Ireland: Behind the Wire

The story of famous actor and director Orson Welles is told through his two visits to the Republic of Ireland; first in his youth as a promising young actor and finally in later years as a washed up icon of the silver screen.

Seamus Murphy’s documentary examines Irish writer Pat Ingoldsby’s unique world. Ingoldsby’s poems and candid anecdotes bear witness to a visceral relationship with his beloved Dublin, fellow Dubliners and anything that catches his interest. Personal challenges, a sensitive humanity and a lifetime as a maverick have taught him to harness reality and reach well beyond it to avenge the banal with absurd magic. It heals him as it does us.

Commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland, commissioned for its 50th anniversary.

Mabel Wallace is a woman from Shinrone, Ireland. She has just turned 100. This is her story.

The evolution of skateboarding culture in Ireland since the late 1980s.

Through economic necessity, an Aran Islander is forced to travel to England to work on building sites so that he can earn money to support his family back on the Islands.

The Kabin Studio on the north side of Cork gives teenagers the mic and the confidence to use it. Writing and performing infectious Irish-language rap, they grow from shy beginners into viral sensations—their lyrics pulsing with pride, heritage and the joy of being heard.

Inspired by Patrick Pearse’s poem Mise Éire (“I Am Ireland”), this documentary assembles archival footage from across Europe to trace the rise of Irish nationalism from the 1890s through the 1916 Easter Rising. Directed by George Morrison, the film chronicles key figures and events of the independence movement, with Irish-language narration and a score by Seán Ó Riada.

A behind-the-scenes look at the 1998 West Cork Chamber Music Festival

Peels back centuries of legend and myth to tell the story of Saint Patrick through historical reenactments, expert interviews and Patrick’s own writings, tracing his journey from man to saint.

Women have always sought ways to terminate unwanted pregnancies, despite powerful patriarchal structures and systems working against them. This film provides a historical overview of how church, state and the medical establishment have determined policies concerning abortion. From this cross-cultural survey--filmed in Ireland, Japan, Thailand, Peru, Colombia, and Canada--emerges one reality: only a small percentage of the world's women has access to safe, legal operations.

In 1978 the Undertones released Teenage Kicks, one of the most perfect and enduring pop records of all time - an adolescent anthem that spoke to teenagers all over the globe. It was the first in a string of hits that created a timeless soundtrack to growing up, making the Undertones one of punk rock's most prolific and popular bands.

A collection of Irish legends and sightings, featuring eerie ruins of castles. A moody film, very well narrated by Richard Basehart. Rich in folklore and timeless legends, Ireland possesses a history of supernatural phenomena and in fact, may be the most haunted country in the world. This documentary traces the ghostly paths of the spirits that have roamed the Emerald Isle since the beginning of man. Filmed entirely on locations in Ireland, including the city of Dublin and at many other ghostly places such as Killakee House, St. Michan’s Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Carrickmines, Howth Castle, Malahide Castle, Aillwee Cave (Ballyvaughan), Cliffs of Moher, Kilfenora Cathedral, Glenfesk, Muckross Abbey, Kildemock Church, Castlegregory and many more.

A biography of the poet W. B. Yeats and his contribution to the Irish independence movement as a Protestant nationalist.

Take a thrilling journey to four of the greatest national treasures of Europe and Africa. Walk along the misty shores of Ireland's rocky northern coast to experience the legendary Giant's Causeway. Search for elusive mountain gorillas in Uganda's lush Impenetrable Forest. Climb the stunning snow-capped peaks of Italy's timeless Alps to discover the regal ibex in Gran Paradiso National Park. Behold the spectacle of thundering herds of migrating wildebeest, zebra and gazelle on Africa's fabled Serengeti Plains.

A documentary on the life of the people of the Aran Islands, who were believed to contain the essence of the ancient Irish life, represented by a pure uncorrupted peasant existence centred around the struggle between man and his hostile but magnificent surroundings. A blend of documentary and fictional narrative, the film captures the everyday trials of life on Ireland's unforgiving Aran Islands.