Director: Lionel Mill
Genre: Documentary
Production Year: 1999
Master Format: DigiBeta
Audio: Stereo
Language: English
Distributor: Igloo Productions, Ireland
Synopsis
“Us Boys” is a story about Ernie Morrow, an 80-year-old bachelor farmer from the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland. Without electricity, modern comforts and chemical fertilisers the farm “Old Church” stands still in time, representing an era of people and a country way that will soon be gone forever. It is a Spartan harsh life. Indeed the lifestyle of Ernie is one that his forefathers would easily connect to, only a tractor replacing the horse.
Despite loosing his life long partner, and younger brother Stewart a year ago to an old people´s home, Ernie still farms with a resolute passion holding twenty cattle, a hundred sheep and countless fowl. His life contains one room in the farm – welcoming but dank with minimal furnishings, a coal and wood burning stove and a couch that also works as a bed – it is truly his bachelor´s den. Rarely washing, and living on a diet of white bread, potatoes, cigarettes, tea and fresh air Ernie does about his life.
Dedicated to the memory of Stewart Morrow.
Credits
Director: Lionel Mill
Camera: David Barker
Editing: James E. Dalton
Recording: David Kilpatrick
Sound editing: Anne Gielty, Mick Mahon
Mixer: Richard King
Opening song: “MOURNE MAGGIE O” / Tom McClung, Outlet Recording Co.Ltd
Finishing song: “FLOWER OF SWEET STRABANE”, Hughie McAlindon, Outlet Recording Co.Ltd
The original music: Ear Two Ear
In co-production with: Bord Scannan na Heireann / The Irish Film Board
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland´s
National Lottery Fund
The Cultural Traditions Group
RTE – Radio Telefis Eireann
YLE TV1
Outi Rousu / Kroma Productions Ltd.
Producer: Brian Willis
Executive producers: Jonathan Willis, Dan Egan
Production: Igloo Productions 1999