Mise Éire/Saoirse? (I Am Ireland/Freedom?)

Two Gaelic-language documentaries from filmmaker/archivist George Morrison about late-19th and early-20th-century Irish history (both with English subtitles) are combined in this double-disc set. The first, 1959's Mise Éire (“I Am Ireland”), covering the period from 1896–1918, incorporates photographs and silent footage to examine various historical events, with the strands coming together once Ireland enters World War I. Other major developments covered include home rule, the rise of Sinn Féin, the formation of the Citizen's Army, and the Easter Uprising. Narrators Liam Budhlaeir and Pádraig Ó'Raghallaigh are unabashedly partisan, noting that the Irish who fought for England “were of little importance to the empire.” While the names of some hunger strikers, gun runners, and victims of internecine violence no longer spark recognition, their experiences help clarify the circumstances that led to the Troubles. Mise Éire, the country's first Gaelic-language feature, ends with the Gaelic word for “freedom” (saoirse), providing a segue to Morrison's 1961 follow-up. Saoirse? begins with Michael Collins (subject of the Neil Jordan biopic) acting as minister for home affairs while Prime Minister Éamon de Valera serves time in a British prison, and it ends in 1922 as Ireland erupts into civil war. The excellent assemblage of rare source materials—including posters and newspaper headlines—makes this set invaluable for both scholars and historians, while composer Seán Ó Riada's distinctive score nicely combines the traditional with the avant-garde. DVD extras include firsthand accounts from conflict veterans, a “making-of” featurette on Mise Éire, and a 20-page illustrated booklet. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)