Rocky Ros Muc set to premiere at Irish Film Festival in Boston
Date Posted: March 20, 2017
Rocky Ros Muc, a feature documentary produced by Below The Radar with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, has been awarded the Global Vision Award for Best Documentary at the forthcoming Irish Film Festival, Boston.
The documentary, which tells the story of Galway boxer, Sean Mannion, will receive its World Premiere at the festival in Boston on March 25th.
From humble beginnings, to challenging for a world title crown. From the quiet Gaeltacht village of Ros Muc in County Galway, to the criminal underworld of James ‘Whitey’ Bulger and the mean streets of Boston. Rocky Ros Muc examines spirit inside the ring and troubles outside; the reality of emigration and its impact on identity. In the mid 1970’s Sean Mannion left Galway for Boston. Like many before him, he left behind his home village of Ros Muc and headed for a new life in America.
He had a talent for boxing. His sparring partners at his gym were at the heart of Whitey Bulger’s Winter Hill gang. Friends. Fellow emigrants. His world was their world. The fighting Irish. Drugs, racketeering and murder. This was the reality of life in South Boston.
In October 1984, Sean stood in the boxing ring in Madison Square Garden, in New York City fighting for a WBA world title crown. His rise up the professional ranks wasn’t straightforward. Neither was his descent.
Rocky Ros Muc is Seán Mannion’s story. His life and boxing career. The ups and downs of both. A story of survival. Of determination, honour and strength. A story about identity and community. Not just for Sean Mannion, but for the thousands of emigrants like him.
Director Michael Fanning said “I first came across Sean Mannion through Rónán Mac Con Iomaire’s book, Rocky Ros Muc. I was totally gripped. I’d never heard of him and the fact that Mannion’s name wasn’t a household one made me want to tell it all the more. Throw in the Irish of Dorchester and South Boston and the criminal underworld of James ‘Whitey’ Bulger and it was clear this was a story that would resonate beyond boxing. Mannion is a humble man. This is his story. But it’s so much more”
Rocky Ros Muc is a Below The Radar production made with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, TG4, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and MG Alba.
The film was produced by Máire Bhreathnach and Executive Produced by Trevor Birney. Rónán Mac Con Iomaire was Associate Producer on the film with Mairéad Ní Thréinir as Assistant Producer. The film was edited by Michael Paisley with an original score composed by Andrew Simon McAllister.
Is gnéchlár faisnéise é Rocky Ros Muc atá léirithe ag Below The Radar agus a fuair maoiniú ó Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann. Is air a bronnadh an ‘Global Vision Award’ don Chlár Faisnéise is fearr ag Féile Scannán na hÉireann i mBostún. Sa ghnéchlár faisnéise seo, insítear scéal an Ghaillmhigh agus an dornálaí, Seán Ó Mainnín. Craolfar don domhan mór é den chéad uair riamh ag an fhéile i mBostún ar an 25 Márta.
Bíodh gurbh as saol beag simplí a fáisceadh é, is amhlaidh a d’éirigh leis dul in iomaíocht do chraobh dhomhanda na dornálaíochta. Is i Ros Muc, pobal ciúin Gaeltachta i gContae na Gaillimhe a rugadh Seán Ó Mainnín, ach ba mhór idir sin agus an saol úr a bhí aige nuair a chuaigh sé ar imirce, mar a raibh domhan na coiriúlachta de chuid James ‘Whitey’ Bulger agus sráideanna neamhthrócaireacha Bhostún. Déanann Rocky Ros Muc iniúchadh ar an spiorad laistigh den fháinne dornálaíochta mar aon leis na trioblóidí lasmuigh de; agus déantar iniúchadh ar bhunfhírinne na himirce agus ar an tionchar atá aici ar an fhéiniúlacht.
D’fhág Seán Ó Mainnín Gaillimh gur thug Bostún air féin i lár na 1970í. Dála go leor eile a chuaigh roimhe, d’fhág sé slán ag a áit dúchais a dhéanamh as dó féin san Oileán Úr.
Bhí féith na dornálaíochta ann. Ba iad a chuid céilí speárála sa seomra aclaíochta na daoine céanna a bhí ag croílár dhrong Whitey Bulger, Winter Hill. Cairde. Comhimircigh. Ba é an domhan s’aigesean an domhan s’acusan. Na hÉireannaigh throdacha. Drugaí, cambheartaíocht agus dúnmharú. Sin mar a bhí an saol i ndáiríre i mBostún Theas.
I mí Dheireadh Fómhair na bliana 1984, sheas Seán san fháinne dornálaíochta i nGairdíní Chearnóg Madison i gCathair Nua Eabhrac agus é ag dul in iomaíocht do chraobh dhomhanda WBA. Níor dhíreach, mín ná réidh a thuras go barr dhomhan gairmiúil na dornálaíochta. Níor dhíreach, mín ná réidh a mheath ach oiread.
Scéal Sheáin Uí Mhainnín atá in Rocky Ros Muc. A shaol agus a shlí bheatha sa dornálaíocht. An só agus an t-anró a bhain leo beirt. Scéal faoin teacht slán. Scéal faoi dhíograis, onóir agus neart. Scéal faoin fhéiniúlacht agus faoi phobal. Scéal é seo, ní amháin do Sheán Ó Mainnín féin ach do na mílte imirceach dá mhacasamhail.
Arsa Michael Fanning, stiúrthóir an scannáin, “Is trí leabhar Rónáin Mhic Con Iomaire a chuir mé eolas ar Sheán Ó Mainnín den chéad uair riamh. Bhí mé sáite ann. Níor chuala mé iomrá riamh air agus ó tharla nach raibh clú air i measc an phobail, clú a bhí ag dul dó, bhí uaim a scéal a insint. Nuair a cuireadh Éireannaigh Dorchester agus Bhostún Theas san áireamh le cois dhomhan na coiriúlachta de chuid James ‘Whitey’ Bulger, ba léir go mbeadh an-spéis ag an mhórphobal ann. Is fear umhal é an Mainníneach. Seo é a scéal. Ach tá i bhfad níos mó ná sin i gceist leis.”
Is gnéchlár faisnéise é Rocky Ros Muc atá léirithe ag Below The Radar agus a fuair tacaíocht ó Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann, Bord Scannán na hÉireann, TG4, Údarás Craolacháin na hÉireann agus MG Alba.
Is í Máire Bhreathnach Léiritheoir an scannáin agus is é Trevor Birney an Léiritheoir Feidhmiúcháin. Is é Rónán Mac Con Iomaire Léiritheoir Comhlach an scannáin agus bhí Mairéad Ní Thréinir ina Léiritheoir Cúnta. Bhí an scannán curtha in eagar ag Michael Paisley agus is é Andrew Simon McAllister a chum ceol nuachumtha an scannáin.
