They may have made a movie from John Banville’s book, ‘The Sea’ around the village of Ballygarrett last year and its release is eagerly awaited, but it may have stiff competition from a new DVD called ‘Ballygarrett Remembers – Talking to the Locals’ which was launched with fanfare and excitement in Realt Na Mara Hall, Ballygarrett, last Thursday night.
The DVD was launched by the pupils of 6th Class at St. Mary’s School, who had spent many months bringing a class project to tuition which involved recording interviews on video with locals who had stories and memories of Ballygarrett and the surrounding areas.
The school was a hive of activity last Thursday as the pupils, who will be moving to new accommodation in the next week or so, were busy ‘burning’ DVD’s, labelling them and getting them ready before the seats would all fill up in the hall.
Many knowledgeable local people were interviewed by the pupils and they also visited the most historic sites in the seaside parish.
Some extraordinary stories are told. Francis Doyle told Adam Wynne of the 1922 house fire that wiped out the entire family, except his mother, while Jane Fortune, who is 101 years old, shared her tales of a long life with Kate Minogue.
Other stories covered in the well produced DVD, which is on sale locally at €5 per copy, include the ancient graveyard at Donaghmore and life at the old Cahore Coal yard.
The pupils involved in the making of the DVD included Joseph Burke, Rebecca Byrne, Ryan Byrne, Tadhg Byrne, Taina Cardiff, Ciara Doyle, Conor Doyle, Killian Doyle, Javier Galvan, James Lawless, Brian Lee, Eve Loughlin, Kate Minogue, Adam McGuinness, Michael O’Shea, Gregory Redmond McVeigh, Amy Redmond, Johnny Sinnott, Abbey Tomkins, Adam Wynne, Tom Hobbs and Sean Wafer.
The producer, director and camera operator was Anne McLoughlin, editor was Joe Donohoe, and the production was encouraged and supported by Seamus Kennelly, School Principal, and the class teacher, Mary Doyle.
Full report in THE GOREY ECHO.
