In this illustrated presentation, Deirdre O’Byrne will discuss the 2022 film An Cailín Ciúin /The Quiet Girl. Although based on the English language short story ‘Foster’ by Claire Keegan, director Colm Bairéad chose to use the Irish language in his film (with English subtitles). It has been a remarkable success: the highest-grossing Irish-language film of all time, it was selected as Ireland’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, the first Irish film in history to achieve the Oscar nomination in that category.

The talk will explore the reasons behind the film’s success, discussing the visual storytelling that draws us into a curiously timeless narrative. We will look at some images from the film, examining its themes and how it is influenced by Irish folk culture.

Deirdre O’Byrne lectured in English literature at Loughborough University, specialising in Irish Studies. She has given several introductions to Irish film at Broadway Cinema, and has lectured on Irish film in other community settings.

Part of the St Patrick’s programme for Nottingham 2026