Prison Notebooks

Join us for the premiere of DMAPP’s Prison Notebooks, a short film about Dorothy Macardle (1889-1958), a gothic novelist and historian who was imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol during the Irish Civil War. The film is based on Macardle’s prison diaries and writings, and offers extraordinary insights into the evolving consciousness, dreams, and psychic experiences of an emerging writer of immense gifts, whose significance in the shaping of modern Ireland has only recently been acknowledged.

Historian and author Liz Gillis will commence the event with a look at the life of Dorothy Macardle, prior to screening the film. Following the screening, DMAPP creators Sharon Mc Ardle and Declan Gorman will speak with film maker Colm Mullen. 

Liz Gillis is the Decade of Centenaries Historian in Residence for South Dublin County. She has a degree in Modern Irish History and specialises in the Irish Revolutionary period. She is a lecturer at Champlain College Dublin and has worked as a researcher on The History Show on RTE Radio, a curator on the RTE 1916 Centenary Project, as a tour guide in Kilmainham Gaol, and as historical consultant on projects including the Custom House Visitor Centre and Hyatt Centric Liberties Hotel. She is the author of several books including Revolution in Dublin: A Photographic History 1916-1923, Women of the Irish Revolution, and May 25: Burning of the Custom House 1921. She was the recipient of the Dublin City Lord Mayor’s Award in 2018 for her contribution to history and was co-organiser of the online conference to mark the centenary of the burning of the Custom House in May 1921.

Liz believes in telling the national story from the local perspective and is passionate about getting people interested in history.

Sharon Mc Ardle is a performing artist. She is co-creator of DMAPP, which produced a trilogy of artistic works titled Prison Notebooks, including a one-woman theatre show and a documentary for RTÉ Radio, The Lyric Feature. Sharon lectures at the School of Arts Education and Movement, Dublin City University.

Declan Gorman is a playwright, director and performer. He is also co-creator of DMAPP. Among his plays are Falling Through The Universe, The Dubliners Dilemma (after Joyce) and The Big Fellow. He was formerly Artistic Director of Upstate Theatre.

Colm Mullen is a cinematographer known for his work on Frank Berry’s I Used To Live Here and Luke Hanlon’s The Troubles A Dublin Story. Colm lectures at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) and is artistic director of the Louth International Film Festival.

Paul Gerard Campbell is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and music educator based in County Louth.  As a composer and arranger, Paul has worked with a variety of musical ensembles including the Panoramic String Quartet and the Cassiopeia Winds.

Songs by Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin.

The Film was kindly funded by the Bank of Ireland Together Arts Fund.