The Abbey Theatre, Dublin Cinemas and the Film Company of Ireland, 1916-1920 by Dr. Veronica Johnson, Moore Institute Visiting Fellow

This talk examines the relationship between the Film Company of Ireland and Dublin cinemas in the period 1916-1920. Formed in 1916 and releasing its first films in that same year the Film Company of Ireland is the first important film production company in Ireland.  Established by James Mark Sullivan and Henry Fitzgibbon, this production company released its first feature film O’Neil of the Glen in August 1916 to a warm popular and critical response. A great part of its allure and of its respectability was the fact that many of the actors and directors of this film company were also members of the Abbey Theatre.  In particular Fred O’Donovan and J. M. Kerrigan, actors at the Abbey went on to be both actors and directors with the Film Company of Ireland. This talk focuses on the role played by the Film Company of Ireland films in attracting a middle-class audience to Dublin cinemas in the years 1916 to 1920.  It argues that the contribution of Abbey actors and directors lent a respectability to its films that was harnessed by the cinemas in their promotional drive to attract a middle-class audience.

Bio

Dr. Veronica Johnson has worked as a lecturer in Film. Her previous publications have appeared in Kinema, Studies in European Cinema and The Journal of European Popular Culture.  Her research focuses on early Irish cinema and its relationship to the entertainment industry, the cinematic unconscious, film and narrative and the films of Krzysztof Kieślowski.