Mayo filmmakers unite to showcase homegrown talent at indie movie night

Special screening event in the Linenhall Arts Centre will feature a selection of powerful shorts from Mayo’s most exciting emerging filmmakers

Film fever is gripping Mayo this week as Castlebar gets ready to play host to a dramatic evening of bold stories, fresh voices and homegrown talent.

On Thursday evening, June 26, the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar will host A Celebration of Mayo Indie Short Films & Filmmakers, featuring work from the county’s very best independent filmmakers. Four powerful short films will be screened at the event, which gets underway at 8 p.m. in the Castlebar venue.

The brainchild of Carnacon’s Ruaidhrí Hallinan, the evening is being organised to showcase a snapshot of the immense talent that exists within the arts community in Mayo. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers, moderated by Cróna Esler. Tickets are €15 and are available at thelinenhall.ticketsolve.com.

“I wanted to put this film night together to give people an idea of the sort of talent we have right here on our doorstep. These four indie shorts were produced without the financial support that some filmmakers receive.

"From tense dramas to darkly comic tales, each film offers a distinct, authentic voice, rooted in local experience – proof that great storytelling doesn’t need a big budget…just a big imagination,” Hallinan explained.

The evening will get underway with Where the Old Man Lives – a film that explores themes of rural isolation, resilience, and the profound impact of losing one’s sense of security.

It was inspired by true events, including the well-documented Padraic Nally story in Cross. The film was written and produced by Ruaidhrí Hallinan from Carnacon and Eamonn Keane from Kilmaine. It was directed by Sonya O’Donoghue and stars Michael Harding, Ruth McCabe and Michael Patric.

The second movie, Vanilla, was written and directed by Tony O'Donnell from Belmullet, and stars Pat Shortt, Gary Lydon and Peter Gowen. An engaging watch, it tells the story of a villager (Pat Shortt) who meets his local doctor in the pub.

Shortt gets more than he bargained for, however, when the doctor reveals a test he carried out to confirm the legitimacy of his new-born baby.

Joey Had Never Been Out of the City will be the third short film on Thursday evening, having been brought to life by a talented Castlebar duo.

It was written by Ken Armstrong and directed by Richard Keaney, and stars Liam Gaffney, Claire Blennerhassett and Patrick Austin. It follows Joey and his accomplice Wayne who are on the run with a container full of money, after a robbery gets out of hand.

The final film of the evening, Rapacious, was written, directed and produced by Eamonn Keane from Kilmaine.

It was filmed around Moore Hall and tells the story of a man, fearing capture for sins of a rapacious past, who comes face-to-face with his greatest transgression. It stars Adam Goodwin and Emma Eliza Regan.

Ruaidhrí Hallinan is the driving force behind the event in The Linenhall.

“Film is absolutely huge in Mayo right now, and I really believe this is a must-see event for film lovers, creatives, and anyone with a grá for storytelling.

"It’s brilliant to be able to bring such a great group of Mayo filmmakers together and it’s a chance to celebrate emerging local talent on the big screen.

"I think there’s so much potential here in Mayo and who knows, maybe this celebration will be the start of something so much bigger,” he added.