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Historical Irish silent films are now available online - VIDEOS

Trinity College archives opened to public in major move


Still from “The Lad from Old Ireland” (1910)
Still from “The Lad from Old Ireland” (1910)
Photo by Trinity

In exciting news, Irish Film & TV (IFTV) Research Online, a Trinity College project, is making available nine dramatized films about the Irish, made in Ireland and America by Sidney Olcott and others during the period of 1910 to 1915.

Canadian-born Alcott, who was of Irish heritage, moved to Ireland and made several films there. He even had plans for a permanent studio in Beaufort, County Kerry, but the First World War intervened.

IFTV says that almost all the Irish-themed fiction films released in this period were produced by foreign filmmakers, but during 1916 to 1920 Irish filmmakers working mainly for the Film Company of Ireland also made innovative and challenging films.

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Five of the nine films are concerned with aspects of Irish history and are set mainly during the 1798–1803 period: “Rory O’More” (1911); “Brennan of the Moor” (1913); “For Ireland’s Sake” (1914); “Ireland a Nation” (1914); and “Bold Emmet Ireland’s Martyr” (1915); one is the first Irish migration film, “The Lad from Old Ireland” (1910); there are adaptations of well-known literary works: Dion Boucicault’s play, “The Colleen Bawn” (1911), and Thomas Moore’s poem, “You’ll Remember Ellen” (1912); and one concerns a mother–son relationship filmed in Ireland and the USA, “His Mother” (1912).

Here’s the video clips: 

“Rory O’More” (1911):


“Brennan of the Moor” (1913):

“For Ireland’s Sake” (1914):

“Ireland a Nation” (1914):

“Bold Emmet Ireland’s Martyr” (1915):

“The Lad from Old Ireland” (1910):

“The Colleen Bawn” (1911):

“You Remember Ellen” (1912):

“His Mother” (1912):

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6 Comments

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Very interesting films, i've only watched a couple so far but an important find.
WOW!!! On several levels, WOW!!! I frequently visit Ireland and I have been to the places so vividly captured in these films. As a student of Irish history, I am enthralled by the fervor for independence depicted in these pre-1916 films. Kudos to the folks at Trinity. Thank You for this wonderful piece.
thanks for such good info
Pity the subtitles for Brennan on the Moor are in Dutch. It's all Double Dutch to me!
Thanks for the site!!
Many, many thanks to Irish Central for making these wonderful films available.
 




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