Newly Digitised Tourist Board Films
Date: 10/07/2015 14:07
Throughout the Fifties and
Sixties, the Northern Irish Tourist Board shot many films promoting the region
as a popular holiday destination. Although not the original goal of the films,
they now provide a valuable record of life at the time.This group of films is
held by National Museums Northern Ireland
who have enabled access to the original production rushes and completed films.
As part of the British Film Institute’s ambitious Britain on Film
project, the Digital Film Archive has been working to digitise and share many
of these films.
Amongst the collection we have this 1959 recording
of the traditional Scarva Sham Fight. Once popular in many parts of Northern
Ireland this is the last surviving sham fight re-enacting the Battle of the
Boyne and still takes place every year.
Elsewhere amidst the newly
accessible material, you can see classic bikes and racing leathers on display
in a 1960’s
clip of the Carrowdore 100. Started in 1927, this classic motor-racing
event was last held in 2000.
Finally,
the amazing spectacle of the Prawn
Festival in Kilkeel from 1962 is an unusual sight and certainly unique. The
entire collection of films are available to view now on the BFI Player and will
become available on the Digital Film Archive in the coming weeks.