‘Arise, You Gallant Sweeneys!’ is being aired on TG4 Irish television 8.30 pm tonight 17th December.

The film documents a road trip made in late summer 2008 by an unusual and memorable band of travellers. At its core lie the experiences of a group of Irish
working men who travelled to the UK as very young men in the 1950s and 60s, and who never made it home. The documentary asks what happened to these
men, who built the motorways of post-war Britain, when they reached the end of the road.

Older now and frailer, some have tramped a harsh life. We follow as they embark on a rambling, emotional and ultimately celebratory journey back to families,
villages and dreams left behind a generation before. As they retrace their steps, new and long forgotten narratives begin to unfold.

However, this is not just a film about the men, it is a film by them. The film is unique in that the group retains directorial and collective ownership over all the
material produced. Members of the Long Distance Gang (named in homage to a shared working history) have wide-ranging experiences; amongst them
musicians, artists, film-makers, activists, survivors of orphanages, care systems, street homelessness, alcohol dependency, sectarian violence, domestic
violence, and enduring mental health problems.

The film is also available on DVD. All proceeds from sales go towards the Stor Mo Chroi fund which supports holidays and other social opportunities for older
Irish people.

‘Arise, You Gallant Sweeneys!’ is a Long Distance Gang/OutSideFilm production. For further details please contact outsidefilm@mail.com.