The Wind That Shakes The Barley
Directed by	Ken Loach
Produced by	Rebecca O'Brien
Written by	Paul Laverty
Starring	Cillian Murphy Orla Fitzgerald Padraic Delaney Liam Cunningham
Music by	George Fenton
Release date(s)	18 May 2006 (premiere at Cannes) 23 June 2006 21 September 2006 14 March 2007 (limited)
Running time	127 min
Language	English, Irish
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a 2006 Ken Loach film set during the Irish War of Independence (1919–21) and the subsequent Irish Civil War (1922–3). Written by long-time Loach collaborator Paul Laverty, this drama tells the story of two County Cork brothers, played by Cillian Murphy and Pádraic Delaney, who join the Irish Republican Army to fight for Irish independence from Great Britain. The Wind that Shakes the Barley is an Irish ballad written by Robert Dwyer Joyce (1836-1883), a Limerick-born poet and professor of English literature. ... Image File history File links The_Wind_That_Shakes_the_Barley_poster. ... Ken Loach Kenneth Loach (born June 17, 1936), known as Ken Loach, is an English television and film director, known for his naturalistic style and socialist themes. ... Paul Laverty is a British scriptwriter. ... Cillian[1] Murphy (born 25 May 1976) is an Irish film and theatre actor active since 1996. ... Orla Fitzgerald is a 27 year old Irish actress. ... Padraic Delaney is an Irish actor. ... Liam Cunningham (born on 2 June 1961 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish actor who has appeared in A Little Princess, First Knight, Jude and numerous other projects. ... George Fenton George Fenton (born October 19, 1950) is a British composer best known for his work writing film scores and music for television, although he also writes music for the theatre. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Cannes Film Festival (French: le Festival de Cannes), founded in 1939, is one of the worlds oldest, most influential and prestigious film festivals. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ireland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Ken Loach Kenneth Loach (born June 17, 1936), known as Ken Loach, is an English television and film director, known for his naturalistic style and socialist themes. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... Combatants Irish Republic United Kingdom Commanders Michael Collins Richard Mulcahy Cathal Brugha Important local IRA leaders Henry Hugh Tudor Strength Irish Republican Army c. ... The Irish Civil War (June 28, 1922 – May 24, 1923) was a conflict between supporters and opponents of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 6, 1921, which established the Irish Free State, precursor of todays Republic of Ireland. ... Paul Laverty is a British scriptwriter. ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Cork Code: C (CK proposed) Area: 7,457 km² Population (2006) 480,909 (including City of Cork); 361,766 (without Cork City) Website: www. ... Cillian[1] Murphy (born 25 May 1976) is an Irish film and theatre actor active since 1996. ... Pádraic Delaney (born November 6, 1977) is an Irish actor best known for playing Teddy ODonovan in the Ken Loach film The Wind That Shakes the Barley, for which he earned an IFTA nomination as well as being named Irish Shooting Star for the 2007 Berlin Film Festival. ... This article is about the historical army of the Irish Republic (1919–1922) which fought in the Irish War of Independence 1919–21, and the Irish Civil War 1922–23. ...

Widely praised, the film won the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Loach's biggest box office success to date,^[1] the film did well around the world and set a record in Ireland as the highest-grossing Irish-made independent film ever.^[2] Palme dOr The Palme dOr (Golden Palm) is the highest prize given to a film at the Cannes Film Festival. ... Poster for 2006 Cannes Film Festival, from the film In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar-wai. ... An independent film, or indie film, is usually a low-budget film that is produced by a small movie studio. ...

Title

The title derives from the song of the same name, "The Wind That Shakes the Barley," by 19th century author Robert Dwyer Joyce. The song made the phrase "the wind that shakes the barley" a motif in Irish Republican song and poetry. The Wind that Shakes the Barley is an Irish ballad written by Robert Dwyer Joyce (1836-1883), a Limerick-born poet and professor of English literature. ... Robert Dwyer Joyce (1830-1883) was born in County Limerick, where his parents, Garret Joyce (1796-) and Elizabeth ODwyer, lived in the northern foothills of the Ballyhoura Mountains, west of Ballyorgan. ... In literature, a motif is a recurring element or theme that has symbolic significance in the story. ... Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the Irish nationalist belief that all of Ireland should be a single independent republic, whether as a unitary state, a federal state or as a confederal arrangement. ...

Cast

• Cillian Murphy - Damien
• Pádraic Delaney - Teddy
• Liam Cunningham - Dan
• Orla Fitzgerald - Sinead
• Mary Murphy - Bernadette
• Mary O'Riordan - Peggy
• Laurence Barry - Micheail

Cillian[1] Murphy (born 25 May 1976) is an Irish film and theatre actor active since 1996. ... Pádraic Delaney (born November 6, 1977) is an Irish actor best known for playing Teddy ODonovan in the Ken Loach film The Wind That Shakes the Barley, for which he earned an IFTA nomination as well as being named Irish Shooting Star for the 2007 Berlin Film Festival. ... Liam Cunningham (born on 2 June 1961 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish actor who has appeared in A Little Princess, First Knight, Jude and numerous other projects. ... Orla Fitzgerald is a 27 year old Irish actress. ...

Synopsis

Damien (Murphy) is about to leave Ireland for his medical studies in London, while his brother Teddy (Delaney) is a ranking member of the Irish Republican Army. However, after witnessing the bayoneting of a close friend by the British Black and Tans and the railroad union's resistance to the violence of the British Army, Damien decides to stay and fight back against the occupation. He then joins the IRA in a guerrilla war against the British Army, the Royal Irish Constabulary, and the paramilitary forces. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the historical army of the Irish Republic (1919–1922) which fought in the Irish War of Independence 1919–21, and the Irish Civil War 1922–23. ... For other senses of the term, see Black and tan (disambiguation). ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Combatants Irish Republic United Kingdom Commanders Michael Collins Richard Mulcahy Cathal Brugha Important local IRA leaders Henry Hugh Tudor Strength Irish Republican Army c. ... The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) was one of Irelands two police forces in the early twentieth century, alongside the Dublin Metropolitan Police. ...

When the Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed in 1921, the two brothers find themselves pitted against one another. Teddy, who is involved in the organization of the new Irish Free State, wishes everyone to support peace, at one point telling Damien, "We'll tear up the Treaty as soon as we're strong enough." The increasingly Leftist Damien, however, declares that the Treaty is not what he has fought for, and that it will "only change the accents of the powerful and color of the flag." This is the outbreak of the Irish Civil War and the men in uniform are now fellow Irishmen. Signature page of the Anglo-Irish Treaty The Anglo-Irish Treaty, officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom and representatives of the extra-judicial Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of Independence. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... This article is about the prior state. ... The Irish Civil War (June 28, 1922 – May 24, 1923) was a conflict between supporters and opponents of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 6, 1921, which established the Irish Free State, precursor of todays Republic of Ireland. ...

In a bid to impose their respective views on the Treaty, both the Irish National Army and the Anti-Treaty IRA resort to the same violent means that were used previously by the British government and the guerrillas. However, the violence is now directed towards former comrades, and brutal atrocities are committed on both sides. The Irish Army (Irish: Arm na hÉireann) is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces[1] (Óglaigh na hÉireann). ... The split in Sinn Féin and the Irish Republican Army following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921 led to the emergence of group of Anti-Treatyites, sometimes referred to as the Irregulars, who continued to use the name Irish Republican Army (IRA) or in Irish Óglaigh...

At the climax of the film, Damien is captured during a raid for arms on a Free State barracks and is sentenced to be executed by the Irish National Army. Teddy pleads with him to save himself from death and offers him amnesty if he will reveal where the IRA is hiding the stolen weapons. Damien indignantly refuses to "sell out," and is executed by a firing squad commanded by a devastated Teddy, who must then inform his brother's horrified fiancé. This is foreshadowed earlier in the film when Damien chooses to personally execute a lifelong friend who has betrayed the IRA. The Third of May by Francisco Goya Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in times of war. ...

Production

Although it is focused on Irish history and identity and stars mostly Irish actors, the film was made by British director Loach and was an international co-production between companies in Ireland, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. In filmmaking, an international co-production is a film made by production companies from different countries. ...

Cork University (UCC) historian Donal O Drisceoil was Loach's historical adviser on the film. University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork - or more commonly University College Cork (UCC) - is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland and is located in Cork. ... The initialism UCC may stand for: University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork Union County College, a two-year college in New Jersey University College Chichester, now named University of Chichester University College of the Cariboo, Thompson Rivers University University of Caloocan City, lone public university in Caloocan City...

The film was shot in various towns within County Cork during 2005. Some filming took place in Bandon, County Cork: a scene was shot along North Main Street and outside a building next to the Court House (it was from Lee’s Hotel in Bandon (now the Munster Arms) on August 22, 1922. This choice of location may be significant,^{[citation needed]} as Michael Collins set off on the fateful journey that ended in his death at the hands of Anti-Treaty IRA at Béal na mBláth ('The Pass of the Flowers'), about 8 miles away. The ambush scene was shot on the mountains around Ballyvorney while the farmhouse scenes were filmed in Coolea.^{[citation needed]} Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Cork Code: C (CK proposed) Area: 7,457 km² Population (2006) 480,909 (including City of Cork); 361,766 (without Cork City) Website: www. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference W488551 Statistics Province: Munster County: Elevation: 70 m (229 ft) Population (2002)  - Town:  - Rural:   1,578  3,583 Website: www. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Michael John (Mick) Collins (Irish: ; 16 October 1890 – 22 August 1922) was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance in the Irish Republic, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations, both as Chairman of the Provisional Government and Commander... The split in Sinn Féin and the Irish Republican Army following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921 led to the emergence of group of Anti-Treatyites, sometimes referred to as the Irregulars, who continued to use the name Irish Republican Army (IRA) or in Irish Óglaigh... The Cross on the bend in the road commemorating where Michael Collins, leader of the Irish Republican Army, was killed in the autumn of 1922. ...

Many of the extras in the film were drawn from local Scout groups,^[3] including Bandon, Togher and Macroom with veteran Scouter Martin Thompson in an important role. Many of the British Soldiers seen in the film were played by members of the Irish Army Reserve, from local units. Scouting Ireland (Irish: Gasóga na hÉireann) is the national Scouting association of Ireland (both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) and a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 51. ... Scouter The scanner (or scouter) is an instrument in the fictional manga series Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z and the anime Dragon Ball Z, which Freeza and his people use to measure a life forms power. ... The Army Reserve (Irish: Cúltaca an Airm), formerly known as An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCÁ), is the reserve force of the Irish Army. ...

Amongst the songs on the film's soundtrack is "Oró Sé do Bheatha 'Bhaile", a song revised by Padraig Pearse. Oró, Sé do Bheatha Bhaile is a traditional Irish independantist song. ... Patrick Pearse Patrick Henry Pearse (known as Pádraic Pearse or, in the Irish language, as Pádraic Anraí Mac Piarais) (November 10, 1879 - May 3, 1916) was a teacher, poet, writer and political activist who led the Irish Easter Rising in 1916. ...

Distribution

The commercial interest expressed in the United Kingdom was initially much lower than in other European countries and only 30 prints of the film were planned for distribution in the UK, compared with 300 in France. However, after the Palme d'Or award the film appeared on 105 screens in the UK. Palme dOr The Palme dOr (Golden Palm) is the highest prize given to a film at the Cannes Film Festival. ...

The RESPECT political party, of which Ken Loach is on the national council, called for people to watch the film on its first weekend in order to persuade the film industry to show the film in more cinemas.^[4] This article is about the emotion. ...

Responses

The reaction from film critics has generally been positive. The conservative Daily Telegraph's film critic described it as a "brave, gripping drama" and said that director Loach was "part of a noble and very English tradition of dissent"^[5]. A Times film critic said that the film showed Loach "at his creative and inflammatory best"^[6], and rated it as 4 out of 5. The Daily Record of Scotland gave it a positive review (4 out of 5), describing it as "a dramatic, thought-provoking, gripping tale that, at the very least, encourages audiences to question what has been passed down in dusty history books."^[7] This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ... Daily Record building at Central Quay, Glasgow The Daily Record is a combination of a comic for the mentally sub-normal and substitute tiolet paper, based in Glasgow. ... This article is about the country. ...

The film was attacked by some commentators, some of whom hadn't seen it, including Simon Heffer.^[8] Following the Cannes prize announcement, Irish Historian Ruth Dudley Edwards wrote in the Daily Mail on 30 May 2006 that Loach's political viewpoint "requires the portrayal of the British as sadists and the Irish as romantic, idealistic resistance fighters who take to violence only because there is no other self-respecting course,"^[9] and attacked his career in an article containing inaccuracies.^[10] The following week, Edwards continued her attack in The Guardian, admitting that her first article was written without seeing the film (which at that stage had only been shown at Cannes), and asserting that she would never see it "because I can't stand its sheer predictability."^[11] One day after Edwards' initial article appeared, Tim Luckhurst of The Times called the movie a "poisonously anti-British corruption of the history of the war of Irish independence" and went so far as to compare Loach to Nazi propagandist director Leni Riefenstahl.^[12] Yet George Monbiot revealed on 6 June, also in The Guardian, that the production company had no record of Luckhurst having attended a critic's screening of the as-yet unreleased film, and Luckhurst refused to comment.^[13] Trinity College Dublin historian Brian Hanley made the criticism that the film ignored the IRA's sectarianism of the protestant community.^[14] Simon James Heffer (born July 18, 1960) is an English journalist and writer. ... Ruth Dudley-Edwards is an Irish historian, crime novelist, journalist and broadcaster. ... The Daily Mail is a British newspaper and the oldest tabloid, first published in 1896. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1788. ... National Socialism redirects here. ... Helene Bertha Amalie Leni Riefenstahl (August 22, 1902 – September 8, 2003) was a German film director, dancer and actress, and widely noted for her aesthetics and advances in film technique. ... The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin or more commonly Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin, Irelands oldest university. ...

One strain of commentary in Ireland examined the Irish War of Independence as a socialist or class based conflict, as well as a nationalist uprising.^[15] The film has also re-generated debate on rival versions of Irish history.^[14]

References

External links

• The Wind That Shakes the Barley at the Internet Movie Database
• The Wind That Shakes the Barley Official UK Site
• The Wind That Shakes the Barley Official US Site
• Interview with Ken Loach about the film from Socialist Worker, 10th June 2006
• "Wind that Shakes the Barley: A historically accurate film" review in The Militant
• Introduction to The Wind That Shakes the Barley script by Luke Gibbons, see also Gibbons reply to Kevin Myers
• The Wind That Shakes the Barley at Rotten Tomatoes
• debate about the accuracy and political significance of the film