West Cork interest in famine film Black ‘47

THE first film ever made about the famine is likely to be of special interest to the people of Skibbereen.

Black ‘47 – which is due to go on general release on September 5th – comes at a time when Skibbereen, which was at the epicentre of the national disaster, is hosting Coming Home: Art & The Great Hunger at Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre.

The exhibition curator, Dr Niamh O’Sullivan, confirmed that 15,000 people visited the exhibition of artworks from Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut in the US in the first four weeks alone.

The manager of Skibbereen Heritage Centre, Terri Kearney, also reported that visitor numbers to the centre have significantly increased this year. 

Ms Kearney said: ‘I am delighted to see the increased awareness about the Great Famine and I will, of course, be going to see the new movie.’

The film, which has been described as being of deep historical significance because it is set against the backdrop of the famine, is also a revenge thriller, so it should have very broad appeal.  

This movie also has the distinction of having the widest ever release of an Irish film in Ireland and is set to open in over 100 cinemas  on Wednesday, September 5th.

Cork native, Sarah Greene, stars in the film and it will be released in the US on September 28th.