Filming 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley' in Bandon, Co. Cork, Ireland 2005

On location for the Ken Loach film ‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’.

Bandon in County Cork has been transformed for Ken Loach’s latest film ‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’. The British director who is renowned for his realistic portrayal of working class heroes has decided to,

Tackle the thorny subject of Irish nationalism.

Screenwriter Paul Laverty says secret to any story is trying to find three dimensional characters. They have tried not to oversimplify or romanticise this story, as one of its themes is the effect of violence on the human spirit.

Cork natives Michael Collins and Sean Fitzpatrick are well aware of Ken Loach’s reputation, and hope that the finished film will be authentic,

Provided our history is not distorted we have no fear.

Producer Rebecca O’Brien says the film is just as much about England as it is Ireland and the British imperialist approach to Ireland as it about the Irish,

It’s our story too...it’s good for us to explore what did happen.

Liam Cunningham plays Dan, a train driver who was involved in the 1913 Lockout and as a result of that became a committed trade unionist and joins the men of Cork’s Flying Column. In addition to the historical authenticity of the film, he describes it as,

A love letter to the people who have given us the freedoms that we have today.

This report for ‘Capital Culture’ was broadcast on 10 July 2005. The reporter is Flor McCarthy.