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Brendan Gleeson’s Farewell to Hughes’s, a new documentary co-produced by ITMA, will make its world premiere at the 2024 Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) on Friday, 1 March, 2024.
The film, directed by Ciarán Ó Maonaigh and presented by Brendan Gleeson, explores the music and legacy of Hughes pub in Dublin, which closed its doors for the last time in 2021.
Here’s a synopsis of the film:
To some it was an unassuming pub on a side street behind the Four Courts in Dublin City centre. To musicians, dancers, singers and listeners, it was a mecca of traditional music for over 35 years.
In 2021, Hughes’s pub closed its doors for the last time, the echoes of musical memories left buried in its walls.
Brendan Gleeson played there often. It was a kind of hideout for him — its musicians and music providing a blanket of escape.
Filmed over five days in January 2022 in and around the pub, Brendan Gleeson’s Farewell to Hughes’s records and interviews various musicians, dancers and singers as they gather one last time to revisit the magic, with archival footage inserted throughout to tell the story of Hughes’ contribution to both the traditional music community in Dublin and the city as a whole.
A Key Note and ITMA Production.
While the DIFF screening sold out within 24 hours of its announcement, future screenings will be announced soon. Stay tuned!
