Cork poet Theo Dorgan’s ‘Greek odyssey’ scoops prestigious international award

A FILM written and presented by Cork poet Theo Dorgan telling the remarkable story of how a poem penned by one of Ireland’s greatest writers about one the country’s most celebrated revolutionary heroes became an anthem in the struggle for Greek independence, has scooped a prestigious international award.

The trilingual film ‘An Buachaill Gealgháireach / The Laughing Boy was presented with the coveted Audience Award at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival in Greece.

Written in the 1930’s by a then 12-year-old rebel by the name of Brendan Behan, ‘The Laughing Boy’ laments the death of another iconic Irish rebel, the great Michael Collins.

Years later Behan would incorporate the poem into his 1958 play ‘The Hostage’, which was first staged in London and then Paris where it came to the attention of legendary Greek composer and lyricist Mikis Theodorakis.

Translated into Greek by poet Vassilis Rotas ‘To Yelasto Paidi’ as it became known, was set to music by Theodorakis, subsequently becoming a powerful left-wing anthem of resistance against the dictatorship that ruled Greece in the late sixties and early seventies.

To this day, the song remains an enduring and potent cultural force at the very heart of the Greek psyche.

Directed by Alan Gilsenan and produced by Kathryn Baird and Sheila Friel, the film sees Theo Dorgan undertake a Greek odyssey of his own as he uncovers the truth behind the poem and myths that surround it.

Its narrative interweaves the tragic and bloody birth-pangs of both modern Ireland and modern Greece, binding them together by something more profound and transcendent – the power of a song.

A Theo Dorgan says in the film, both the Irish and Greek versions “capture something unique.”

“Some idea, perhaps, of the eternal rebel, some embodiment of revolt against small destiny, tyranny, the forces that tend always and everywhere to diminish if not actually crush our sense of the necessary largeness of life and the imagination.”

Shot in Ireland, the UK France and Greece, the film features an evocative soundtrack with performances by some of Ireland’s finest contemporary musicians including Donal Lunny, MayKay, Liam Ó Maonlaí and David Power.

In addition, it also features music by popular Greek musicians and singers, including Maria Farantouri, who is regarded globally as the pre-eminent interpreter of the songs of Theodorakis.

Sheila Friel said while it always gratifying to win an award, “this is particularly special since it comes from the audience.”

“We were, of course, anxious, bringing such a quintessential Greek film to Thessaloniki, given the sensitive political and cultural issues we are dealing with, but we got an amazing response there, a sense that we had, somehow, bridged the gap between two peoples, two cultures,” she said.

Kathryn Baird said, “we could not have hoped for a better response.”

“A standing ovation is always heartening, but when the audience at the end began to sing To Yelasto Paidi, The Laughing Boy, I knew we had really hit the mark,” she said.

An Buachaill Gealgháireach/The Laughing Boy is available on the TG4 Player.