The aftermath of a full house is a successful screening in Waterford
Attending were Cllr. Joeanne Bailey, John Foley, Film Maker, David Cullinane TD, Cllr. Pat Fitzgerald and Eithne O'Toole. Photo: John Power
Garter Lane Theatre in Waterford was packed to capacity recently for a screening of 'The Aftermath - the Long Shadows of the Civil War in Waterford'.
The screening was hosted by Waterford City and County Council and the audience was absorbed in what was a compelling documentary directed and produced by film maker, John Foley.
The 75-minute long documentary included contributions from 35 people including sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, grandnieces and grandnephews of family members involved in the Civil War and reflections by local historians from across the city and county.
Commenting on the event, Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr Jason Murphy, said: "Many were never able to speak of what they went through and were never able to get on with their lives."
"The Decade of Centenaries gave us an opportunity to reflect on how people have been affected and we are so fortunate in Waterford to have John Foley and his team, who could approach what is still a difficult topic for many with sensitivity, clarity and empathy," said Cllr Murphy.
"The many family members, historians and contributors to the film are to be commended for sharing their stories and for bringing their light to the shadows cast," he added.
Emphasising that history isn't just a series of dates and events, Cllr Murphy said it's "the story of our families and what they have experienced".
"It can be a painful and difficult story at times, but it is important that we don’t allow silence to imprison the stories of our families and that we can engage with all aspects of our history and allow each other the space to reflect," he said.
The Chairperson of Waterford Commemorations Committee, Michael Farrell said that throughout the Decade of Centenaries the committee had strongly supported the deeper exploration of the people and events in Waterford between 1916 and 1923 through its funding programme.
He said the committee was delighted to support the documentary, which he described "a high quality production". He also acknowledged the generous allocation from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 initiative, which funded the film.
A questions and answers session with the producer, John Foley, took place after the screening and elicited a very positive response from the audience on the contributions, production quality and presentation of a complex and painful period of history.
There was plenty of discussion that reflected how moved and engaged the film viewers were with the screening.
There will be further screenings in the coming months and further information is available at johnfoleyimages.com
