This article is from page 21 of the 2011-01-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
MORE THAN most, north Clare filmmaker Alan Cooke has spent a lot of time pondering what needs to be done to secure Ireland’s future in 2011.
The Emmy award-winning filmmaker has spent much of the last two years researching the post-Celtic Tiger fate of his country and asking both what went wrong and what needs to be done to put things right for the future.
For Alan this is not a question of banks and budgets, but more a question of rediscovering out spirit and identity.
“In these times, we question the fabric of what we are. We wonder if there is a future in our country. We look at forces bigger than us trying to rip away the fabric of our values and decency. But I resolve as I hope others will that this decade we will find our way back to something ancient and old,” says Alan.
“I hope we will find that our communities turn to each other and grow stronger. I wish in 2011 that we realise there is something that they can never take from us. Our spirit is ancient. We are of royal blood from Celtic kings. We are not fools or filled with shame.
“I hope we can create a resolution that we can fight to bring Ireland to what it can be. We can resolve in 2011 that we can shed all of the hurt from the last decade, we can rise above the corruption and scandal in the Church, the government and the banks.
“I am going to go out and make a film about this country – to capture its beauty, its majesty, its power and the strength of our people. In 2011 I hope we can show the world how we are loved in our culture and our words and art.
“It is my job in this decade as it is the job of other Irish artists that we must lead and shine a light that the whole planet will turn to see. When I travel this land I see the incredible joy in people in the original nature. I see their dancing. I see their music and their words and stories.
“In my epic new film I hope to create something that represents the best in all of us. I resolve this and make a solemn oath that what is good in us will rise. All of the hurt of the last few years will be wiped away forever. Bless us all in 2011 and for the future we can take to be ours and make this country great again.”
To learn more about Alan’s new film or to make a donation to help fund the production visit www.thespiritofirelandfilm.com.