Still from 'Sweet Inniscarra, Ireland's first talking film c. 1933
‘Sweet Inniscarra,’ the first Irish made talking film, was released in 1933. It was shown in cinemas all over Ireland, but one of its earliest screenings was in the Electric Cinema, Portlaoise, where it ran for three nights.
Local interest in the screening was high, as the cast featured some well known local personalities from the Portarlington Dramatic Class including John F. Gill, Tommy Cribbin, William Reilly, James Flynn, May Douglas and Eva Wright. John F. Gill was a former chairman of Laois County Council, former Labour Party TD and dedicated ITGWU organiser locally.
Electric Cinema Portlaoise programme for ‘Sweet Inniscarra’ (courtesy of Paul Delany)
The story of Ireland’s first ‘talkie’ is the subject of an upcoming radio documentary to be broadcast on Tipp Mid West Radio at 11 am over six consecutive Fridays beginning on February 7th 2025. The programmes will be streamed on www.tippmidwestradio.com.
The six-part documentary produced by Tom Hurley investigates the story of Sweet Inniscarra, its cast and producer Emmett Moore. It also examines some of the efforts made over the years to try and locate a copy of the film.
The Laois Heritage Society Journal 2024 features an article by Teddy Fennelly on ‘Sweet Inniscarra’ and its connection to Laois. The journal also includes an article by Paul Delany on his family’s foundation of the Electric Cinema Portlaoise in 1914.
