An Irish Weaver's Rugged Remote Life

We are delighted to showcase an extract from The Weavers episode of "Hands", the award winning Irish documentary series screened on RTE in the 70's.
RTE is Ireland's National Television and Radio Broadcaster.
David and Sally Shaw Smith have kindly agreed for us to publish and premiere this work online on KZbin as part of the Wyllie O Hagan St Patrick's Day Online Film Festival.
We thank them for that, and for providing us with this valuable historic document.
If you would like more information on the series and the film-makers, the website is here.
www.irelandstra...
Say hello from Wyllie O Hagan when you visit:)
All the best
Wyllie O Hagan

[@paulinedelaney2486]

Jim, John, and Con were family friends. Our uncle grew up with them. We were privileged to eat John’s delicious bread, butter, and excellent cups of tea in the old house and the new, and watched Jim and Con weave. My four sisters and I met them around 1972 and the “boys”, as our elders called them, were younger than in this film and still living in the thatched house. At a visit in 1986, the brothers told us about the “fil-um” that had recently been done of their lives, and by then they lived in the new house. One of the best stories my sisters and I tell, happened here. We’d stopped to visit the brothers, who were busy, so they sent us down to the strand to pass some time while they finished their chores. My sister suggested we drive out onto the sand and in spite of protests, she did so. She only went a short distance out, but when she turned the car around, it sank . . . to the bottom of the car. Our most creative efforts to get the car moving were not working, the tide was coming in, and soon the car would be completely under water. Panicking (quite rightly), we sent our youngest sister running up to the brothers for help while we frantically worked to get the car unstuck. Did I mention it was a rental car? Jim was milking and described what happened next, “The wee one came running into the byre, the cow kicked up her heels, the bucket flew up to the ceiling, and I fell on me bum!” Jim, John, and Con hurried to the rescue, and when they saw the situation they paled, looking as scared as my sisters and I were. Pure adrenalin caused the eight of us to literally picked up the little car and waddle it back to solid ground. We were in BIG trouble. Dad had warned us not to bother the brothers, but we went knowing they enjoyed our visits. “Dad’s going to kill us!” We agonized, between apologies. Con quietly disappeared and came back with a basin of water, the brothers rinsed the sand off the car and tires, and then one of them said, “He’ll never know if you don’t tell him!” My sisters and I thought the world of these men!

[@danielkelly5112]

Great story. .Thanks for taking the time to tell it.

[@thereseward7852]

Now that’s a treasure - a beautiful story and quite exciting

[@at_brunch3836]

Thank you for sharing your lovely story.

[@amandacelliers5158]

Thank you Pauline for your story! Are the brothers still alive?

[@histerp51]

That is sooo funny, but I’m sure it was not then.

[@nyssassg31]

This series is made by my grandparents. I'm so happy that people enjoy it! Thank you guys for watching! Please buy the DVDs! *shameless plug*

[@actanonverba91]

Nyssa Shaw-Smith Gendelman DVDs are obsolete and are you still on here 8 years latter

[@caviartastetunabudget9037]

@@actanonverba91 I still happily use and buy DVDs!

[@Vingul]

@@actanonverba91 some films are only available on DVD, they are certainly not obsolete.

[@TheLadybbird]

My home. I wish I were there. & thanks for the great video I'm promoting it on dreamteamdownloads1(dot)com. All Irish welcome & PLEASE post on there.

[@pinklady7184]

In my imagination, I can smell that cake out of oven.

[@Discover-Ireland]

Little did we think at the time back then we were living the life already compared to today

[@justsayknow7632]

My family is from Donegal. It is one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth. I hope to return there some day soon! Éire go Brách

[@SuperNoncents]

I've never been there but I'll go with ya!

[@Kezza41]

The Good Old Days.... Beautiful

[@wyllieohagan]

This was filmed in the 70's and this particular part of Ireland hasn't changed much at all. What I mean is that there are not hundreds of houses built all over the mountain. It is beautful, no doubt about it. Wishing you all the best:)

[@bertroost1675]

14 years later I hope it still is so.

[@joanrainey2870]

Beautiful, part of Ireland with pure air,lovely robust people who are welcoming and super friendly. Will visit often. Nowhere more lovely on Earth.

[@TheVote2010]

Until our homeland has been forever changed by multiculturalist politicians. Ireland is not the same place anymore.

[@marymeyers5736]

I have in my past history Irish decendantsI now have a beautiful way to visit their land.Thank you.

[@paulwashington98e]

Hi there? Hope you're good & staying safe??

[@NolaGB]

Sadly, I never knew the Irish side of my family. This was a wonderful video, thank you for sharing it. Would love to see Ireland.

[@sharonneethling7778]

My great grandmother came from Ireland to South Africa. My whole life i have felt a deep connection to the beautiful country. Thank you for sharing the video

[@ogoodgriefsavournin3563]

My Great Aunt Kate (Catherine Dunne, as was) came from County Cork to South Africa! She later emigrated to the US and landed in Philadelphia. Thy might have passed each other!

[@bookcadenb4584]

It's an absolute tragedy that his skills and knowledge will have few, if any, to pass it onto.

[@jackieraulerson2005]

Needs to find someone who wants to learn.

[@nigel900]

The greater tragedy is that nobody has an interest to learn…

[@zaarkhananal7165]

@@nigel900 The interest isn't there because no one bothered to instill it.

[@margaretohara7250]

Absolutely beautiful. Nothing like the old Irish cottage and simple life. Gives people time for music, poetry etc

[@paulwashington98e]

Hi there? Hope you're good & staying safe??

[@missmaryh6932]

I loved the bread in Ireland,when I was young in the 70s fresh air lots to do. Blessed land. Miss it

[@paulwashington98e]

Hi there? Hope you're good & staying safe??

[@naturelove4448]

Not from Ireland, never been YET!!! Though for some reason all my life I have had a VERY REAL and AUTHENTICALLY DEEP PASSIONATE APPRECIATION and FASCINATION/INTEREST/ADMIRATION for Ireland! I believe Ireland to hold one of the world's GREATEST magestic beauty and deeply imbedded a rich culture of art, nature and literature! All the strong reasons I appreciate Ireland and believe Ireland to be so culturally beautiful; nature (mystical, peaceful, beautiful), landscape, castles, architecture, celtic instruments- bagpipes, harp, celtic music/bands, artists, history, traditional kilts, mythology, painting, Irish dance, films (The Quiet Man), poetry/literature, celtic jewelry (clouder ring), festive celebration (St Patrick's Day). Also mostly all the people whom I've been fortunate to have met or closely known whom were from Ireland have/had a gorgeous, warm, friendly, down to earth personality, great sense of humour, and I adore the unique red hair pale skin look too - find that to be quite elagent and attractive 😊 These are just to name a few of the splendid secret gems rooted at the heart of good old Ireland! 😉 💚💚💚💚💚🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀

[@dublinthebest]

Ireland has completely changed since that film was made. You have a very romantic, almost naive view of Ireland, you would probably be shocked if you came to visit us now. I love Ireland and Dublin but it is a very much dog eat dog society these days, nobody gives a shit about anybody anymore. That said , you would still enjoy a holiday here. Also, the kilt and bagpipes is more of a Scottish thing , not Irish. The movie' The quiet man ' is seen here as a national embarrassment now. Slainte....

[@aileenmoore7503]

Ireland is a sophisticated, successful first world country. Please don't confuse it and it's people with the Hollywood farcical version. Guest what, in Scotland ladies do not flit across the heather in long flowing white dresses with tartan sashes, wearing ballet pumps and carrying baskets of white heather either (that's Brig o Doon and another movie)!

[@redwoods7370]

nature love - You're really romanticizing Ireland to the max. It is a beautiful and magical country, but you're being a little too nostalgic about it. The Irish don't wear kilts. You're thinking of the Scottish. The Irish play the uilleann bagpipes, which look and sound and are played differently from the Scottish bagpipes. You really need to go and see for yourself to get the right picture of modern Ireland.

[@hrhrhrhrhr2503]

Love my country Ireland,

[@tamhore8788]

its a lovely country, i live in rural west of ireland, but once you are in the city its not the same, its actualy pretty depressing,

[@thefaeriechannel2080]

Watched these vids last night, so idyllic ♡

[@eamob]

I knew Conal and Jimmy very well, can't believe this is on youtube!! nice one!

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks LS, we are delighted to be able to feature on our channel:)

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks ITG. We are really delighted with this little gem. We have family who live very, very near where this was filmed, so we know it well. Glad to hear you enjoyed it:)

[@fishermann1102]

I love this short film. The voice of the narrator sounds like Richard Burton. Thank you for sharing.

[@spmoran4703]

It cannot be Richard . His Celtic brogue is that of The Welsh .

[@AfricanSouthernCross]

I love Ireland, good people.

[@uyoebyik]

We are

[@In_time]

Wow. That was so depressing to hear about the factory and synthetic dyes crowding out the old ways of doing things. You know it’s happening everywhere on some level, but hearing someone say it out loud while watching this man make a beautiful dish really drives it home. In our quest to make things _“more, better, bigger, faster,”_ we’ve sold out heart and soul. 😢

[@pooperscooper9176]

Absolutely beautiful I long for my Irish roots

[@inthegarden6556]

Wow! what a lovely little cottage, and fantastic story. I would've loved to have gain some of their knowledge. invaluable! The Gardene looked amazing. I would have loved to have had some of that bread

[@wyllieohagan]

Thank AP, we work hard at finding these wonderful gems, and it is a delight when we do:)

[@MrSoldierperson]

Ireland is so beautiful.

[@ethanbarry136]

soldier person excepted for the rain😂

[@jonathanmcaleece9834]

Ethan Barry i agree. I’m from ni. It’s beautiful too but the rain get to you sometimes. I love Donegal too.

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks very much for your comments. We were delighted to be able to show this for our film festival. It gives such a sensitive portrait of an Irish man. They are hard working people in Donegal. Wishing you all the best.

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks very much, wishing you all the best:)

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks for you lovely comment, Happy St Patrick's Day to you:)

[@naphaphornwongwiwat580]

Love this clip

[@wyllieohagan]

You should be proud of your grand-uncles. They come across in the documentary as men with integrity. Have you seen the full episode? We were delighted that the film-maker granted us permission to edit a short extract for screening on KZbin.

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks Katalina, glad you enjoyed it.

[@adailydaughter6196]

Beautiful. Thankyou

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks Micha, it is brilliant. The third film being featured today is one of our festival films too:) We are delighted with that. Have a great Dublin St Patrick's Day:)

[@wyllieohagan]

That's great news. Wishing you all the best on St Patrick's Day

[@ttm2609]

Thank you for posting, Ireland would be my ultimate wish to visit, to meet the peoples, customs, traditions, to witness the atlantic mist comming in from the ocean to kiss the land, I want to see and feel these things before the world self destructs

[@sassee1]

love it

[@francesvansiclen3245]

That was lovely !

[@GaryPansey]

Wyllie: You have given us the true Ireland and for that we profusely thank you!

[@irishcountryman4866]

What a different world it is today. We should all strive to live like this. Free from all this technology.

[@wyllieohagan]

Good to hear from you GG1. This film really does capture the beauty of Donegal. This particular area remains unchanged. Wishing you all the best:)

[@mamamialove]

This film knocks me out..its just marvelous...so charming, warm and so real. Give me the simple life. Work is holy my grandmother used to say. Her stories of how she had it as a child in Italy and later during the depression here in the states where the whole family pulled together with their pennies to buy bread and a bit of meat or vegetables. This is the life to envy...one with nature..ah..thank you Denise, Clare and the Shaw Smiths for allowing it to be published...A class film. hugs MamaM

[@shughy1]

The people of Donegal are always so very friendly and humbled , the world could learn a lot from them

[@cynthiaennis3107]

Thank you for the quick glimpse...leaves me wanting to look up the site! ♥️

[@paulwashington98e]

Hi there? Hope you're good & staying safe??

[@proofisinthepudding]

Very Beautiful country you have there!:)

[@greenfingersgardener822]

i just love watching anything from the past. not, so much as in the cities or large town, but more for the countryside of life. i live in the countryside of north England, and love listening to the guys in their late 70s-90s talking of their past, while drinking in the taverns, you almost feel like you are there

[@DChristina]

Thank you for a lovely video💓

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks ♥

[@helensilver1381]

There is still a gentle spirit that dwells within the Irish soul.

[@wyllieohagan]

You are right, this is a classic lesson in documentary film-making. We can all learn from this. Thanks for your comments. All the best.

[@MeadeSkeltonMusic]

Hagan was my great grandmother's maiden name. Her family came to Virginia from Ireland.

[@dacelticcross]

Loads of Hagans and O'Hagans in County Tyrone.

[@_lntergalaktikOpereitor_]

What a delightful extract to see !! Is that humble & nice-heathed man still alive ?

[@dashaftaway]

wyllieohagan, thank you very much. grand upload

[@eoinfenton3416]

Hands is one of the great series ever recorded by RTÉ. A legacy for the ages and a reminder of the amazing skills that have been lost to modernity.

[@whiteacrylic]

This is such a beautiful place, it really is like nowhere else in the world. It is great that we are enjoying and will not let go of our hard earned peace. Great video!

[@pasqua08]

Have been looking for these documentaries "Hands" for a while on the net,thanks for the post!

[@LeeMcDaidDonegal]

Fantastic post wyllieohagan, simply wonderful!

[@wyllieohagan]

Thanks very much, all the best to you:)

[@wyllieohagan]

Thank you very much for your comments. We are so delighted to be able to share this glimpse of Ireland online.

[@deeferry6520]

My husbands family are from Donegal, beautiful county

[@EXTREME4YEARSTOCOME]

God bless these times.

[@BeautifulPast]

Happy St Patrick's Day to all!! Lovely video ... Thank you for posting!

[@letufi]

beautiful Ireland ***** thanks for the post, add to playlist

[@hilltop521]

A rare land indeed not even the world like the sea is peaceful

[@almeggs3247]

Excellent narration. Well written and told. Thanks!

[@wyllieohagan]

This particular landscape is almost unchanged since this film was made. We're screening your lovely film tomorrow in London with this one:)

[@BitchboyJ]

Imagine living back then....great video !

[@garycunns]

amazing, donegal is my favourite place in the world this video does the county justice.

[@memisemyself]

that was a great series, I was delighted to see it rebroadcast

[@fluterific00]

Always have loved Irish music (probably from being a flute player.) And more recently realized I have some Irish ancestors. I favor an Irish 3rd great grandmother. It's a dream to go there someday, but I'll stick to watching KZbin videos. Glad it was in my suggestions. Helps take the mind off of things.

[@jodagab]

Does anyone know the name of the tune played at the very start of the video, before it changes into "The geese in the bog"?

[@nokomarie1963]

I am tempted to buy this DVD. Keep the legend of old Ireland alive for my kids. Even if there was an ocean of hard work and harder times scarcely mentioned.

[@cynthiaennis3107]

How wonderful to know how to & actually live self-sufficiently in nature! I hate the city & never thought I would find myself living in one...ever! I had always wanted to learn spinning...no teachers around...kind of sad. Good for them! Beautiful country! ☘️

[@kashiliachumi4456]

where is the weaving?

[@angelacarleton9575]

Yes, I wanted to learn about the weaving?

[@wyllieohagan]

Get right back to Hawaii this minute:) Good to hear from you, you've been really quiet recently. Hope the move wasn't too traumatic. You are a long way from the ocean now. All the best to you:)

[@railandmodel]

Fantastic. Stunning scenery. Great video 5*

[@wyllieohagan]

It is interesting to see just how many viewers of this work understand it as contemporary film footage:) Wishing you all the best.

[@BRACK3N]

Beautiful, i would love to live in such lush surroundings.

[@VintageWhistles]

Thank you for sharing!

[@Glitches59.]

This is Heaven. 😍

[@wyllieohagan]

Hello Brownstowngirl, thanks very much for your comment. This is the one and only online video on this series. David and Sally Shaw Smith have given us permission to post this online for our St Patrick's Day Festival. We've just this minute posted in the information panel alongside the film-producers website. All the best:)

[@udayraj4566]

Beautiful. Better than so called advanced and modern metro cities of the world. I can live there for 100 years. If god would allow me.

[@UISTMAN59]

Thanks for the share lukessummer. *****

[@VintageWhistles]

Thanks for sharing!

[@markkelly133]

i live in donegal wat a place :)

[@ShannonAvalon]

Wow pretty there. Love the colors.

[@mcdonnellc]

happy st patricks day everyone . god bless

[@velvetindigonight]

Beautiful - A life 'connected' to the land not living on it............ vestiges of times gone by for the majority of these islands. Most people don't understand the earth anymore alas nor her voices and rythmns...............

[@gammypage]

I love this program!! =D

[@michacrook]

Wylie O Hagan has two films feature on St Pat's Day. Brilliant!

[@MichaelAuthorAllAges]

So enjoyed that. I have toyed with weaving and over the years have had several different looms. Certainly not an expert, here. But I have seen that it is very enjoyable and peace inducing to weave. Liked, shared and subscribed! :-)

[@debrobinson1399]

My grandmother, mother and father (Irish) called this Christmas Bread when we added candied orange, lemon and lime peel.

[@MsMesem]

Fruit loaf.

[@vivaloriflamme]

@mickygraham2005 You are indeed fortunate to have been acquainted with them and visited such a beautiful place. John was a handsome man. He lived the kind of life I still struggle to achieve. I still have to make my living in-city while making a life in the mountains. My regards to Jimmy.

[@ursenkohler5570]

vivaloriflamme hello,i d like to live in ireland there,looked for 4years houses for sale.should i be well accepted as a french?thanks

[@margaretwiltshire7854]

Is no one going to mention John's film star looks. And he can cook too!!!! My mother is from Mayo and my father from Limerick. When we were children mother made this bread every week. It's delicious. Now I make this bread for my grandchildren. Happy days.

[@paulwashington98e]

Hi there? Hope you're good & staying safe??

[@katinss9983]

I live in Donegal but this is waaaaaay long ago, maybe 50 or 60 years ago. It is romantic to watch this today 2019 for sure but I get the impression from the other comments that people think it is still like this. IT IS NOT! Donegal is the most deprived and under privaliged county in Ireland. A regional hospital with no MRI scan! Highest unemployment rate and emigration in the country. The population is mostly over 60yrs. No rail service and no bus service to rural villages. Geographical isolation to Northern Ireland has further isolated the population. The general mood in the county is apathy. Highest depression rate in the country , also highest rate of brain tumour and cancer in Ireland. You'd get a very different impression today if you were to make a video on daily life. No romantic or inspiring at all.

[@toddlecher4097]

SUCH BEAUTIFUL LAND

[@fukinwhurinjasussake]

ha man this was in the mid to late 70s, really isn't that long ago when you think about it

[@romy4593]

Lovely video and the country side most majestic and wild! If a person is from Ireland not only will they appreciate this documentary, they will feel a kinship to the people in it. I love the open land and the people living the simple life back then. I am about 40% Irish and it shows through crafting with my hands! I can take a fleece, pick, clean then spin it into yarn. I can weave, knit, crochet, embroider and do metal bending in every chain mail pattern I have found. I have never lived in Ireland but my hands seem to know where they are from. In my living room are two antique spinning wheels that spin. I have a third one in my bedroom. At 55 years old, I do home canning and pick fruit that is a surplus from my friends who gift it to me just to keep it from falling on the ground. As I watch all the videos on spinning and such....my hands picked it up effortlessly. Hubby is also even more Irish and it is on our list to go visit Ireland next year. I live in Washington State and many women across the states still embrace many of the old ways yet mainly in the country or rural areas.

[@paulwashington98e]

Hi there? Hope you're good & staying safe??

[@romy4593]

@@paulwashington98e Hi there! Yes indeed! We had gale force winds over the weekend in the worst storm we have seen where we live! Power out for 4 days. A great woodstove flat top we cooked on, had candles, antique oil lamps, flashlights and charger banks for our cell phones....only lost two shingles off our garage! Our friends home not on the bluff with lesser wind had a tree fall on his car, totaled it and more fell on his roof putting holes in it! Goodness we are so blessed!

[@paulwashington98e]

@@romy4593 Good to know you're safe and blessed, my pleasure meeting you here, tell me where're you from?

[@paulwashington98e]

@@romy4593 ???

[@romy4593]

@@paulwashington98e Thank you kindly! I live in WA state now and was born in CA. Where are you from? I moved into our home on an isolated island. Its so wonderful here!

[@nicoladoherty33]

thanks dazoo77, i got a copy before christmas, it went down a treat for the father in law.

[@Arniceous]

ashame traditions are being lost today but there are folks like us that try to pass them on =D

[@imnotfrommilkyway]

Ahh, yes i always watch this programme on RTE everytime i want to lay down in bed.