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Tommy Orr Blacksmith

Immerse yourself in the magical light and sounds of the forge as Tommy Orr continues the family tradition of shoeing horses.

Documentary 1981 6 mins

From the collection of:

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Overview

Tommy Orr welcomes you into his forge to share his 40 years’ experience as he takes you through the craft of shoeing horses. Watch as Tommy emerges through the smoke like a premonition of the portrait painted four years later by Basil Blackshaw. He speaks about the happy pride he takes in his work and his care for the horses’ welfare. The rhythmic ringing of metal and billowing plumes of smoke are just some of the beautiful moments captured by Roy Spence for the Ulster Folk Museum.

As rural ways of life were engulfed by an ever more industrialised North the Ulster Folk Museum was born from a 1958 act of parliament. It continues to create a lively world of artefacts to preserve disappearing traditions for future generations. Visitors can experience the buildings, tools and crafts of the past from the weaver’s loom to the blacksmith's forge. Twin brothers Roy and Noel Spence have been making films for over fifty years; with subjects including crafty leprechauns, creatures from outer space, and the undead. You can enjoy many of these fantastical creations and more of Roy’s craft documentaries on BFI Player. This film is courtesy of Roy Spence and is held in the Irish Film Archive.

Director
Roy Spence
Genres
DocumentarySchool programme and Educational film
Released
1981
Country
Northern Ireland
Location
Ballymena
Language
English

Subjects

Industries, trades and crafts Skilled workers Blacksmiths Blacksmiths Horses Horseshoes Heavy metal music Tools 1980s