Photo: Keith Wiseman
REASONS to be cheerful, believing, proud, to belong. We all need them.
So should you find yourself in an airline seat with Quantas, Malaysian Airlines or Air Canada over the next while, tune to inflight entertainment and a documentary that straddles Limerick and Cavan in its presentation of young and other lives. It is called ‘Under an Irish Sky’.
Directed and produced by Cavan native Brinsley Matthews – better known for his partnership in New York’s design giant, Dorothy Draper – ‘Under an Irish Sky’ looks at unknown lives and their quiet beauty.
Photo: Keith Wiseman
Juxtapose this with Brinsley’s NY base in Trump Towers, and Dorothy Draper having outfitted the White House for two previous American presidents. Actually, there is talk of talks with Donald Trump for the next contract, and this interview’s ‘exploration’ is met with broad evasive smiles.
The Limerick premier took place at Loft Venue theatre overhead Locke Bar on the cusp of the new year. It was attended by the film maker, family, friends and partner in work, Carleton Varney of Pallaskenry’s Shannongrove House. Several of those profiled in this documentary travelled for the occasion.
Essentially, interlacing interviews with seven different people between the ages of 10years and 60s are filmed onsite within their homes, villages, fields and churches. The festival anchoring ‘Under an Irish Sky’ is present day Christmas.
“There are a few life lessons in there,” commented this warm and elegant producer at the launch party. “A good life takes work, that’s what I want to say to people. That’s what we are saying”.
‘We’ includes choir master at Glenstal Abbey, Br Columba McCann, 16-year old Evie from Cavan, the Italian clothes designer Micelina Stacpoole based in Adare, 10-year old Jaimie and his soot black Connemara pony.
Photo: Keith Wiseman
“I wanted them to describe their lives to me, for people outside of Ireland to see how you could have a life without materialism. I know [the interviewees], I know their story and they tell it first hand to camera, their history and connections”.
It works, this straightforward, fluid simplicity in delivery: what those featured do, their love of home or school or music or horses and where they are going to. There is colour and context to the narrative and shoot. Holistically, the impact is uplifting.
Photo: Keith Wiseman
Any more films in the offing? Brinsley Matthews grins. “I’d great fun doing it. The fun is in doing it. There will be more.
“You don’t need a budget to be successful, in design or in film making. You need an imagination and a work ethic.
“To me, every word is precious”.
‘Under an Irish Sky’ is made by Shannongrove Films.
