When the actor Arthur Shields strode towards the Abbey Theatre on Easter Monday, 1916, it was with one intent -- not to rehearse or act in a play, but to collect his rifle and take part in the greater drama that was about to shake the streets of Dublin.

Pictured, Arthur Shields

Once…

The West, the American West, is the place in our souls where romance and reality meet head-on. Ironically it is also the place where reality and romance have always met head-on. Ever since “the West” was that ill-defined space on the map west of the White Mountains, west of the…

The film "Spotlight" was recently released, based on the true story of the Boston Globe’s investigation of the Boston Archdiocese’s willful coverup of child molestation and abuse. The reviews have been, like the movie itself, scattered.

This is, without a doubt, a shattering film. Well made and well acted, it…

If you're looking for great Irish books, CDs or movies, please have a look in The Wild Geese Marketplace Bookstore -- there are all kinds of great Irish books on History, Genealogy, Travel and Military History. If you are looking for Irish films and documentaries or great Irish music, there is…

The following Q&A with County Clare-born actor Kirby Simone (Oonagh) in Sixteen Films' biopic "Jimmy's Hall") is part of the studio's Production Notes for the film, shot in the story's actual locales in County Leitrim. The notes,…

One could argue that freelance photographer Joss Barratt has done as much to inform movie goers about Ken Loach’s past 20 years of work as the noted British filmmaker himself. Barratt’s photography is seen far and wide, perhaps by millions, across newspapers, magazines, on movie house walls and windows, and across the Internet, by far more people than ever get around to seeing Loach’s provocative and…

The following Q&A with Dublin-born actor Barry Ward (Jimmy Gralton in Sixteen Films' biopic "Jimmy's Hall") is part of the studio's Production Notes for the film, shot in the story's actual locales in County Leitrim. The notes, assembled for the produceers by Benji Wilson, were presented to the…

As I watched Ken Loach's newest film, “Jimmy’s Hall,” I was struck by how, as had also been true in “The Wind That Shakes the Barley,” Paul Laverty’s writing and Loach’s directing of that writing is free of pretension.

Loach (pictured, foreground) doesn’t need fantastic sound tracks or the latest and greatest special…

The following Q&A with Sixteen Films Director Ken Loach, in two parts, is part of Sixteen Films' Production Notes for its biopic "Jimmy's Hall." The notes, assembled for the produceers by Benji Wilson, were presented to the entertainment industry trade and news media. We are delighted to share these…

This is Part 2 of 2 of a Q&A with Sixteen Films Director Ken Loach, part of Sixteen Films' Production Notes for its biopic "Jimmy's Hall." The notes, assembled for the produceers by Benji Wilson, were presented to the entertainment industry trade and news media. We are delighted to share these perspectives…

In the following three-part series, Sixteen Films' screenwriter Paul Laverty writes about the genesis of "Jimmy's Hall." His observations were first published in Sixteen Films' Production Notes, and are reproduced here with permission. Production Photos see here are by …

New York -- Dozens of individuals filled the terrace at the Irish Consul General's quarters in Manhattan's East Side on May 28 to learn more about "The Rising," a film project led by film producer Kevin McCann, head of Ireland-based Maccana Teoranta. Irish Consul General Barbara Jones served as host for the reception, which featured spectacular views…

Each week through Sept. 15, TheWildGeese.Irish will be giving away an official “Jimmy’s Hall” movie poster, courtesy of Sixteen Films and Sony Pictures Classics. (For the U.S. market, not a French edition as pictured here.)

To be eligible for the drawing, you need…

As a child, "The Great Escape" was one film that never failed to entertain me. Aside from a stellar cast that included Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough (above), Charles Bronson, James Garner and a host of others, the story was compelling and also happened to be true.

It’s…

The following is a transcript of the LIVE members' chat hosted here at TheWildGeese.com on Saturday, April 11, 2015. Some editing has been applied for…

There is a certain type of Irishman who looms large in fiction: The "haunted man," the "angry man," the "tortured man," the "violent man," the "quiet man." He is a cliche ... but a cliche born of so much truth it is a bit like encountering an old friend when he shambles onto…

Barbara Scharres, program director of The Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago, and Irish American News columnist and radio personality Mike Houlihan announced today their plan to present the first annual “Irish American Movie Hooley” at the Siskel Film Center from September 25-27,…