| The Clash of the Ash | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Fergus Tighe |
| Written by | Fergus Tighe |
| Produced by | Jane Gogan |
| Starring | Liam Heffernan Gina Moxley Vinny Murphy Alan Devlin |
| Edited by | Jimmy Duggan |
| Music by | The Pogues, various |
Production company | Circus Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
The Clash of the Ash Is a 1987 Irish film written and directed by Fergus Tighe,[1] and starringLiam Heffernan as Phil Kelly, with co-starsGina Moxley, Vinny Murphy andAlan Devlin.[2][1] The film is set in the early 1980s and centered around the aspirations of a promisinghurler, a popularGaelic sport in Ireland.
The Clash of the Ash was produced by Circus Films and funded by Bórd Scánnán na hEireann andRTÉ.[3] It lasts 50 minutes and was shot largely inFermoy,County Cork.[3] The soundtrack includesThe Pogues cover ofEwan McColl's "Dirty Old Town".
The Irish Film & Television Network describes it as a story in which the central character Phil is "under pressure from his parents who have decided how his life should proceed, [he] refuses to sit hisLeaving Cert. and runs off to London to follow his own ambitions."[4]
According to theIrish Examiner, "the basic script would be familiar to frustrated youngsters anywhere in the world, all of them eager to clear out for the bright lights; the difference here is that the frustrated teenager in this case is a talented hurler."[2]
The Clash of the Ash was critically acclaimed and became a widespread popular success in Ireland.[5][6][7]Time Out described it as a "sensitively portrayed slice of provincial life, which manages to tell its yarn with a great deal of humour and compassion."[1]