The Sleeping Warrior Blog

We’ve just finished the post production on a documentary made in Caltragh, Sligo that details the work of artist Tracy Walsh in a community art project. It was shot by Johnny Gogan over a three year period and brings together all the aspects and influences involved in the project. These range from trips for the kids to local Sligo megaliths with archeologist Padraig Meehan to the investigations of the installation site by Geomancer Alanna Moore. Read the rest of this entry »

It seems that this is the year of the Orchid. It was only last week we were out filming at the Rosses point Golf Course interviewing Ross Collins the Course Superindent. He has done a major job in keeping the Orchid people happy by not only preserving the wild orchids on the course, but making sure they flourish. I spent a good part of the day shooting in macro some of the specimens for the last part of this years TurfNet Goes to Ireland 2010 series. Now it gets stranger.. Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a wee techie piece for fellow ProHD camera users and sufferers of low battery life Read the rest of this entry »

So once more TurfNet and Sleeping Warrior Productions dominated the TOCA Awards. This time the presentation was in Tucson, Arizona. The award categories had changed a wee bit from last year but we still managed to get the best video series with TurfNet Goes to Ireland 2009. Well done to Jon Kiger and the TurfNet team and I’m sure you were really suffering for your art playing golf down there in Arizona..lol.

Time flies past so quickly. I never even got to finish the blog about shooting last years series and now we’re into the start of shooting TurfNet Goes to Ireland 2010. We’ve started with the Rush course and will be down to Porthmarnock soon as well as the local one at Rosses Point. We had to hold off a bit due to the Arctic air over Ireland causing not only slow grass growth to make the courses look good but also for the benefit of the cameraman’s fingers(mine). It looks now as if the cold snap has moved on and we can get on with a bit of summer..touchwood.

Here’s a pic of the main Award. I know it’s not a great pic considering what the award is for but I like the irony. Might drill some holes in it and hang it around Jim’s neck to go with his Afro wig, tie-dyed T-Shirt and flares..lol.

Irish Poets TV / Filí na Gaeilge TV
Just to let everyone know that we have finished work on the Irish Poets TV/Filí na Gaeilge TV series and web site. The concept of the project was to shoot a series of videos on the poems included in the Leaving Cert Irish syllabus. We travelled the length and breadth of the country shooting some very interesting characters in some very beautiful places too. Featured in the series are all of the Poets who are still living and where they are not other Poets read and explain the poems.

It’s all been the brainchild of Prin Duignan and Mary Morris who wanted to provide not only a brilliant study aid for Leaving Cert students but also to archive this valuable material. This project is an example of what Prin has done for the Irish language in Co.Leitrim and nationally and why he was recently awarded The Leitrim Guardian’s Person of the Year…see here. and read the complete article here It was certainly a pleasure to work with Prin and Mary and to see Prin’s dedication to, and love for the language in action is quite something.

I have to say that myself and Johnny of Bandit Films had a great time shooting the series. Notable days out included filming Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh well known musician/vocalist/presenter from the band Altan , Cathal O’Searcaigh, Johnny Spillane and Eoin Coughlan, Áine Ní Ghlinn, Louis de Paor, Deirdre Brennan, Máire Mhac an tSaoi, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill and more. Post production was difficult due to the vast amount of quality material to be edited and produced.
You can access the web site and watch all of the videos here at Filí na Gaeilge TV

Local Coverage of the TurfNet TV Toca Awards in the Leitrim Observer. How will we handle the fame eh?
www.leitrimobserver.ie

OK, I have an irresistible urge to beg, buy, borrow or steal every Westlife album ever made. Why?…so I can bittorrent it all for everyone worldwide to fileshare on P2P to try to deny any more income to Westlife’s Shane Filan. Again..why? Read the rest of this entry »

OK…here we go. After generations of people in Ireland have been reared with a fuzzy picture in a box in the front room, it’s about time we were aware of the rip-off by our National State Broadcaster who takes our licence fees. As an Irish TV licence payer, do you really want to pay a British company to watch your national TV station with a nice clear picture rather than fuzzy analogue (if you can get it at all?)
I just discovered there’s a guy out there who has got really vocal on it and started a petition.
www.petitiononline.com/rte2fta/

Read the rest of this entry »

OK..this is my favourite crop circle of all time… A Firefox Logo

The subject now deepens. Read the rest of this entry »

OK…had to do it. Caoimhe now has her own Youtube Channel and if you’re lucky you get an HD button too as it’s all footage shot on our ProHD JVC GY-HD111e workhorse.
The Caoimhe Ní Ruairc Youtube Channel
Read the rest of this entry »