 |
||||||
MOVIE ON DVDMise Eire
“Mise Eire,” ( I am Ireland) is a remarkable historic document. Using archival footage it captures the birth of the Irish Nation. We are actually able to see for ourselves the events that led to the Easter Rising of 1916. At the 1915 funeral of O’Donovan Rossa, his wife and daughter are shown accompanied by James Connolly. Patrick Pearse, dressed in military fatigues, is shown at the grave, where he will give his funeral oration.
The gathering forces on both sides are shown. Sir Edward Carson rallying the anti-unionist forces in the North, while in the South a march protesting the deaths that resulted from British troops firing into a crowd at Bachelor’s Walk is led by James Larkin and Countess Markievicz, leader of the female counterpart of the IRA. The Irish Citizens Army is shown training, which includes a closeup of Tom Clarke, the first to sign the 1916 proclamation. On Easter morning, 1916 we see the volunteers marching to central Dublin, and then British troops coming in to crush the Rising. There is shocking footage of the damage they caused. Finally we witness the volunteers led off to prison.
In the Awakening section we see the 1917 return of the prisoners with a triumphal parade. That night Countess Markievicz was released. Later scenes show the Sinn Fein convention and election campaign appearances by Michael Collins. The narration is in Gaelic with English subtitles. The musical accompaniment was written by the great Irish composer Sean O’Riada, whose score has long been available on CD.
SEAN O'RIADAMise Eire
The original score with The RTE National Symphony Orchestra.