We Only Want the Earth

Time: 10:15–11:38 a.m.

An iconic presence in the landscape of Irish socialism and republicanism, the name of James Connolly looms large in the trade union movement, and wherever radical left-wing politics are espoused. This film tries to bring Connolly’s many achievements in the field of workers’ and womens’ rights into the fore, alongside his role in the 1916 Easter uprising. As well as many distinguished commentators and historians, the film also features Connolly’s and other famous songs and poems – spoken and sung by contemporary artists such as Christy Moore, Stephen Rea, Davy Power, Eoghan O Ceannbhain, Esosa Ighodaro and Connolly’s great-great-granddaughter, Tamsin Iona Connolly heron.

Directed by award-winning Irish filmmaker Alan Gilsenan.

The Song Cycle

Time: 2–3:25 p.m.

Veteran musician and filmmaker Nick Kelly sets off to cycle from his home in Dublin to Glastonbury, carrying all his gear on his bike and playing in pubs and clubs along the way. He’s accompanied by his easy-going musical partner Seán Millar, who travels by bus to join Nick onstage each evening, and by intrepid cameraman Céin O’Brien who films the agony and ecstasy of the odyssey. Nick turns 60 on the day they play Glastonbury, officially outliving his famous politician father. A funny and thought-provoking film about Mother Nature, Father Time, and Brothers on the Road.

Best Independent Film Award – Galway Film Fleadh 2024

After the film, join filmmaker Nick Kelly for a Q&A session.

Báite

Time: 4–5:34 p.m.

September, 1975. Summer is coming to an end. Peggy Casey prepares for a bit weekend of fishing. Her pup will be full to the door, and she desperately needs the business. It has been a few months since it rained and, as a result, the water level is extremely low. When a body is found in the receding waters of a lake, the discovery is big news in the locale. Detective Sergeant Frank Ryan is sent from Dublin, and what he discovers sheds a disturbing insight into the history of the valley, and the difficult relationships that bind Peggy and the threee older members of her family. Over the course of his investigation, Detective Ryan not only reveals the terrible truth behind the dead woman’s story, but also the deepest secrets of the Casey family.

Best Irish Language Feature film – Galway Film Fleadh 2025

After the film, join filmmaker Juliette Crosby for a Q&A session.

Short Film Block

Time: 6:15–8 p.m.

• One Track Mind – 6 minutes – Sophia the squirrel embarks on a journey of self-discovery, helping her navigate emotions of grief after the loss of her close friend, Flora the fawn.
• Eiru – 13 minutes – When the water mysteriously disappears from the well in a warrior clan’s village, an intrepid child descends into the belly of the earth to retrieve it.
• Brown Bread – 14 minutes – Aine’s return from New York to her rural Irish hometown sparks a poignant reflection on ambition, love, guilt, family tensions, and the price of success.
• Dive – 8 minutes – High above the Atlantic, Jess stands at a precipice, where the past and future crash like the waves below.
• Snot Rocket – 15 minutes – Two Irish immigrants in Berlin plan to rob an old bookstore as “That is where all the money is these days.”
• Hearth – 15 minutes – The story of a collective of artists who visit older people in their own homes and support them to develop their own arts practice.
• Retirement Plan – 8 minutes – In the throes of his overstimulated energy poor midlife, Ray fantasises about everything he’d love to do in retirement, once he finally has the “time.”

Song of the Sea

Time: 10:15–11:43 a.m.

The selection of a children’s film is an animated fantasy film directed by Tomm Moore. The film follows the story of a 10-year old Irish boy named Ben, who discovers that his mute sister Saoirse, whom he blames for the apparent death of his mother, is a selkie, a create of Irish my thology who can transform from seal to human. He sets our on a magical quest to free ancient beings held captive by a powerful Celtic goddess, uncovering family secrets and the truth about his sister’s mysterious silence along the way. Filled with folklore and breathtaking landscapes, the second installment of Moore’s Irish Folklore Trilogy”following his previous film “The Secret of Kells” (2009) and “Wolfwalkers” (2020).

It was awarded the Satellite Award for Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature and the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film.

Sunphlowers

Time: 12:15–1:24 p.m.

In the days that follow her husband’s death, Catherine confronts some daunting challenges, including the realities of rural isolation, the threat of organized crime targeting her home, and the looming prospect of financial ruin. Initially, she finds herself overwhelmed by the weight of these responsibilities, all the while trying to provide emotional support for her three adult children. However, through a combination of pride and determination, Catherine taps into a reservoir of strength she never knew she possessed. She tackles each issue head-on with resilience and empowerment illustrating how, even in the face of profound adversity, it is possible to reclaim one’s life, and find a path to healing.

Christy

Time: 2–3:28 p.m.

17-year old Christy is at a crossroads. He’s been thrown out of his pleasant sururban foster home and moves in with his estranged older brother Shane. As far as Shane is concerned, this is a temporary arrangement, but Christy begins to feel at home on Cork’s working-class north side. As he makes friends and begins to let the community in, he also reconnects with his past through his seemingly more corrupting extended family, despite Shane’s efforts to steer his away from this crowd. Shane wants something better for Christy at any cost – even if it means he has to push him away. After so many years apart, the brothers need to reconcile their turbulent past, whilst deciding what the future looks like.

Awarded the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival and Best Irish Film at the Galway Fleadh in 2025.

From That Small Island

Time: 4–5:18 p.m.

Who are the Irish? Where did they come from? Where do they go? Six million people live on the island of Ireland, but over 80 million people worldwide say they are Irish. What does this mean?

Narrated by Colin Farrell and featuring an original score by Colm Mac Con lomaire, From the Small Island was shot on location in 17 countries worldwide, and provides a compelling narrative of Ireland and the Irish people. This feature film is the centerpiece of a project which also has a companion four-part television series and accompanying book forthcoming from Oxford University Press.