April 2025
Irish-Australian Arts Roundup
Win 5 double pass to Small Things Like These
Fáilte (welcome) to the April Irish Australian Arts Newsletter.
In this edition celebrate Irish cinema as Small Things Like These hits cinemas, Kneecap is available to rent digitally, and the trailer for the first Irish language horror film has dropped.
We commiserate Ireland’s lack of success at the Oscars, take a look at some Irish entertainment on SBS and ABC, and a look at some upcoming events, including our events diary.
Small Things Like These Finally Hits Australian Cinemas
Cinema Lovers around Australia have impatiently been waiting for Cillian Murphy’s new film Small Things Like These to make it’s way into our cinemas. The great news is that it will hit cinemas April 10!
Check out your local cinema for showtimes as many have advanced screenings, some cinemas have already started their screenings.
The film is based on the prize winning Novella by Claire Keegan. The story follows Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, in the weeks leading up to Christmas in 1985. Furlong faces his busiest season and as he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him – and encounters the complicit silences of a small community controlled by the Church.
We have 5 Double Passes to give away to the film.
To enter go to our Facebook Page HERE
And tag a friend who you would like to take along and let us know what city you’re in.
First Irish Language Horror Film
In a historic move for Irish cinema, director John Farrelly’s An Taibhse (The Ghost) is set to make its international premiere at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024. As the first Irish-language horror film ever made, An Taibhse promises to bring a unique and chilling experience to audiences. Produced by six-time Oscar nominee Jim Sheridan, the film is steeped in the dark history of Ireland’s post-famine era, a period marked by profound suffering and loss.
Set in 1852, the film follows Éamon (Tom Kerrisk) and his daughter Máire (Livvy Hill) as they take on a seemingly peaceful job as caretakers of a remote Georgian mansion during the harsh winter months. However, their quiet retreat quickly descends into a nightmare when a malevolent force awakens within the mansion’s ancient walls. Every creaking floorboard and flickering candle only adds to the mounting suspense as the characters’ sanity begins to unravel.
Kneecap available to rent
Kneecap is now available to buy or rent digitally or you can hunt down a DVD of the film. The film can be rented through distributor Madman, or you can grab a copy from Youtube Movies and TV, Apple TV, or Amazon Prime.
Those who attended Misneach know that the band don’t mind you pirating the film but to support the cast and crew, we encourage you to ignore Dodgy Box and go the legal route!!
More gossip, gigs and Irish tv shows in Oz
- Irish at the Oscars
Commiserations to the Irish representatives at the 2025 Oscars. Unfortunately, no Irish winners were announced at this year’s awards show.
Nick Emerson lost the Best Editing award to Anora‘s Sean Baker, while the Tailored Films co-production and Screen Ireland supported film The Apprentice didn’t win either of the awards the film was nominated for.
Brazil’s I’m Still Here took home the Oscar for Best International Feature, the category that Kneecap was short-listed for.
- IFF 2024 film Dance First is available to stream on SBS OnDemand
Examines the life of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, who was a World War II resistance fighter, Nobel Prize winner, philandering husband and recluse.
sbs.com.au/ondemand/movie/dance-first/2405676099805
The film was made available due to its inclusion in SBS’s Tales from the Emerald Isle collection for St Patrick’s Day. The collection has some great Irish movies and TV, including IFF22 Opening Night Film Steps of Freedom, IFF23 film Joyride, and TV cult hit Love/Hate. Explore the collection here.
- The Murder Capital first ever Australian Tour
3-5 April, visiting Melbourne, Brisbane & Sydney
The band have just released their brand new album: ‘Blindness’. The sound of a band firing on all cylinders that bristles with energy yet intimate and simultaneously expansive. Eleven songs that don’t hang about in terms of grabbing the listener.
troubadourpresents.com/events/the-murder-capital/
- Sinéad Keenan’s Unforgotten on ABC iView
The BAFTA-winning show follows Detectives Cassie Stuart and Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan try to solve a series of cold cases, involving murders and historic disappearances, with alarming links to the police force.
iview.abc.net.au/show/unforgotten
- LGBTQ+ Comedy Drama Dating Amber on SBS OnDemand
Set in Ireland during the mid-’90s, Eddie and Amber decide to stage a relationship to stop everyone from speculating about their sexuality. Eddie is keen to follow his dad into the military, while Amber dreams of moving to the liberal hub of London.
sbs.com.au/ondemand/movie/dating-amber/2309626947998
- The Outrun available to buy or rent digitally
After living life on the edge in London, Rona (Saoirse Ronan) attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. She returns to the wild beauty of Scotland’s Orkney Islands where she grew up, hoping to heal.
Get it now on Youtube, AppleTV and FetchTV.
- ISA’s Women for Women on 12 April
A Women’s mental health and wellbeing event which focuses on why women should, and need to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing. Featuring leading practitioners and industry experts as well as community members courageously sharing their lived experience story.
Kensington Park Community Centre
isa.supporterhub.net.au/events/womenforwomen2025?
- Pádraig Ó Tuama returns to Poetica!
Wednesday 7 May, 6pm at NSW Teachers Federation Conference Centre, Surry Hills
Pádraig Ó Tuama is a poet with interests in language, violence, power, and religion. He is the host of On Being’s Poetry Unbound and has published volumes of poetry, essays, a memoir and theology. 2025 saw the publication of Kitchen Hymns, a volume of original poems, and the anthology 44 Poems on Being with Each Other; A Poetry Unbound Collection.
events.humanitix.com/padraig-o-tuama-returns-to-poetica
- Marian Keyes and Colm Tóibín attending Sydney Writers Festival
Irish authors will be in attendance at this years Sydney Writers Festival (19-27 May). Tóibín, known for writing Brooklyn will be at his own event and participating in the panel ‘Making a Writer‘. Keyes will be unpacking her latest novel My Favourite Mistake in her own event.
Their visit is supported by the Irish Consulate and Culture Ireland.
Keep an eye out on our socials for news of any side gigs that the writers might do while in Sydney as this has happened in the past.
swf.org.au/
- New edition of Tinteán
Melbourne based Irish Online Magazine Tinteán dropped a new edition on the 10th of March and all the articles are now available to read on their website.
tintean.org.au/
Click on the link above to check out our events diary for April 2025 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 January 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
Irish Film Festival