Film Exhibition + Q&A

In 2003, Colm took his film camera into Dublin city center every day, searching for the woman with the rosary beads, the iconic "Mary of Dublin", who famously walked and danced while praying in the heart of O’Connell Street.

Mary of Dublin is a short film edited by Mark Davidson. The visual journey is paired with an evocative instrumental score of atmospheric guitars, keyboards, and 1950s style drums, capturing a haunting and rhythmic moment in the city’s history.

Strange Vibe Films presents The Execution, a cinematic adaptation of the short story by the legendary Brendan Behan. Originally published in Behan’s collection After the Wake (O'Brien Press, 1981), this abridged version was written for the screen and directed by Colm Quearney.

Narrated by Jack Lynch, this 8 minutes film was created as a community project in 2013 with the support of the Bradog Community Centre on Dominick Street. Filmed on location in Dublin, the production features a cast of authentic voices from the North Inner City.

This 30-minute film is a visceral exploration of the life and soul of Brendan Behan. Following three performers as they wander through the streets of Dublin, the film weaves together extracts from Behan’s most iconic works to tell a story of Pr*son, executions, and the "disgrace of day-to-day life in J*il."

Through the power of authentic Irish voices, the film captures the harshness, force, and haunting cry of Behan’s world, a place where the fear that penetrates the soul meets the sharp wit of a man who "wrote a lot, lived a lot, and drank a lot."

“The Irish dislike those of their kind who think.” — Brendan Behan

The story of the extraordinary afterlife of a song about Michael Collins, written by a 12 year old Brendan Behan in the 1930s, which went on to become one of the best-known and most enduringly popular songs in 20th century Greece and an anthem of resistance against the military dictatorship.

Alan Gilsenan is an award-winning Irish writer, filmmaker and theatre director. His recent films include The Days of Trees, which won the IFTA Award for Best Feature Documentary, Ghosts of Baggotonia, and The Irish Question, exploring the Northern Ireland Troubles and the possibilities of a united Ireland.

He recently directed the opera Custom of the Coast, with a libretto by Paul Muldoon and music by Kamala Sankaram.

Gilsenan is a former Chairperson of the Irish Film Institute, has served on the boards of Screen Ireland and RTÉ, and is currently Chairperson of Fighting Words, a national organisation supporting creative writing for children and young people.

Funded by TG4/Northern Screen/ Coimisiún na Meán. Produced by Sheila Friel & Kathyrn Baird of Imagine Media Productions. Written & narrated by Theo Dorgan

The Charlie O'Leary Story - From Johnny Cullen's Hill to The Olympic Stadium Rome by Joe Lee (7.30 pm)

From the award winning makers of 406 Days - The Debenhams Strike comes the story of a life which transcends football on the island of Ireland.

Charlie O'Leary was born on the 1st of February 1924 in Townsend Street, Dublin the same year the Irish Free State played its first football match.

In 1945 as a teenager Charlie founded the Dublin football "Street Leagues" in East Wall it would spread across Dublin and afar leading to young participants becoming professionals in England and in the League of Ireland. The names Touhy, Brady, Dunne and Giles would go down in Irish football folklore.

Through the leagues Charlie would become a referee climbing through the ranks to officiate in the League of Ireland.

He would become one of the first Irish referees to be FIFA affiliated leading to assignments behind the Iron Curtain at Camp Nou, Barcelona and across the UK.

In 1986 Jack Charlton would invite Charlie to become the Irish Football Kit-Man. He would be part of the greatest moments of Irish football.

Today Charlie O'Leary is 102 years of age. This is his story, from Johnny Cullen's Hill to the Olympic Stadium Rome.

Directed by Joe Lee Produced by Fergus Dowd .

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