Risteard Ó Domhnaill’s moving documentary, The Pipe on the Corrib gas controversy in Erris peninsula, Co. Mayo screened last Saturday evening in The Model Cinema and was followed by a Questions and Answers. The screening ended with a loud applause, for the members of the community from Co. Mayo who attended this special screening.
Pat ‘The Chief’ O’Donnell, whose sons had two boats out on the seas that night attended the screening and participated in the Question and Answers. A man, who stood up for his rights and in his own words, ‘..at least we never bowed to them,’ a heroic attitude from man who has been jailed for trying protect his way of life, as a fisherman trying to make a living on the West coast of Ireland. The documentary has jaw-dropping scenes of his trawler dwarfed by the gigantic pipe-laying Solitaire.
The Q & A session after the screening was chaired by Lorna Siggins, Irish Times journalist and writer of ‘Once Upon A Time In The West, The Corrib Gas Controversy,’ which recently won Book of the Year on the Vincent Browne show.
The Pipe won best documentary at the Galway Film Fleadh and came highly recommended from the Toronto International Film Festival – Risteard’s camera work revealed the breath-taking scenery of this remote, unspoilt part of north Co. Mayo.
Participants in the Q&A were Fergus Cahill of the Irish Offshore Exporters Association, Risteard Ó Domhnaill, director of The Pipe and Rachel Lysaght (Underground Films), Producer. Also the members from the community participated in the Q&A , such as the articulate John O’Mahoney, who knew Sligo from his days in IT Sligo, and also Willie Corduff, Mary Corduff and Pat O’Donnell.
The night resounded with this communities’ quiet dignity and the support from the audience and well-wishers was strong – as the people from Rossport, still live with the daily threat of an over – 600 bar (pressure gauge) pipe beside their homes – a documentary which is a savage indictment of our times.
The Pipe will be screened again in The Model Cinema on Friday, 21 January at 7pm.