Form Party in the Copelands

Details

Location

Copeland Islands

Year

1950s

Date

Production

Length

05min 33sec

Audio

silent

Format

Super 8

colour

Source

Digitised as part of the BFI's Unlocking Film Heritage project

Courtesy

British Film Institute, Jane McCann

Rights Holder

Jane McCann

It is illegal to download, copy, print or otherwise utilise in any other form this material, without written consent from the copyright holder.

Description

What’s your perfect day out? Hop aboard a boat to the Copeland Islands and have a picnic under the blue skies on this glorious sunny day. This home movie from Jane McCann takes us on an exciting journey to the islands favoured by smugglers and scientists. Beautiful scenery and shy smiles at the camera makes this film a pleasant watch. On the way back, a glimpse of the lighthouse let us know we are arriving in Donaghadee harbour.

Notes

Until the 20th century hidden coves of the islands were popular with smugglers to traffic spirits and tobacco into Northern Ireland. In 1801 a ship was wrecked off Mew Island. The rumour has it that instead of trying to save themselves straight away, the crew attacked a container with axes in a futile attempt to reach the proceeds of the slave trade. Having drowned this sunken treasure remained lost until the crew of a boat undergoing a refit in Anglesea revealed it. In the years that followed, adventurers in boats arrived in search of treasure but were chased away. Later local treasure hunters used a diving suit and 80,000 dollars are said to have been found in total. No-one knows where all those dollars are now.

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