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One Million Dubliners: 'Everyone has someone buried in Glasnevin'

New Irish doc finds there is a whole lot of life in the country’s most famous burial place.

ONE MILLION DUBLINERS is an understatement. It’s the title of a new Irish documentary about Glasnevin Cemetery which examines not just the past lives of those interred there (1.5 million, in fact), but those of the people who work there and pass through there.

There is plenty of material in a burial ground that dates from 1832 and holds the graves of some of history’s most famous figures, from Michael Collins to Daniel O’Connell and Brendan Behan. This newly-released trailer for the film hints that it will be as much about how we live life as how we exit it.

undergroundfilmspro / YouTube

Poignantly, it features Shane MacThomais – the gregarious resident historian and guide for Glasnevin who passed away in March of this year, as the film was nearing its conclusion.

The film is directed by Aoife Kelleher and won Best Irish Feature Documentary at the Galway Film Fleadh earlier this year. It is due to be released in cinemas on 31 October.

Glasnevin historian Shane MacThomais dies>

Bombed staircase in O’Connell Tower at Glasnevin to be rebuilt>

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    Mute Dissasociated Follower
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    Feb 1st 2024, 7:08 PM

    Patroness Saint and Godess of healing amongst other things. She heralds the new Sun and new growth. We have always been a blessed land. Thank you Brigid.

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    Mute Mike
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    Feb 1st 2024, 8:21 PM

    What does “The Irish For” mean? Genuine question, anyone?

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    Mute Athena
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 9:03 AM

    @Mike: Could it be that it should read “Four”, relating to the paragraph where three other ‘pagan’ deities are listed ?

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    Feb 2nd 2024, 8:11 AM

    Brigid, born in Louth, none of this Kildare messin.

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    Mute William Hannahs
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 1:24 PM

    @Mike To me, “The Irish For” means an interesting article on linguistics. O’Séaghdha’s column is one of my favorites and always makes my day.

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    Mute Ciaran
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 7:28 AM

    Ah sure isn’t it great for the girls ..

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    Mute AnthonyK
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 2:58 AM

    I always thought Brigid never existed. That she was a pagan goddess taken over by the early Irish Church. What scholarship is the author referring to. Citations would be welcome.

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    Mute Fintan Neelan
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 1:46 AM

    Three people lost and the priest calls it a cute corner. Honestly?

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