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.