Early Irish Film

Winty

Many years ago our history teacher told us a story about an Englishman who travelled around Ireland in the early years of the 20th century.

Some time between 1901 and 1915 the unnamed man travelled all over Ireland with an early type of film camera.

His business model was to arrive in a town and set up his camera and film the people going about their business, cattle fair, talking on the street whatever was happing that day. He would tell people to come to a hall or other public building in a couple of days and for a small entrance fee he would show his film. I suppose it was an early version of Pathe News.

At the time we did not see any video of what was produced but now with the internet I was hoping it may ring a bell with someone.

CDfm

I heard a radio interview on Newstalk106 - maybe Montcrieff on British Pathe News that had an office in Ireland from the early 1900s

Lots are being put on the internet like this one of Queen Victoria in Dublin 1900

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=51944

News/documentary was a big thing and quick and easy to produce.

Maybe thats what he was talking about.

draoicht

Winty wrote: »

Many years ago our history teacher told us a story about an Englishman who travelled around Ireland in the early years of the 20th century.

Some time between 1901 and 1915 the unnamed man travelled all over Ireland with an early type of film camera.

His business model was to arrive in a town and set up his camera and film the people going about their business, cattle fair, talking on the street whatever was happing that day. He would tell people to come to a hall or other public building in a couple of days and for a small entrance fee he would show his film. I suppose it was an early version of Pathe News.

At the time we did not see any video of what was produced but now with the internet I was hoping it may ring a bell with someone.

There was a BBC series a few years ago called "The Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon" about two English filmmakers from the early years of the 20th century who did what you describe.

The film was only discovered about 10 years ago and is being restored by the British Film Institute. http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mk/

I'm pretty sure there was some Irish footage in the series.

Rebelheart

RTÉ had a programme- perhaps Nationwide? - on recently where it talked about and used silent film from Cork and other Irish cities and towns at the start of the 20th century. I believe the same people made all of them.

Winty

Thanks to all

I will look around the Web over Easter and report back.

CDfm

Winty wrote: »

Thanks to all

I will look around the Web over Easter and report back.

On an aside there was a punk band called the Radiators from Space and the singer was Phil Chevron. I vaguely remember hearing about a book he did on early irish cinemas.

James Joyce ran an early cinema in Dublin too - probably around where Stringfellows was if his writtings are anything to go by.

InTheTrees

CDfm wrote: »

On an aside there was a punk band called the Radiators from Space and the singer was Phil Chevron.

I remember them. I certainly saw them more then once.

CDfm

InTheTrees wrote: »

I remember them. I certainly saw them more then once.

Better know for his Pogues days and "Thousands are Sailing"

This is the book & ryan is his real name

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=pd_rhf_s_2?ie=UTF8&search-alias=blended&keywords=the%20lost%20theatres%20of%20dublin%20philip