GALWAY TD NOEL TREACY SEES THE CAMERAS ROLL IN THE WEST ON NEW TV SERIES
Co. Galway Dáil Deputy, Mr. Noel Treacy, T.D., Minister for Food & Horticulture, today visited the set of SHOWBANDS, the brand new two part mini-series, co-financed by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (BSÉ/IFB) and RTE.SHOWBANDS is the first project to go into production with funding from the new BSÉ/IFB Regional Support Fund. The five week shoot began at the end of July, in a variety of locations in Co. Galway including Loughrea, Woodford, Athenry, Corrofin and Gort.
The aim of the Regional Support Fund is to encourage BSÉ/IFB-backed film and television productions to utilise the full range of locations in regional Ireland. This is done by providing funding to cover a proportion of the additional production costs incurred by shooting outside of the Wicklow/Dublin area.
"We are delighted that the first project with Regional Support Funding has chosen to shoot in the Galway region and I wish the SHOWBANDS team the best of luck with this exciting project" says BSÉ/IFB Chief Executive Mark Woods. "The interest from the film community and the take up of this new fund has been very strong and we look forward to seeing a number of production companies utilising the spectacular film locations available in the regional areas of Ireland."
Directed by Ian Fitzgibbon of PATHS TO FREEDOM and SPIN THE BOTTLE fame, SHOWBANDS will see Kerry McFadden make her acting debut, alongside Liam Cunningham (PRIME SUSPECT, A LOVE DIVIDED), Tina Kellegher (SINNERS, BALLYKISSANGEL), and Don Wycherley (VERONICA GUERIN, BATCHELORS WALK).
Scripted by John Moloney, who wrote a number of episodes for the successful series THE CLINIC, SHOWBANDS is set in 1965 when Showband manager, Tony (Cunningham), discovers a talented young singer (McFadden) and plans to make her a star, whilst cobbling enough money together to pay back his bank loans. However, Tony runs into problems in the form of Alan Rendell, the most powerful man the local music business, who is conspiring to ruin his plans and steal his star talent.
SHOWBANDS is a Parallel Films production and will be broadcast on RTÉ next year.