July 2024
Irish-Australian Arts News
July 2024
It’s a big month for Irish cinema as the Galway Film Fleadh kicks off on the 9th with a screening of Kneecap, and will be running until the 14th. Reports out of the Fleadh will reveal some of the hottest upcoming Irish cinema.
We’d like to introduce the best Irish magazine in Australia – Tinteán – and the ISA Community Appriciation Awards Finalists. We also have a new show on SBS, new music and a review of Kneecap.
You can also see a collection of Irish events around Australia in our Events Diary at the bottom of this email.
Galway Film Fleadh
The Galway Film Fleadh, Ireland’s leading film festival will celebrate the 36th edition from 9- 14 July in the Town Hall Theatre and Pálás Cinema. Irish Film Talent is to the fore of programming at the Fleadh alongside World Cinema, award winning Documentaries and Irish and International Short Films; audiences can look forward to powerful, moving, funny and provocative storytelling from both emerging and renowned filmmakers.
The full program has been announced and can be found on their website.
Link to the best magazine on Irish diaspora arts and culture in Australia
Tinteán online magazine is a fabulous initiative of the Australian Irish Heritage Network.
The magazine aims to build and nurture the Australian Irish identity and explore social, cultural, political and religious issues of interest to the Australian-Irish subculture as well as the Irish diaspora in Australia. The big themes of exile, diaspora and settlement are addressed but the mag also includes historical and contemporary accounts of the experiences of individuals and families who have departed from their homes in Ireland to settle in Australia. Tinteán has a special interest in the political and economic evolution of Ireland and regularly features intelligent and accessible articles.
This issue looks at 30 years of Riverdance, losing your Irish accent in Australia, food and drink invented by the Irish and a great book review section including the verdict on Colm Tóibín’s LONG ISLAND – a sequel to the wonderful BROOKLYN.
Inaugural Community Appreciation Awards to be announced at the Irish Support Agency Christmas in July on July 27th
Our good friends at the Irish Support Agency have announced the inaugural Community Appreciation Awards which will be selected on July 27 th at the ISA Christmas in July celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. The Community Appreciation Awards will recognise and honour the incredibly hard-working individuals in the Irish Australian community who, often, do not get the recognition they so rightly deserve.
There are 5 categories namely, Sport, Community Contribution, Culture, Health and Wellbeing and Senior of the Year. The nominees in each section are outlined below and the Awards you can vote for the nominees at this link: irishsupportagency.org.au/caafinalists2024
Get voting for your favourite nominees and, better still, join the ISA under the mistletoe on July 27 th at the Four Seasons for what promises to be a great night of celebration.
Health and Wellbeing
Alan Earls – Sydney Community Safe Space
David Eccles and Tadhg Kennelly – Co-Founders of WNOW
Keith Donnelly – Founder and Director of Keith’s Closet
Sport
Ned Sheehy – NSW GAA
Cóilin Daly – NSW GAA
Ciara Cunningham – Secretary of Cormac McAnallen’s GFC
Cultural
Áine de Paor – Founding member Prankqueans
Enda Murray – Founder and director, Irish Film Festival
Tom O’Keeffe – President Kerry Association
Community Contribution
Alexandra Grace – Irish Family Events Sydney
Ireland Calling Radio Show team
Liam O’Mahony – Irish National Association
Senior of the Year
Rick McGill – Sydney Queer Irish
Michael Lyons – Irish Community Elder
John Grieve – Honorary President Penrith Gaels
Other Stories
- Faithless streaming on SBS OnDemand
After a tragic incident, an Irish-Egyptian dad has to raise his three daughters in Dublin alone. His irresponsible brother soon moves in to help out and never ends up leaving.
sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/faithless
- Latest release from Dundalk’s own David Keenan
‘Radiate A Smile’ is the new song from Irish singer-songwriter David Keenan which captures the essence of summer optimism and the complexity of human relationships.
“I like the idea that this song is two friends who share a deep platonic love, at the football, chatting shit in between people watching, slagging and confiding in one another. In a traditionally aggressive arena, there’s also intimacy,” Keenan shares about the inspiration behind the song.
Listen to the song here.
- Kneecap Australian Premiere at Sydney Film Festival Review
by Kay Hongxin Peng (Irish Film Festival volunteer)
If you asked me which movie won the most laughs and cheers at this year’s Sydney Film Festival, I would answer: KNEECAP!
Director, Rich Peppiatt‘s bold humor, and sometimes dark wit shattered my preconceptions of the movie.
As a moviegoer who grew up in Asia, “I wish I were Irish now” was the sentence I was thinking of the most that night. Although it was challenging at times to understand the Irish vernacular, that didn’t ruin my experience in enjoying the banter and laughing along with the audience at times.
The protagonists displayed a strong sense of identity to their native language. This was the core message of the film that drove the narrative through the protagonist’s upbringing to adulthood where fate brought together two mischievous brothers with a local music teacher where they began promoting their language through Irish hip hop.
I left the film festival with a new perspective on the Irish language and its deep-rooted importance to its people. I would recommend this movie to any moviegoer who resonates with this strong sense of cultural identity and is looking forward to plenty of laughs.
- Upcoming Film Festivals in Australia
Saxo Scandinavian Film Festival: 17 July – 14 August, visiting cities around Australia
Sydney Underground Film Festival: 12 – 15 September, Dendy Cinemas, Newtown
2024 EVENTS DIARY!
Click on the link above to check out our events diary from July 2024 onwards which includes some exciting news on Irish music national tours and other riveting stuff.
Add your event to our Monthly Newsletter
We have had some enquiries from Irish organisations about publicising their events in our newsletter. If you have an event coming up then get the info to us by the 21st of the month and we will do our best to include it in our newsletter. It helps if you can provide the text ‘ready to go’ and remember – a picture tells 1000 words so send some pics too!
Slán agus beannacht
Natalie O’Neill & Enda Murray (director)
Irish Film Festival
