Restored 1930s movie to be screened for charity

EXCLUSIVE

By Sean Moriarty

Ireland’s first talking feature length movie – written and directed by Killarney man Tom Cooper in 1936 – will be screened at Killarney Cinema from today (Friday).

‘The Dawn’ is a story of the Irish War of Independence and was shot entirely in Killarney with the cast made up of local people only.

The original reel was destroyed in the World War Two Blitz in London but the Cooper family were lucky to have a copy and they had it restored by Kerry ETB around five years ago.

CHARITY

Every few years they offer to show a film in aid of a local charity to help them with fundraising.

Tommy Copper’s grandaughter Kathrine Cronin is a volunteer member of HeartBeat Killarney, and as a result the movie will enjoy a week long stint at her family’s cinema, operated by the director’s grandson and Kathrine’s cousin Tommy, on East Avenue, from September 3 to 9.

“We will only show this film in Killarney and will only do it for charity,” Kathrine told the Killarney Advertiser.

Tommy Copper was a man ahead of his time and his prime motive in making the film was to showcase Killarney as a tourism destination.

“He was always in England promoting the town and that is where he bought the camera,” added Kathrine. “They made their own tripod out of an axle from a car. My sister, Michelle Cooper-Galvin, still has it.”

HeartBeat Killarney president Billy O’Sullivan is looking forward to watching the movie. He remembers previous generations of his family talking about the film and some of his family even starred in it.

“Everything was done on a shoestring, it was filmed right across the street from the cinema,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “The whole town was involved as extras but nobody wanted to play a Black and Tan.”

The audience will be limited to just 50 people for each viewing.