Celtic Film Series - "The Hanging Gale" February 5, 2008

The tragedy of the Irish Potato Famine is the setting of the mini-series, The Hanging Gale, to be shown over two nights as part of the Williamsburg Regional Librarys Celtic Film Series. The 1996, four-hour mini-series was produced for BBC Northern Ireland and will be shown over two nights, Tuesday, February 5 and Wednesday, February 6 at 7 p.m. in the Williamsburg Library Theatre, 515 Scotland Street. The presentation is free of charge and reservations are not needed. William and Mary English Professor Emeritus Jack Willis will introduce the film. For more information, contact the library at (757) 259-4070. A complete list of this seasons films can be found at www.wrl.org/programs

The Hanging Gale is set in 1846 Donegal. The four upstanding sons of the Phelan family -- two farmers, a schoolteacher, and a priest -- are torn between nonviolent protest and bloody revolt when the injustices of the landholding system and the onset of the potato blight combine to devastate their community. Though his predecessor was murdered, the new land manager, Captain Townsend (Michael Kitchen), upholds the law while appealing to the absentee landowner for reasonable accommodation for the suffering tenants. Three of the Phelan sons try to work with Captain Townsend, but one takes the law into his own hands, setting off a chain of events that tests the brothers love for their country and each other.

The Library presents the Celtic Film Series in cooperation with the local chapters of the St. Andrews Society and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. The series explores the history, drama and quirky humor of films made in or about Scotland and Ireland.


Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of programs.