The Call of the Shannon

'The Call of the Shannon' is a film by Bernie Masterson presenting a collection of four short stories from ordinary people about their lived experience of the river. From a fisherman, Colin Wike, who travelled from England to fish in its waters, to Colin Becker, a waterways expert and current owner of the Chang Sha, a boat built in 1846.

His story is followed by Mary and Jeanette Dunne, who share their childhood memories of the Shannon, the Chang Sha, and their beloved parents. The film finishes with an account of two young boys, Damien Masterson and Fred Óg Holt, captured in a Dollard Tru-Colour postcard in the 1960s, and how the Shannon influenced the life of one of the boys in particular.

This work highlights the importance of photography and film in documenting domestic culture and the everyday in a social, political, and historical context. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Atty Dunne documented life in Carrick-on-Shannon, both on and off the river, long before it was common practice. Her archival material is a treasure trove, capturing a different way of life, transporting us like time machines to the past.

With deep gratitude to the estate of Atty Dunne.

You may also like the following events from The Dock Arts:

• Next Thursday, 22nd May, 06:00 pm, The Leitrim Gathering at The Dock in Edgeworthstown
• Next Friday, 23rd May, 02:00 pm, Rediscover Fashion at the Leitrim Gathering in Edgeworthstown
• This month, 29th May, 07:30 pm, Hands that Built It: The Stonework of Carrick’s Courthouse in Edgeworthstown

Also check out other Entertainment events in Edgeworthstown.