Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
OSCAR-WINNING FILM director Neil Jordan has donated an archive of his notes and research to the National Library of Ireland.
The archive includes film and TV scripts, production files, storyboards, plays, notebooks and personal correspondence with artistic collaborators and political figures.
At an event announcing the donation, which comes under section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, Jordan said he was “thrilled” to hand over the notes, many of which he hadn’t seen.
The archive will be digitised and put on display in the National Library, with a public exhibition due in 2019.
Part of the donation is a newspaper ad calling for 5,000 men to fill Bray’s Carlisle Grounds to recreate Bloody Sunday 1920, when the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Auxiliary Division killed 14 civilians at Croke Park.
The notice asks the men to wear dark jackets and shoes as well as trousers. However, it expressly tells volunteers that they should not wear jeans, runners, watches or other modern conveniences.
Such large-scale turnouts by extras were common in the making of the film and Jordan said it represented a curiosity Irish people had about it. He said that criticism of the historical accuracy of the film didn’t bother him.
“It was 1995 and the Celtic Tiger hadn’t happened, so the city kind of embraced us and gave us access to the entire city – it was extraordinary.
“People were enraptured that their history would be reenacted in front of them.
“The movie can bring people to the history books – they can read Rex Taylor or Tim Pat Coogan. I hope people enjoy the film as a piece of art and not assume it is a definitive word on history.
“I think it has functioned like that.”
Director of the NLI, Dr Sandra Collins, said:
“The National Library of Ireland is committed to preserving the story of Ireland through literature, film, still image, born digital content and more. Neil Jordan has had an indelible impact on filmmaking at home and abroad, and we are delighted that he has chosen to donate his rich and diverse archive to the NLI. We look forward to making this generous donation accessible to fans, researchers and the next generation of Irish filmmakers.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Chinese k unts and their fantasy medicine causing havoc in the natural world. Brutal shower of fuuckers!
@Psyarron: considering they have dog eating festivals over there, then their belief in magic medicine shouldn’t be a surprise.
@Psyarron: totally agree have the planet destroyed
A great bunch of lads
Fish bladders, tiger bones, rhinos horn, what next from these crazy superstitious people.
@John Cassin: tripe and onions,st Bridget’s cross,the child of Prague,blessed ashes,banshees,.oh.these superstitious foreigners!
@Thomas Devlin: What magical powers is tripe and onions supposed to have? The others I have heard of but not this one and Google isn’t telling me anything.
Why don’t they look for an alternative before this species are gone forever, is there nothing generic.
@Peter Jo: Well the article suggests it’s rarely used now because of its value so it’s just a trinket to show off or privately feel good about.
Those Mexican cartels are in the same business as the Rathkeale Rovers.
have your say