Thank you to Michael Keane who has contacted us with some wonderful short
descriptive articles written by his father and his aunt in the 1930s. Michael
wrote:
“I am a Coventry-born man of Irish heritage and have an interest in some
of the things you have been writing about. I would like to send you over a
couple of things written by my dad and aunt, from the 1930s, covering some
aspects of rural life in north Kerry. They came to light a little a while
ago in old school books and they may be something your readership might enjoy.
“I personally think the cinema one is very interesting
due to the film it mentions which I have looked up. I think they are
interesting ‘period pieces’ of their time, which could even kick-start some
other similar pieces from your readers.”Here is the first of the three articles Michael has sent in, this one written by his father, also named Michael Keane, in the 1930s. The piece is in fact a review of a film called The Dawn:
Visit to a Cinema
Hearing that the Killarney
made film “The Dawn” was to be shown at the Picturedrome, Tralee, I decided not
to miss the opportunity of seeing the world famed picture. Accompanied by a few friends, I journeyed
from Causeway in the bus to Tralee.
Knowing that there would be a rush for seats we made our way to the
Picturedrome half an hour before the picture commenced. Even then the crowds
were streaming in from all directions.
A jostling crowd was
gathered round the paying office, but after some time we managed to get our
tickets. Then we proceeded to the balcony which was already half full. The crowd, especially those in the pit, made
a deafening din as they argued, sang and whistled. A terrific cheer heralded the dimming of the
lights and in a moment they went out.
The actors were as good as Hollywood’s best and acted their parts with the greatest taste and intelligence. The picture finished amid wild applause and the spectators crowded out of their seats discussing the merits of the picture.
By Michael Keane
Incredibly, a Google search for The Dawn provides a link to the first
part of the film on a website called Dailymotion at this link:
The film was made by Hibernia Films in 1938
and was a Thomas G Cooper production, assisted by Dr D.A. Moriarty with actors
Brian O’Sullivan, Eileen Davis, Tom Cooper, Donal O’Cahil, Jerry O’Mahony, Bill
Murphy, Marian O’Connell and James Sleese. It is described as the first talking
movie ever made in Ireland and is set in the Irish War of Independence in 1919.
The longer title of the film was Dawn
Over Ireland.
Elsewhere on the internet there is a fascinating
discussion of the film by Tadgh O’Sullivan, who is credited on the opening credits
of the film for its sound recording. This can be viewed on You Tube at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5We8LM2yP6M
The You Tube review includes a closer look at
an action scene in which men from the IRA ambush a unit of Black and Tans. At
the end of this review, which itself looks quite dated and may have been from a
television documentary, Tadgh O’Sullivan says that he is the only surviving
member of the production team.
The other two articles that Michael Keane
sent to us are titled The Farmer and Summer which together paint both an evocative
and informative picture of Irish rural life in the 1930s. So please read the
next edition of The Harp as we continue our trip down memory lane in the north
of county Kerry. 
Thank you once again to Michael Keane for
sharing the three articles.
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