Ireland ’s biggest union to invest in ‘Connolly’

Producers Tom Stokes and Frank Allen of Rascal Films are delighted with the announcement by SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn, that Ireland ’s biggest trade union is to make a significant investment in their feature drama, ‘Connolly’.

It has always been a core element in our strategy to bring trade union investment to this particular project. The investment itself is extremely important in practical and symbolic terms, but it also contributes by way of potential audience. One of our core audiences is trade union membership – 750,000 in Ireland , 160 million worldwide. The other is the Irish Diaspora of some 70 million. Given SIPTU’s strong links into both international communities, there is no doubt that their announcement substantially strengthens the project as we bring private investment to the film.

We have always believed that community can be as powerful and creative as any multinational commercial enterprise, and that the trade union movement can best demonstrate that. SIPTU’s bold and imaginative decision has vindicated that belief, and the decision reflects respect for their past and belief in their vision of a better future to be attained for workers and their families.

Adrian Dunbar, who will direct ‘Connolly’ applauds the decision to invest in the film. “I am so pleased for SIPTU’s members that their union, which Connolly and Larkin combined to establish, should head the list of investors in our film. The National Executive and the National Officers, acting on behalf of the members, have done the film and their own union a great service. And the union has not just honoured James Connolly, but also his family who have been great servants of Ireland and who are fully behind this film, and that is so important to us. I have spoken to Peter Mullan and Patrick Bergin, and both of them are delighted at the news.”

The producers are keen to bring other trade unions into the investment pool in the wake of SIPTU’s announcement. There is profit to be made from this film, given the core audiences that we have identified and will deliver, and the quality of the film we will produce, and it would make sense for unions to be part of this ethical investment in ‘Connolly’ so that a share of profits can be applied for the future benefit of the movement that James Connolly gave so much to establish.

The SIPTU press release can be accessed at www.siptu.ie