Poitín premiere makes history in Connemara as the first feature length film in the Irish language.
'Poitín' is an hour-long feature film in the Irish language written by Colm Bairéad and directed by Bob Quinn about making poitín in the wilds of Connemara.
Doireann Ní Bhriain met up with Bob Quinn in Connemara to find out about how the film.
'Poitín' had its first screening in An Cheathrú Rua. Cóilín Baireád who wrote 'Poitín' explains how he met Bob Quinn during a course on film production.
Among those in attendance at the premiere were Colm O'Brian of the Arts Council, Muiris Mac Conghail Controller of Programmes at RTÉ, Gaeltacht Minister Donncha O Gallchobhair (Denis Gallagher), filmmaker John Boorman and Seamus Smith from the National Studios of Ireland (Ardmore).
The film starred Cyril Cusack, Donal McCann and Niall Tóibín, and was produced by Bob Quinn's company Cinegael.
This episode of 'PM' was broadcast on 2 March 1978. The reporter is Doireann Ní Bhriain.
'PM' was a magazine series reporting on aspects of Irish life with interludes for music from Irish performers. 'PM' first began on Tuesday, 20 September 1977 and was initially aired three nights a week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7.00pm on RTÉ 1. The original presenters John O'Donoghue, Áine O'Connor, Nicholas Coffey and Doireann Ní Bhriain were later joined by Pat Kenny.
As editor Noel Smyth sees it, the Tuesday programme will consist mainly of film reports on topical events anywhere in Ireland, the Wednesday edition will concentrate on studio discussions, and the Thursday programme will be in Irish, with just as wide a brief as the other two.
(RTÉ Guide, 16 September 1977, Vol.1, No.37, p.18)
'PM' ran until Thursday, 12 April 1979.
