Shot on location in the picturesque North Antrim coast around Cushendun The Boys and Girl from County Clare begins with grainy black-and-white footage kids toe-tapping along to their own Ceili music, as John Irvin sets up an age-old sibling rivalry. 30 years later, the Beatles are invading the world and groups of musicians are descending upon a small Irish town hosting an ostensibly reputable music competition. Among the rival Ceili competitors are estranged brothers Jimmy (Colm Meaney) and John Joe (Bernard Hill). The former left his hometown many years ago for Liverpool in pursuit of money and women, leaving the latter behind on their family’s land. It’s in County Clare where petty grudges resurface and melodramas manifest when their respective bands converge the day prior to the big competition. Caught in the crossfire are Jimmy’s star flutist, Teddy (Being Julia’s Shaun Evans), and John Joe’s star fiddler, Anne (Andrea Corr of The Corrs), whose bourgeoning romance brings out all sorts of irrationality in Anne’s mother.
Boys and Girl from County Clare rightfully earns comparisons to Milos Forman’s early work in that it unravels as if it didn’t have a single care in the world. Also stars Patrick Bergin and Charlotte Bradley.

Other films in this section:

• Tarnation