Bangor Yacht Race

This amateur film of a sailing event is the first film taken by an Irishman in Ireland

Irish lawyer Robert Mitchell, based in County Down, made several amateur films in 1898. This film shows the start of a Yacht race of impressive scale off Bangor. Mitchell has positioned his camera to catch the 'Start' flag and focuses on a small rowing boat in the foreground containing two men, one of whom seems to be photographing the boats as they line up. There is some action as a large yacht cuts across the screen.