IMDb > The Boys from County Clare (2003)
The Boys from County Clare
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The Boys from County Clare (2003) More at IMDbPro »

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The Boys from County Clare (2003) -- Jimmy McMahon (Meany) and his group of Liverpudlians plot to win the annual Ceili music competition in Ireland.

Overview

User Rating:
6.4/10   677 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 11% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

John Irvin

Writer:

Nicholas Adams (written by)

Contact:

View company contact information for The Boys & Girl from County Clare on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

12 September 2003 (Canada) more

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Romance more

Tagline:

Listen to your heart.

Plot:

Jimmy McMahon (Meany) and his group of Liverpudlians plot to win the annual Ceili music competition in Ireland. full summary | full synopsis

Plot Keywords:

more

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations more

User Comments:

Picture postcard Ireland as it never was. more (25 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Bernard Hill ... John Joe
Charlotte Bradley ... Maisie
Andrea Corr ... Anne
Stephen Brennan ... Miko

Eamonn Owens ... Pat
Malachy Bourke ... Ben
Brendan O'Hare ... Brendan
Ian Shaw ... Johnny
Leslie Bingham ... Leslie

Colm Meaney ... Jimmy
Shaun Evans ... Teddy

Philip Barantini ... Alex
Frank Twomey ... Roger
Emmet Kirwan ... Clive
Noel Bridgeman ... Drummer
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Additional Details

Also Known As:

The Boys & Girl from County Clare (USA)
The Great Ceili War (UK) (working title)
more

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexuality and nudity.

Runtime:

Canada:90 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:90 min

Country:

Ireland | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | Finland:K-7 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | UK:15 | USA:R | USA:R (certificate #39781)

Filming Locations:

Isle of Man more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

An Irish music competition such as the one portrayed in the film is called a "fleadh" (pronounced like "flahhh"). However, nobody uses this word in the movie. more

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The film is supposedly set in the early 60's when the Beatles were a beat band. Yet we see an English car with an H registration - not issued until August 1969. Alex and Teddy also mention Kevin Keegan signing for Liverpool. This did not happen until 1971. more

Quotes:

Anne: Is that all You ever think about, Music?
John Joe: Well when you've got the music, you've got friends for life, thats why I'm never lonely. Remember that.
more

Movie Connections:

References The Mission (1986) more

Soundtrack:

The Trip We Took Over the Mountains more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful.
Picture postcard Ireland as it never was., 13 September 2005
7/10
Author: Brigid O Sullivan (wisewebwoman) from Toronto, Canada

Not much of a plot to this, most of my points are for the lovely Andrea Corr and the acting of the three brothers, Colm Meaney, Bernard Hill and Noel Bridgeman.

All plot lines are totally predictable if not contrived. The abandoning father, the bitter mother, the angry daughter. However, it is saved, and this is refreshing, by there being no mawkishness or melodrama.

Poor County Clare gets short shrift and never appears, Isle of Man and Northern Ireland stand in for it.

I don't know what the reasons for not filming it in today were. There are frequent references to the Beatles to remind us it is taking place in the sixties. But I know for a fact that a Clare man married five times in England and returning to County Clare in the sixties would have been met by the priest and run out of town on a rail as giving bad example to the young ones.

Also the single mother lying about her marital status (a widow), that was never clear, did she invent a man who died and a name for herself and her daughter? I don't like plot holes likes this. With such a simple storyline these should have been tightened up.

The ceili band and actors were badly out of synch in some of the scenes, feet tapping hopelessly out of rhythm. But that said all in all it was a pleasant little froth of a thing with lovely music.

7 out of 10.

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Boys from County Clare (2003)
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I'm from Dublin...how have I not seen this?? Mack2611
One of the GREATEST movies ever made... madonnalourdes2002
Realease in Spain? Nuria86gn-1
How do I purchase ciandrew
Romance slblover
Filmed in Isle of Man not Ireland!! cowiedj
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