Experiencing the film rendition of John McGahern’s book “That They May Face the Rising Sun” is deeply impactful. It’s a tremendous production, and if you have not had the opportunity to enjoy it by now, attempt to allocate some time for it over the upcoming days. The film’s brilliant depiction, supreme emotion and tranquillity also examine the concept of reminiscence.
Recalling the event, my memory paints an image of covering McGahern’s funeral for the Sunday Tribune in the peak of the 2006 spring. Recollections of a throng beside the roadway in areas we had travelled through like Rooskey, Mohill, Fenagh, and Ballinamore, surface to the front of my mind. I recollect the elegant simplicity of the service and the silent honour displayed by the common people – a local butcher, garage serviceman, all in reverence as the funeral procession passed by. A glimmer of sun yielding to stormy clouds and a drizzle raining down on the casket at the cemetery adjoining the church are among my snippets of remembrance. Various other minor aspects remain in my mind, but their authenticity is uncertain. After all, memory can be a capricious story-teller.
The presence of Seamus Heaney is definitely etched in my mind. However, I was too apprehensive to communicate with him and why should I have? The only time I had the courage to talk to Heaney was when I was a 12-year-old lad, running into him at a shopping mall in Dublin. I knew his face from a photo, probably from my elementary school poetry reading, or from some other context. I fondly recall informing him about my just completed Confirmation and revealing my name, considering him as familiar as a local friend. He responded with amusement and autographed a piece of paper for me and along along with his signature, penned down: “Una – stay confirmed.”
The astonishment upon reading McGahern’s ‘Amongst Women’ and ‘The Dark’ as an adolescent remains imprinted, where with each page turned, I felt McGahern’s narration challenging reality itself. He stripped away the subtle veneer that regularly camouflaged portrayals of Irish life, delivering something incredibly lucid. His literature provided a raw honesty which was often veiled, whether in stereotypes, vague reminiscence or blatant distortion of facts.
‘That They May Face the Rising Sun’ is not just an exploration into memory but also a prompt to value our environment.
The plight of independent coffee shops in Ireland has come into sharp focus as they struggle to survive increases that mega-chains can easily withstand. Whilst reflecting on this issue, I’m reminded of a scene in a movie that featured a recognisable companion – the song of a cuckoo. This imagery brings to mind the remarkable documentary Birdsong, created by Kathleen Harris. This film depicts an Irish ornithologist, Seán Ronayne, in his endeavour to document the birdsong of every bird species in Ireland. This treasure of a film will be available for the entire nation to watch on RTÉ television later this month, and it is not to be missed.
Unexpectedly resonating with this theme, a tagged cuckoo from a research project concluded its lengthy journey of 9,000 kilometres from the Congo Basin, returning to Killarney National Park last week. The cuckoo’s call is traditionally tied to the notion of time, a resource becoming increasingly scarce in the fight to sustain their population.
It spurs thoughts on the reactions of these birds upon discovering the loss of their habitat, how far they go in the quest for safety and refuge, the hunger they face as food sources dwindle due to disappearing hedgerows and the widespread use of insecticides. Not to forget the violence towards roadside bushes. What understanding do they have of meadow pipit’s nesting area – space that cuckoos mask as sparrowhawks to occupy – being ravaged by a hill fire in Killarney in 2021? Do they recollect what once was?
A recent trip to Woodstock House and Gardens in Kilkenny found me immersed in the beauty of bird melodies. I caught myself using the intrusive convenience of my phone to capture the sounds. If we don’t initiate drastic and clever actions, such immersive natural soundscapes could become nothing more than a historical footnote rather than the vibrant, living background music of our world.
I got in touch with Philip King of South Wind Blows on last Friday – the same company, along with Cyprus Avenue Films and Harvest Films and producers Tina O’Reilly and Brendan J Byrne, which brought us the understated yet beautiful film ‘That They May Face the Rising Sun’.
King suggested that the resonation of the film might be due to its tangible, raw, and humane aspects in an era characterized by virtual and synthetic experiences. The movie stimulates nostalgia, invoking memories where the perception of time was distinct, accompanying a sense of inherent warmth and understanding.
According to King, the film serves as an open invitation to immerse oneself in the natural scenery, offering an auditory experience through the sounds of the lake, the wind, and the birds. Such auditory experiences stir remembrances and draw us back to certain places; we are the progenies of such landscapes.
He emphasized the collective responsibility of society, governments, and the state to strive to preserve the natural sounds and ensure their growth in honour of their beauty. This endeavour ensures that what we recollect is maintained in the present. King asserts that this outstanding film serves as a crucial reminder of these aspects.