One Day In Irvine - the best Scottish film ever made?!

So, ever wanted to see a rather hilariously cringeworthy tourism/propaganda film about the wonderful town of Irvine in Scotland? No? Well, here it is anyway!
When a Canadian man's father dies he decrees in his will that his heirs should return to their home town. Surprises abound! An uncle who's a blacksmith? "Today it's more about horsepower than horses" And you thought he was backwards! Ho ha, take THAT those who doubt the strength of Irvine's industry!
There's more twists, turns, current statistics (by current I mean 1971, of course) and some of the best writing ever seen. "Good Irvine milk?" "Good Irvine bottle!" cue sequence at the glassworks
Note: It should also be noted that there's a strange romantic undercurrent for man spending the day with his cousin, especially one with a neck as long as hers, but I'll leave you to interpret that as you see fit.
Some Details
Title: One Day In Irvine
Date: 1971
Director: Mark Littlewood
Cast: Paul Young, Virginia Stark
Sponsor: Films of Scotland and Irvine Development Corporation
Production company: IFA (Scotland) Ltd.
Also, if you like, or rather don't like, the New Town stuff at the end, this video from Wikimedia is worth a look too: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:New...

[@kitfrew9983]

I used to go into Irvine with my granny as a wee lassie in the 50s, Irvine was a lovely wee town, bustling, plenty of industry, picture post card, Historical,and then a monster came to town and they called it IDC. They started ripping the heart out of the wee town with their diabolical ideas in the guise of Progress, then a bigger monster came too and they called that Irvine New Town, and our beautiful wee Town was ravaged completely, gone forever, completely raped and unrecognisable as the place we Ayrshire folk new and loved. This is 2022 and go into Irvine today and it taers the heart and soul out of folk who remember it from a bygone era, and I don't mean the 70s on.

[@albulastrasse3118]

Hyster Forklift - plant closed by parent company Nacco on 2009 Ayrshire Metals - now based in Daventry (Northamptonshire) and Bavaria, but still use the Ayrshire name Glass bottle manufacture - seems to still be going strong, owned by Ardagh Glass Not sure about the rest - the film seems to date from 1970 which was the year I was born in Irvine.

[@briancunningham1927]

I wish Ayrshire metals was still there , welding the Volvo bus chassis was a cracking job with the some good characters

[@Seify1000]

If you want to see what Irvine was like in the 70's. Visit Irvine tomorrow :)

[@portia8807]

Scott Morley it’s not the 70s though. 🙃

[@old-yd2kp]

portia it’s the same

[@Guitar-Dog]

😂😂😂

[@lizabee]

I wish irvine was still like this:'(

[@ARCHIVESMUSICOFFICAL]

Ken now it’s filled w neds

[@europancrasinternational]

@@ARCHIVESMUSICOFFICAL I know that’s the Irish people

[@stacyblue1980]

Does anyone else realise this fella is "Shug" (Paul Young) from Still Game?? I realised it after listening and looking at the guy for a bit. :D Yes it is him indeed!

[@louisedale2495]

Thanks that was doing my head in Who is he???? lol

[@chingadapistolero]

tha t explains the canadian accent then!

[@stacyblue1980]

@@chingadapistolero Hes not Canadian.

[@davidsherry6970]

Shut the lug, don't have to listen to him the ears give it away

[@ANIMOM1976]

One of my favorite shows!

[@alanmacnaughton674]

Last time I was in Irvine was around 2011 and when I stopped to buy petrol there was a junkie who had been stabbed at the garage bleeding all over the shops floor and I said to him you need to get a ambulance mate he was like aye am gonnae but I need to buy some fags before I go up the hospital because you cannae get smokes there lol that was a moment that even shocked me and I'm a Glaswegian haha

[@wolfenzero]

Cool story bro

[@Max_mcg0ran]

Been there

[@JJDoole]

Between 05.22 and 05.29 to the right of the screen is my grandfather, John Doole, presiding over the crowning of the Marymass queen. He was a council officer at that time.

[@CarlosHenrique-sn3le]

I don't have words .I only know that It was another epoche and when I watch on this film leaves me crawled ! To watch that epoche leaves me longings or missing ! Thanks to get this documentary 🙏!

[@DisturbiaTheGreyWolf]

I grew up in Irvine in the 90s and 2000s. It's a shame what IDC did to it. It looked like such a beautiful little town before they built the eyesore which is the mall and bridgegate and knocked down what appearred to be a lovely looking bridge. My parents said Irvine was a lovely place. I wish I had been around to see it. I live up in Glasgow now, I hated living there and needed to get away from the place, it was so depressing with the high unemployment.

[@michaelprice9484]

i agree they demolsh the mall and rebuild the the bridge

[@adidasaddict2023]

You forgot all the wannabees and clowns of the place

[@dlmoore8996]

What a lovely, old tourist film. I very much enjoyed it. Thank you.

[@12Bulldogge]

That's a great document! I lived in Irvine in 1981/82 and could still recognize a lot of the places. And it's the first time I saw the old brigde without the Rivergate Shopping Centre. Very nostalgic.

[@Warlach]

Yeah, I'm actually considering shooting an update, shot for shot remake, called Another Day In Irvine to look at what happened in the last 40 years and what went wrong.

[@psillysighwheeliebin1537]

Did u do it?

[@TheDaftPuddock]

What a nostagia trip! I grew up in Irvine and would have been 10 years old when this film was shot. Thanks for posting.

[@helenkerr1442]

cringeworthy it may be, but i love it and remember my home town with much affection. This is what it was like in 1970. Plenty of work for everybody

[@gingerfellah5665]

As long as you were a man....sadly.

[@juliechristinehoward6718]

Born & bred in Irvine all my life don't really remember this far back as I was only born 1975 so still a baby , but Irvine is definitely not the same now as it was when I was growing up back then you always felt safe walking about no matter what time of day or night ,today not so much which is so sad 😢

[@ayrshiresoundman]

We deserve a medal for aour ability to throw away Industry, the Proclaimers put it very well.

[@scotbotvideos]

Sometimes the best satire is unintentional.

[@kevinsaturday]

I can't be the only one who noticed that Eglinton Park is in Kilwinning, surely?

[@FreeWombling]

"It's beautiful" "They say it'll be even better when they build the new town" "Tell me about it" "What's to tell? Thousands more people, and jobs for them too" "Why here?" "It's nice here by the sea. You just take all the advantages of the old place and make them available to more people" "It won't be the same place" "It might be a better place" Might not!!!

[@AliG-fd2ho]

I bet the 'new' school at 16:25 is crumbling and the 'old' school is still going strong....

[@DalaiFarma]

No, that new building is actually called Irvine Royal Academy now and it was just refurbished recently, the old building of the old Irvine Royal still exists but the new part of the old one has been flattened and replaced with houses and a police station

[@wadesaleeby2172]

A time that does not exist any more.... What say ye Robert Burns?! Thanks for sharing... I enjoyed my visit to Ayrshire and my visit to the Brig O'doon and Culzean Castle...

[@RuthW16]

Oh how this took me back to my childhood, what a pity we can't travel back and erase all the mistakes of the 1970's planners. Showed this to my daughter who can't believe how pretty Irvine was.

[@willgillies5670]

Amen on 1970's planners, If i could show them the cesspit legacy they made.

[@wiccaman69]

2.14 TILL 2.29 Is my old doorway to my house! Used to play there fur hrs... wow major blast fae the past!

[@MrJtaylor62]

I moved away from Irvine over 25 years ago. But this is a really weird wee film. Just like i remember it from my childhood. I hate to think what it's like now. What makes you laugh is one of the links to the right-hand side is "Saltcoats Proddy Boys Annual Parade 2012" How did i miss that?...

[@loyalpiper]

I live in kilwinning on the other side of irvine and good god the harbours almost unrecognisable with all the shipping and the crane that now sits on its rails at the peirside unmoving The old bridge aswell by the church where the Riverside shopping center now stands makes me almost makes me wish i could of been born several decades earlier to see it.

[@boomerrob9223]

Having a chuckle at the baby Paul Young.

[@robertmac33]

Looking at it now, you would never know that Irvine used to be a nice looking town... what a disaster the "redevelopment" was!!

[@roberinoframe]

wow i grew up (am growing up really) in modern day irvine and it’s crazy to see what it used to look like at least we still have the marymass ig

[@amietrainor5275]

Hi, my papa used to have a glass blowing shop in Irvine harbour and was once included in an advert about Irvine. The advert included an animated mascot showing fun things in irvine including the Magnum. Just to see if you know how to go about finding the footage for him, thanks

[@lee2217]

Was that the glass blowing shop in nancies shop down the harbour?

[@tommitchell5858]

I'll be back there April 2014, only been away for 53 years I lived in Hill Street till 1957 then Ravenspark Hospital sure is something to see

[@richardstalker4769]

You must've been starkly disappointed in your return.

[@THEJohnMcNee]

Their conversation near the end about the New Town is tragic it's so misguided.

[@JackDaniels267]

Reminds me of The Wicker Man!!

[@minnievirginny]

Virginia is my partner and she looks even more gorgeous now. Lucky bloke

[@wallyboy25]

someone should do an updated version

[@Warlach]

Yes, you certainly get a very different feeling wandering around Irvine in 2012 than you did in 1971.

[@willgillies5670]

2023, it is a sh%tepit.

[@loyalpiper]

​@@willgillies5670 as someone from kilwinning I agree.

[@Warlach]

Hi Amie - I found this by searching through media archives. There are plenty of ones saving cultural videos, like this one, or adverts, so that would be your best bet I imagine. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!

[@Warlach]

Oh wow! I'm traveling around Europe but if when I'm back in the UK I actually shoot a follow up film, I'd love if she could be in it or interviewed?

[@Kilmarnock1996FC]

'They may be building up the new town' 'It wont be the same' - No it's not the same. 'It may be better' - Aye fucking right hahahaha

[@Merseysiderful]

Made in 1971 before Health & Safety mania. At 9:00 where the characters are at the container dock; nowadays they would have to have a risk assessment, wear hard hats, safety glasses, fluorescent jackets and possibly life jackets. The actress Virginia Stark (Sarah) is very pretty.

[@Dunbardoddy]

Born in Irvine in 1957...

[@catherineedmiston7342]

Made a wee while ago but if you don't live here you won't understand !

[@colinwgraham]

It might have helped if they had consulted someone who is familiar with Ontario. John Galt founded Guelph, not Galt. The town of Galt was named after him but he did not found it and it is not part of Guelph. It is near Guelph but is part of the city of Cambridge. As for the busy main street and town hall, I lived in Galt and never saw a busy main street!

[@UndeadHighlandCow]

WTF are you talking about?

[@ConwayS87]

Is that Shug out of 'Still Game'? Looks like him,

[@MrMouldybread]

Having a picnic anywhere in Irvine now is perilous. Gotta keep vigilant that the junkies don't steal your food. Funny how things have changed.

[@swhitecross]

it would be great to see an update - but sad to see the decline in trade and industry!!

[@Warlach]

Glad I could help if you didn't already have that footage :)

[@muiroford1]

The boat was tied up at high tide - I expect it hung from the slipway during the day. I sailed on the Lady MacGown and Lady ? carrying gelignite from Nobels

[@elliemcdade8157]

I live in Irvine

[@seaghanobuadhaigh8240]

If you don't tell anyone, I won't either.

[@communistguy2863]

Me tae

[@DavyG309]

@@communistguy2863 Thanks for the insight 🤣

[@lee2217]

i agree with you im from irvine but lived in killie that place is an experiment

[@YerMawsDa]

Wait, was this shot before the river gate center existed? :O

[@101wildgoose]

Sunblest! Best of gear!

[@louisehamilton2348]

I loved this, auld memories, but it does explain why Irvine was not inundated with Canadian tourists. I always wondered why

[@AndarneofAlinor]

Warlach, are you a resident of Irvine? You sound to have spent some time here.

[@Warlach]

I'm Australian, but my father is Scottish and 95% of my family on that side live in Irvine. Spent a fair few months there all up over the years. My first visit I was shown this film, and then given a bound collection of the work of Robbie Burns in accordance with the 'twist' at the end. When I was over in 2012 I set myself to track down and digitise this film - eventually found someone in a University with access to the media archives who managed to liberate it for me. I'm constantly shocked how many people watch it :)

[@minnievirginny]

I'll see if I can talk her in to it but you know what these actresses are like!

[@brianmcghee2389]

if you want to know what Kelso,Selkirk,Hawick is like now,visit Irvine then.

[@cushyglen4264]

Rowing the boat is Shug out of Still Game.

[@markiethedarkie]

Unfortunately, pretty much all the manufacturing shown in this film has disappeared in the last 40 years, very sad. Not much hope for the younger generations.

[@faddy24]

At 16:15 my old school Ravenspark Academy

[@davehamilton1213]

Most of the work places in this video are now closed, towns dead.

[@petertaylor9624]

This film very lucky being made at time. I agree with you saying if they hadn't built shopping centre in frist place...I feel sorry for town.

[@Warlach]

You're most welcome :)

[@ClairefromAyr]

Its nice but sad at the same time;-9 All those industries gone.

[@sasbodyguard]

is that not paul young the actor?

[@willgillies5670]

Thats Shug the Lug from Still Game

[@danielmckinlay2833]

Paul Young never really grew into those ears

[@Kilmarnock1996FC]

Holy shit, I can't believe they even wasted there time to get a camera and video a wee show of my shitty town. :O :O

[@berryryan500]

you know how they talked about the new town... "who knows it might be a better place", what a lie

[@chingadapistolero]

rip virginia sparks

[@jasdunlop9907]

If they made a new film today it wouldn't take as long cause there's nothing left to film

[@HingwayFilms]

it is a young Paul Young

[@fontybits]

People lamenting about how IRVINE has changed for the worse. Can anyone name ANY town/city which is better NOW than it was 60 years ago???????? I'll wait. Thanks to Scottish actor, Paul Young.

[@234cheech]

god kings sweetie van used to work in hear fur a few weeks

[@georgedavis-stewart4225]

Irvine before the Development Corporation began to wreak its havoc. High grade propaganda - still, it was a living. Big break for the two actors, who have had long careers. Andy Park too.

[@claraboomday]

new town? one fucking experiment gone wrong...who the fuck came up with that idea!!

[@robinaxeman]

"So this is England" NO ye daft bugger it is SCOTLAND.

[@maratyirka3359]

Right when I read your words it heard it in the movie. I want to go to Scotland in the worst way (I am saving to do it).

[@seaghanobuadhaigh8240]

I don't fans of Joyce's 'Ulysses' have much to fear.

[@Killieboy1000]

Junkies Junkies Everywhere Now!

[@lee2217]

Every where’s the same it’s not just an Irvine problem

[@catherineedmiston7342]

!y wee toon x

[@TheTomhamilton8]

lovely

[@brux65]

Those IDC vandals have a lot answer for what they did to our town, still, the Councils doing up the entrance to the Mall, so it'll be nice for the drunks and drug addicts to lay around in.

[@catherineedmiston7342]

My

[@davehamilton1213]

Born and bread

[@pauldg837]

Dave Hamilton Lmao. It's born and bred, you donut.

[@chemartin3223]

Plain or Pan?🍞😆

[@coughdropderp8061]

1 day in glasgow = stabbed

[@seaghanobuadhaigh8240]

2nd day in Glasgow - spent on a trolley in A&E.

[@jaycee2392]

murrymuss!!🤡

[@castles2hire]

What one.

[@doctorheck2186]

"The best Scottish film ever made" .... You've seen Trainspotting, right? Right?

[@andrewsmith-cm9qw]

All that productivity employing people who supported families and established a community of people who made Irvine,now it’s all gone thanks to Thatcherism and the greed of profit over human kind. Floreat Irvine

[@GRFC1872]

2024 junkies everywhere