The Irish Film Institute is offering visitors a chance to see Irish and be Irish (even for a day) at the IFI this March, with a selection of St. Patrick’s events including a once-banned 1968 film about a Dublin Casanova; the return of a festival hit documentary on Roger Corman; IFI Family Film The Race; and a series of free Archive at Lunchtime screenings celebrating Seachtain na Gaeilge.
March’s From the Vaults screening is Paddy on St. Patrick’s Day at 4pm, featuring Des Cave as an amorous Dublin butcher boy who spends most of his time seducing women including well-heeled widow Mrs. Kearney (Maureen Toal) and sweet girl Maureen (Dearbhla Molloy) – and swilling pints in Mulligan’s with his good friend Harry (Milo O’Shea). Based on the notorious novel Goodbye to the Hill by Lee Dunne, the film was banned in 1968 by the Irish censor because of its sexual frankness. Since the IFI acquired a print in 2006, it has been reclassified – this time as a 12A. Oh how times have changed.
Paddy was also an early appearance from B-movie legend Roger Corman who produced the film. Corman’s later, more extensive involvement in the Irish film industry is now recorded in Brian Reddin’s documentary It Came From Connemara!! which screens as this month’s Ireland on Sunday on March 15th at 1pm. A big success at the IFI Stranger Than Fiction Festival in 2014, the film chronicles the story of Corman’s ‘90s studio in Galway and the 20+ films he made there with titles such as Bloodfist VII , Spacejacked and A Very Unlucky Leprechaun. It’s a wryly affectionate and utterly enjoyable homage to the man and his oeuvre.
IFI Family on March 15th 11am brings The Race back to the cinema screen in association with St. Patrick’s Festival. This warm-hearted and humorous film from 2009 tells the story of 11-year-old Mary who dreams of being a racing driver, despite the opposition of her parents (played by Colm Meaney and Susan Lynch) and the local community.
For those looking for something a bit more grown up on the eve of the holiday, the IFI Café Bar will be hosting a special whiskey tasting and food pairing evening on March 16th. The IFI Café Bar will also be producing a special menu on St. Patrick’s Day featuring some staple Irish dishes, such as Beef and Guinness Stew, and Bacon and Cabbage.
The IFI Archive at Lunchtime will celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge all through the month with two FREE lunchtimes programmes of Irish language shorts from the IFI Irish Film Archive screening on Mondays and Wednesdays, with a double bill on Saturdays. March’s shorts include Amharc Éireann newsreel on Gael Linn’s efforts promoting the Irish language (1959-‘64), a British film exploring Gael Linn’s efforts to stem the flow of emigration from Gaeltacht areas (1963) and Louis Marcus’s vivid panorama of Irish life Pobal (1969), seen through the lens of Bob Monks to the tune of Séan Ó Riada’s rousing score.
For screening tickets contact the IFI Box Office on 01 679 3477 or www.ifi.ie. For the Whiskey Tasting (€25) at the IFI Café Bar book through Sharon Corrigan by calling 01 679 5744. To book a table at the IFI Café Bar call 01 679 8712.