Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive is a free public access resource for teachers, students, historians and anyone who has an interest in moving images. Spanning from 1897 to the present day, the films in the Digital Film Archive cover all aspects of life in Northern Ireland and includes everything from dramas to documentaries, newsreels and features, animation to amateur footage.
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Open Roads Ahead
Are you longing for a holiday? Before you book let these travellers’ tales tempt you to our shores.
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Overview
Fall in love with the open road. If you have always wanted to experience the tranquil Glens of Antrim, the delicate craftsmanship of Belleek Pottery or the thrills of Barry’s amusement park this is the film for you. Zip around Northern Ireland’s national treasures without leaving your home. You will soon have your own tales to tell after you’ve seen the King of the Mournes with his Prawn courtier not to mention a car that can cross water aided by an elderly woman and a young girl.
The Northern Ireland Tourist Board created films that aimed sell the region as a holiday destination to boost the economy. This material captures NI tourism at an intriguing time, as conflict escalated so did the pressure to close the Tourist Board. Resilient staff adapted creatively to the uphill struggle to find ways and places where they could responsibly encourage tourists to visit. Despite these obstacles they continued to create films during the 1970s earning the nickname the ‘Fermanagh Tourist Board’. This material comes from the collection of National Museums Northern Ireland. It is courtesy of Robert Blair.
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