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
Curragh to Iona
Join a fearless crew on a spiritual maritime adventure from the shores of Derry to Iona.
From the collection of:
Overview
This spiritual quest, funded by the Church of Ireland to commemorate the 14th centenary of St.Columba’s journey of self-exile, took four years to prepare. The narrator Wallace Clark was an insatiable seafarer and talented skipper who motivated this fearless crew to brave the 100 mile journey in a simple canvas covered boat. He regarded this voyage as the highlight of his life. Cannon John Barry said ‘there was not one of us who would not sail with him to the edge of the world’.
This film by E. T. Green is courtesy of Waddell Media. Watch ‘St Columba’ on the BFI player to discover more about the life of the tempestuous saint and experience the pilgrims' voyage to greet this crew at the end of its journey. This tradition of re-enacting historic voyages continues in Ireland with seafaring currachs like Bovinda built by the Boyne Currach Heritage Group. Wallace Clark went on to participate in a restaging of the Brendan voyage and this journey to Iona was replicated by a new generation in the Colmcille Curragh during 1997.
Related
Watch for free
The Open Door The Open Door
Documentary 21 mins Location: Derry / Londonderry
Witness the changing face of psychiatric care in this hospital sponsored public information film
Watch for free
The Man From A.U.N.T. The Man From A.U.N.T.
Comedy 1965 5 mins Location: Derry / Londonderry
Who is this mysterious man causing chaos in the city of a 1000 rumours? Watch tonight’s feature from Alfred Hiccup to discover Derry’s hidden world.
Watch for free
The Mayor's Parade The Mayor's Parade
Sponsored film 1976 10 mins Location: Derry / Londonderry
Watch Anthony and Cleopatra make a triumphant entry in the Mayor’s Parade. What will impress the judges more, good behaviour or a good float?
Watch for free
Nebelung Nebelung
Drama 1978 10 mins Location: Derry / Londonderry
A Derry classroom becomes an unlikely setting for this uncanny experimental film by Terence McDonald and Gerry Wills
Watch for free
The Fugitive The Fugitive
Comedy 1966 5 mins Location: Derry / Londonderry
There is a baby and a bandit loose in the streets of Derry, but which one is the fugitive, the robber or the runaway pram?
Watch for free
Zwischen Zwischen
Drama 1970 7 mins Location: Derry / Londonderry
Between us is truth, let there be truth between us
Watch for free
Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion
Short documentary 2026 22 mins
Filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman and curator Matthew Barrington discuss Frederick Wiseman’s High School with Sandra Hebron.
Watch for free
Hard, Cracked the Wind Hard, Cracked the Wind
Horror 2019 17 mins
A haunting with words is the lure between life and death for a young Cornish poet.
Watch for free
A Last Resort A Last Resort
Comedy 2022 17 mins
Rose is desperate to celebrate her 60th birthday in style, but her daughter Genevieve is struggling to ignore some recent tragic news about her mum.
Watch for free
The Walk The Walk
Drama 2023 12 mins
Adeel Akhtar portrays a man on a weekly trek to his nearest JobCentre, entering a state of purgatory through barriers put in place by the system.
Watch for free
Seagull Seagull
Horror 2022 6 mins
Seagull is a recovering drug addict who is about to have a very strange night on The English Riviera.
Watch for free
Octopus Octopus
2021 13 mins
Upon returning to her home town for a funeral, a young woman reconnects with the friends she left behind.