NORTH CIRCULAR

Luke McManus / Ireland / 2022 / 85 min

Dublin’s vibrant folk music depicted in elegant black-and-white at a time when new and old vie for space in the heart of the Irish capital.

The sound of violins, flutes, banjos, bagpipes and accordions in a dark pub, where the smoke hangs as still in the air as the dark draught beers are firmly placed on the tables. This is Irish folk music like to most people. But what happens to traditional folk music in a world of gentrification and electronic instruments? The North Circular is a road that winds through the heart of Dublin where new and old fight for space, and along that road a moving and elegant black-and-white story is told of Dublin, of Ireland, of the Irish and, not least, of the people’s own music. On the street, in the pub, in the stadium and in the park, there’s a song for you – whether you’re going to war, getting out of jail or have just won an Olympic gold medal in boxing.