North Kerry Epic

ejmaztec

This should be interesting.

http://www.kerryman.ie/news/film-recalls-black-and-tan-atrocity-1869391.html

Film recalls Black and Tan atrocity



By DONAL NOLAN dnolan@kerryman.ie
Wednesday August 26 2009

ONE of the darkest hours in modern North Kerry and West Limerick history will be remembered at the premiere of a new film by an up-and-coming director from Knockanure.
Set to screen at a number of international film festivals as well as at home, ' The Valley of Knockanure' details the harrowing events of mid-1921 when three young IRA volunteers were beaten and murdered by the Black and Tans following the execution of Sir Arthur Vicars at Kilmorna House by the IRA in April of that year.
The three IRA men met their fate just one field away from the home of Gerard Barrett, the 21year-old who wrote, scripted and directed the new 35-minute film. Shot in Knockanure, Duagh, Lyreacrompane and Rathea over three days in July, The Valley — taking its name after the famous ballad — stars professional actors and was made on a shoestring budget of €1,500.
Writing in The Sunday Independent, Eoghan Harris — who was of great help in the conceiving of the project — said 'Barrett made it for buttons but it looks a million dollars... [he] will go on to bigger things. But Yeats would have liked this film, 'cold and passionate as the dawn'."
Mr Barrett is himself self-effacing about his contribution: "I can't emphasise enough how much this film is due to the community in North Kerry and West Limerick who were unbelieveable in the help they gave for the three-day shoot in terms of preparing and providing food and looking after things. I can't thank the community enough, this film is testament to the fact that that spirit is still alive and well in the region."
Premiering in the Tínteán Theatre in Ballybunion on Friday night, August 28, The Valley of Knockanure stars Gerard Kearney who appeared in ' The Wind that Shakes the Barley', David Coakley who has appeared in 'The Tudors' and ' Fire Practice' and established theatre-actor Liam Burke who was last seen on screen in Tom Hank's 'City of Ember' with Saoirse Ronan.
"We sometimes forget what our forefathers went through in the War of Independence and I just wanted to be true to their story, without sugar-coating it of course. Some of it is pretty tough but it is true to what happened and I would really like to thank the Dee, Walsh, Lyons and Dalton families for their help," Mr Barrett said.
Next up for the Knockanure director is the filming of a featurelength film in North Kerry at Christmas. 'The Valley' will premiere alongside a ' making-of' documentary and will be attended by a number of special guests. All are welcome.