At The Foot of Knocklayde and Charlie Gillen Poetry Dramatisations give voice to the North Antrim Ulster-Scots community
Date Posted: December 15, 2023
Two new short film projects featuring the everyday lives and evocative poetry of Ulster-Scots folk have achieved local and international recognition and are now available to view online for everyone to enjoy.
At The Foot of Knocklayde and Charlie Gillen Poetry Dramatisations have been made by Negative Waves and Sub-Culture Productions and funded by Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund.
At The Foot of Knocklayde is a series of four short films focusing on authentic Ulster-Scots speakers from North Antrim. With the backdrop of the beautiful scenery of the Knocklayde mountain, each film shows a slice of rural life such as horse ploughing, sheep farming and how an Armoy summer scheme is helping preserve Ulster-Scots history, traditions and language for local children.
With titles encapsulating the hamely tongue; There’s Nay Footerin Aboot on the Ferm, Keep a calm sugh laik a pig a ringin’, A neb on ye laik the cooter o a ploo and Ye need the help o the oul yins, each short film deftly weaves the rich nuances of the Knocklayde residents with their daily comings and goings.
Charlie Gillen Poetry Dramatisations features four cinematic short films based on the writings of the well-known Dervock poet. Grief and On Coul Blak Stayne recall the tragedy and losses of World War One, while Oot Here Mae Lane and Scartin’ Midges takes viewers into the rich past of this rural landscape. The films have been shown in festivals throughout Ireland and USA and also had a number of local showings including in Belfast and Armoy. They will also be screened on 25th January 2024 as part of the Ulster Folk Museum’s Burns Night Supper event.
“We hope these films increase the appreciation of the language and culture in the filmmaking world, and reach new audiences beyond the Ulster-Scot community. The people involved were so generous with their time and we hope we’ve shed a little light on their way of life and the importance of documenting their unique heritage and culture.” said director Tristan Crowe of At the Foot of Knocklayde.
“It’s also an honour to put imagery to the poetry of Charlie Gillen,” Tristan added of Charlie Gillen Poetry Dramatisations. “Several have been selected for festivals in regions that know little about the language, something we’re very proud to have achieved. And one of our previous films, This Oul Fermin Life, is currently part of a permanent selection in the Red Door Gallery in Copenhagen. I hope these films can continue to help people discover and celebrate Charlie’s great works.”
“Once again, Negative Waves and Sub-Culture Productions have successfully brought Ulster-Scots voices and people front and centre in this series of shorts,” said Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund Executive Heidi McAlpin. “By earning the trust and support of the locals, and bringing Charlie Gillen’s poems to a wider audience, they have shown the importance of community and heritage in this special part of the world.”
At The Foot of Knocklayde and Charlie Gillen Poetry Dramatisations can be viewed on the Negative Waves website via this link: Ulster-Scots | Negative Waves.
