Killarney, 1929

When I came across this video it was entitled "Cork Street Scenes, 1929." While watching the film I noticed the corner of College St. and Lewis Rd. in Killarney, then I saw J O' Leary's-a building which is still there on Main St. today. I soon realised the majority of the video was shot in Killarney. "The Killarney Bar" on film is now Casey's off-licence (which still has a small sign on the side of it advertising "The Killarney Bar"). The original video is housed in the archives of the University of South Carolina. I cut out the segments that were from Cork and Connemara.

I'm sure people's relations in town appear here on film. My own great-grandparents were living on Fair Hill (the street that appears at 4.20) by the Friary Church in 1929, no sign of them unfortunately, as far as I can see! The kids outside the Courthouse with the donkey should surely be identifiable by someone. As far as I'm aware this is the oldest video taken of Killarney town, certainly the oldest with sound. The girl singing in Irish is from another location, its a pity the whole thing wasn't recorded. I'm guessing the girl is from Connemara she is singing the song Sail Óg Rua. This is the only piece of the film I left in shot outside of Killarney. I just couldn´t cut her wonderful singing! Below are the lines she sings.

.... bróin, ag oiliúint mo leanbh ar bhacán mo láimhe, 's gan fiú braon bainne agam a bhéarfainn dhó. "Grieving, rearing my child under my bended arm, without even a bit of milk to give him."