Pupils from Ayr Hill N.S and Scoil Mhuire N.S Ramelton pictured with front row from left, Don McMahon and Story C.I.R.C.L.E Project Facilitator Kate Brown. Second row from left Avril Murray, Sue Grier and Brian Smeaton. Back row from left Dave Kenny and Story C.I.R.C.L.E Project Facilitator Jeremy Howard.
TO MARK the closing of the 2012 One Donegal November Festival, an audience of fifty eager primary school children joined forces with friends and family from Ramelton to attend the film premiere of Story C.I.R.C.L.E in the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny.
On Thursday, November 29, the Regional Cultural Centre was a hub of excitement as thirteen novice film makers waited in anticipation for their short films to be shared on the big screen. Eight children from Scoil Mhuire and Ayr Hill National School along with five older people from the community of Ramelton had been working together creatively since September on an intergenerational and interfaith project, creating films based on their personal stories.
The reminiscence drama and digital film making project was created and facilitated by Kate Brown in collaboration with Jeremy Howard, as part of Kate’s Story C.I.R.C.L.E programme – Celebrating Intergenerational Relationships through Creative Learning Experiences.
“In essence this is a project about faith,” said Kate speaking at the opening of the event. “Having a faith in oneself, a faith in others and a faith that together your story sharing will help to build and sustain a strong community of friends and neighbours in Ramelton irrespective of creed, race or age.”
The stories that were shared by the group through their films told of people who have inspired them, the importance of belonging and of friendships, of celebrating personal achievements and of special times in their lives.
Eleven year old Aidan made a film about a memorable visit he had to his uncle’s farm. Speaking to the audience on Thursday Aidan said: “We have to let people know that everyone in the community has a story. That they’re not just sitting around and that they have done stuff.
“I enjoyed coming and chatting to the people about what we could do to Ramelton to make it a better place to live,” said Kevin, a pupil at Scoil Mhuire. “Most of all enjoyed hearing about other people’s worlds.”
The Story C.I.R.C.L.E films are being screened again on Saturday, December 8, as part of the community events taking place in Ramelton Town Hall this weekend.
The films will be shown between 11.30am and 1.00pm to coincide with the Tidy Towns annual tree planting event and the popular Christmas Craft Fair.
Story C.I.R.C.L.E was supported by the European Union’s Regional Development Fund, through the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by Donegal County Council.