Donegal filmmaker Sheila Friel's documentary to be played at Áras an Uachtaráin

A documentary co-produced by Creeslough filmmaker Sheila Friel will be hosted by President Michael D. Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin this Thursday.

The film, 'An Buachaill Gealgháireach / The Laughing Boy' is a tri-lingual feature documentary which charts the extraordinary story of an Irish song written by the teenage Brendan Behan who was born 100 years ago this year. The Behan family was steeped in Republicanism and, despite coming from the anti-treaty tradition, the young Brendan penned, 'The Laughing Boy' in memory of the iconic rebel, Michael Collins.

Through Behan's internationally acclaimed play, 'The Hostage', this song went on to have an extraordinary and dramatic afterlife as To Gelasto Paidi, the powerful left-wing anthem of resistance against the dictatorship that ruled Greece in the late Sixties and early Seventies. 

Translated by the poet Vassilis Rotas, Behan's words in Greek were set to music by the legendary Mikis Theodorakis, the most famous Greek composer of all time. The song remains an enduring and potent cultural force in the heart of Greece today.

Watch 'An Buachaill Gealgháireach / The Laughing Boy' here on the TG4 Player

"This documentary is an extraordinary story of how a song composed by an Irish teenager became an iconic anthem for a nation,” Sheila Friel, who is Director of production company, Imagine Media, said. “To have a special screening, hosted by President Higgins, is not only a great honour for me and for my family but it is a testimony to Kathryn's, Alan's and Theo's artistic creativity. It is a great privilege to work with such outstanding professionals not to mention the great team in Imagine Media."

Co-produced by Kathryn Baird and directed by the multi-IFTA winner, Alan Gilsenan, and presented by Aosdána member, Theo Dorgan, An Buachaill Gealgháireach, explores how a song became an anthem which unified a people in their struggle against oppression.