programme special recorded in Cork @ 1990?
Has various guests and artists who unashamedly promote yours truely.  It includes the only tv appearance of the womens choir up until 2002.

Various Late Late programmes but in particluar one in 1997 in  which Mr Byrne Uasal allowed the programme to run an extra twenty minutes as he got kind of interested in the subjects we were disscussing.  (RTE)

Various Irish language magazine/current affairs programmes such as Cursaí,  (RTE)

Various live broadcasts of comemorative programmes on Sean O Riada in 1971,1974,1981, 1987 ,1992.

"Bringing it All Back Home"
HummingBird Productions for RTE/BBC

Phil Coulter Specials.

Donnachadha at Adare  (Light entermaint RTE)

Donnachadha at Bantry (Light entermaint RTE)

Varioius programmes to do with beekeeping and conservation - i can't think of the names but will add them in as i remember them.

Eile / Other


"Criocha samhalaíochta an ealaíontóra"
A commemorative programme made on the 21st aniversary of my father's death in 1992.   Cathal Goan directed it for RTE  and it recorded the events of the festival i organised for this comemoration.  This was a minimalist festival of one hour and three seconds.   It was based on the dreamtime of an artist and imagery that  i associated with my father's work.  I never explained the project at the time and still have not but wish people to figure it out for them selves.   The musical sound track set the agenda and various things passed along the banks of the Sulan across the magical waters from the onlookers.
Obair Scanáin  /  Film Work

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