A new feature documentary about a Bailieboro punk rock band and directed by Frank Shouldice makes its world premiere at the Galway Film Fléadh on July 9th.
The film entitled "Once We Were Punks" sold out instantly, with every ticket snapped up within 40 minutes of the box office opening for business with another screening set to be added in the coming days.
The film follows the fortunes of a punk rock band from Bailieboro and the four-piece, led by Justin Kelly and David Meagher, now line out as Sons of Southern Ulster. The documentary, produced by Igloo Films, traces their origins as The Panic Merchants in the late 1980's.
This new release marks a return to Co Cavan for the filmmaker who previously directed the multi-award winning The Man Who Wanted To Fly. Frank says "Once We Were Punks" is a very different film," but it does touch on similar themes like dreams, ambitions, memory and nostalgia.
The film centres around 1980's Bailieboro, dreaming big, four school mates Justin, David, Noel and Paddy form a punk band setting their sights on world domination. They have a blast but the big breakthrough never comes to pass. They call it quits. The dream is over. Until they meet up at a funeral 25 years later and to their own surprise, pick up where they left off.
Film Director Frank Shouldice says it a film about friendship and how distance and time doesn't get in the way of friendship. "We are delighted to see this level of interest," said Shouldice when told the premiere sold out so quickly. "It's just the start we wanted."
The ex-punks of Bailieboro, Co. Cavan might say maturity is overrated. As The Panic Merchants, a four-piece in the late 1980's, they caught a fleeting glimpse of the big time. Then notions gave way to careers, adulthood and emigration. Separated by oceans for the past three decades those barnstorming memories might tenuously connect four school pals across three continents. Except the past can mean more than distance, especially when ex-punks revive young dreams in middle age. Let the good times roll (again).
