An acclaimed Irish music documentary with strong Mayo connections is set to launch its national cinema release with a special screening in Castlebar today.
Once We Were Punks will screen at Mayo Movie World on May 15 for the first time this evening at 7.20pm, bringing the award-winning documentary to Mayo audiences following a successful festival run.
Written and directed by Frank Shouldice, the film premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh, where it sold out within 35 minutes. It later screened at the IFI Documentary Festival, winning the Audience Award for Best Film.
The documentary tells the story of four school friends from Bailieborough, Co Cavan, who formed a punk band in the late 1980s with dreams of global fame.
While those ambitions may not have materialised in the way they imagined, the experience and friendships that emerged became the heart of Once We Were Punks.
Now in their late 50s, the former bandmates have reunited under the name Sons of Southern Ulster and recently released their third album, Through the Bridewell Gate.
The film also carries a strong Mayo connection through Westport native Oisín McGreal, who served as editor on the production in what marks his debut feature film.
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