Nursing home residents attend Dungarvan cinema for showing of locally shot 'Róise & Frank'

Those living in a HSE residential nursing unit in Co. Waterford have been following the progress of one of the movies topical in Irish cinema of late.

Released last month, the award winning 'Róise & Frank' was filmed in various locations in the An Rinn (Ring)/An Seana Phobal (Old Parish) Gaeltacht and Dungarvan in Co. Waterford. The grounds of Dungarvan Community Hospital, Dunabbey House and the HSE’s Primary Care Centre on the complex there were used to set a number of scenes in a movie directed by Rachel Moriarty and Peter Murphy.

Máire Connery, a resident from Dunabbey House residential nursing unit, pictured ahead of the screening of  'Róise & Frank'

Residents of Dunabbey House were delighted when told that their recent activities schedule would feature a trip to the local SGC Cinema in Dungarvan to see the movie for themselves. In the meantime, a camera crew were back in Dunabbey House, this time to record a package for TG4 television news, who were following up on the wonderful connection made.

With dialogue as Gaeilge (with English subtitles), 'Róise & Frank' tells the story of recently widowed Róise (played by Bríd Ní Neachtain) who is struggling in the aftermath of her hurling-loving husband Frank’s passing. A stray dog appears and the possibility of it being Frank’s reincarnation plays out.

Director of Nursing at Dungarvan Community Hospital Paula French said the HSE/South East Community Healthcare locally were delighted to help out with the making of 'Róise & Frank': "Though it’s a 2022 release, the shooting of ‘Róise & Frank’ took place in the year or so prior the pandemic that began in early 2020. We were aware that the recording of a movie was taking place locally at the time. There was a requirement for medical type and residential care settings in the script. The part played by Róise and Frank’s son (Cillian Ó Gairbhí) is a GP, at one point Róise’s neighbour (played by Lorcan Cranitch) requires hospitalisation and the late Frank’s mother Monica (played by Áine Ní Mhuirí) is depicted as being in a residential care centre.

"When we were approached, we were delighted to help out. There is a great connection, of course, between the Hospital site here and the local community – including in An Rinn and An Seana Phobail.”

“Ar ndóigh, go mórmhór maidir le muintir na Rinne agus an tSeana Phobal, bíonn Gaeilge á labhairt anseo san ospidéal, Tigh Dunabbey agus an Ionad Cúram Príomhúil – idir lucht fóirne, lucht cónaithe inár gcuram, daoine ag úsáid na seibhísí sláinte ar an láthair agus cúirteoirí.”

“We were also delighted recently when TG4 News came to Dunabbey. One of the scenes in ‘Róise & Frank’ is set in the churchyard cemetery in An Rinn (with its very scenic backdrop of Dungarvan harbour, the Comeragh mountains and Co. Waterford coastline). The former Parish Priest of An Rinn/Seana Phobal an t-Ath. Seán Ó Cadhla is one of our residents in Dunabbey House and did an interview with reporter Marian Ní Fhlatharta for the television bulletin. Déaglán Turraoin from An Seana Phobal, one of several local people with a part in the movie, happened to be visiting a relative in Dunabbey as TG4 were here, so it was great to get Déaglán involved in the piece too.”

Mary Ferncomb, a resident from Dunabbey House residential nursing unit, getting ready to see a showing of 'Róise & Frank' in the SGC Cinema, Dungarvan

“As many in the local community know, we have a great Activities team at Dungarvan Community Hospital. The trip to the cinema for ‘Róise & Frank’ was our own little premiere! Indeed, the residents at Dunabbey are looking forward to regular visits now. This week they were at the SGC to see “An Cailín Ciúin”, another current movie where the Irish language is to the fore as the medium and which is set in Co. Waterford.