Hilltown

A collection of films by the Hilltown group

Hilltown Community Association is a group of locals dedicated to making Hilltown and the wider Clonduff parish in the Mourne Mountains the best it can be. Whether it’s improving shared spaces, celebrating its rich heritage, or bringing people together, the Association is all about strengthening community ties and keeping local traditions alive.

One of the highlights of the year is the Back from the Booley Festival, held every August – a lively gathering that honours the deep connection between the people of Hilltown and the surrounding Mourne Mountains. Inspired by the old tradition of moving livestock to summer pastures in the hills, the festival is a chance to step back in time and experience the customs that shaped life here for generations. Visitors can listen to seanchaí recount old tales, watch skilled craftspeople make their wares, and even get a glimpse of the once clandestine process of poitín distilling – a practice that fuelled both folklore and local legend.

But more than anything, the festival is about bringing people together. Through events like the Back from the Booley Festival and a host of other community-driven projects, Hilltown Community Association continues to build a village that’s proud of its past and excited for its future.
It’s with great thanks to the Hilltown Community Association, its participants and conveners, and to the people of Hilltown, that we present this wonderful collection of films about life in one of the most beautiful places in Northern Ireland.

Special thanks to: 
Martina Byrne
Sinead McAleavy
Mary Savage
Rose Keenan
Artie Quinn
Eileen McCusker
Noel Morgan
Sylvia McAlinden