Shinrone to be focus of Offaly film project

After the success of "A Grand Experience" Offaly County Council is to embark on another film project using the per cent for art scheme. This time the focus will be on south Offaly village Shinrone. The new film will aim to celebrate the village of Shinron and give locals and a wider Irish audience a new perspective on it as on one hand a unique community with an allure that has attracted attention nationally and even internationally, while on the other hand a modern village in Ireland. The film that will run to up to 25 minutes will combine historical footage of Shinrone from RTE with contemporary footage and on-screen text. The film's story will emerge from conversations "overheard" from villagers themselves. The latest project will be made by writer and director Steven Goldsmith and director of photography Declan Barret. Speaking about the opportunity Steven said his intention is to find a deeper reflection of the unique spirit of Shinrone. There's a lot to talk about in Shinrone. In the novel "The Riders" by Tim Winton, the main character visits the village and overhears locals discussing when Arlo Guthrie performed in the Community Centre in 1988. Musicians including Shane McGowan and Christy Moore have also performed there, while RTE documentaries have also visited and the village also has links and still hopes for a visit from Barack Obama. Arts officer Sinead O'Reilly said great success has been had locally with the per cent for art scheme, and the latest project really struck a chord in Shinrone. "We hope that the people of Shinrone will really get into the spirit of it and we look forward to working with the filmmakers and RTE to bring it to a wider audience," she said. The project will begin over the winter months in Shinrone, while it's hoped to premiere the film locally next spring.