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.
This film is part of Free

Creel Making in Boho
Travel to Boho and witness the disappearing art of the creel basket-maker
From the collection of:

Overview
The creel, known in Irish as cliabh (pronounced cleeve), was at one time an everyday item in Northern Irish homes. It was used for carrying goods such as turf, or seaweed, or loads to and from market. Here, Bernard ‘Brandy’ McManus transforms the willow, strand-by-strand, twist-by-twist into a tough, practical basket. Creel-making was time-consuming work, but satisfying too. Brandy stated that working and shaping the willow helped ease the arthritis in his hands.
The creel in Ireland took many forms, depending on what it carried and where in the country it was made. There were the common, rectangular creels, used as donkey panniers for the carrying of turf. Then there were back creels, which helped people to carry particularly heavy loads. There was even a variant of the back creel, the shoulder creel, which was designed for the transporting of loads across shorter distances and was easily emptied. Today, creel baskets are often used for storing firewood, or even adapted for use as bicycle baskets.
Related

Fishing Trip Fishing Trip
Amateur film 1971 3 mins Location: Boho
A charming look at life in Boho in the company of local man, Brandy McManus. He recounts the pleasures of fishing and swimming in Ross Lough.

The Creel The Creel
Amateur film 1974 13 mins Location: Boho
Brandy McManus, a practitioner of the disappearing art of creel basket making, shares the secrets of the craft.

Art of the Creel Art of the Creel
Amateur film 1974 3 mins Silent Location: Boho
Weave and twist and master the techniques of traditional Irish craft in this introduction to the wonderful world of willow weaving

Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.

All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.

Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.

Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.

Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.

Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.