Trama

Born in a remote village on Ireland's west coast, Joe Heaney conquered the shyness of his youth to become one of his country's most revered traditional vocalists, as chronicled in this lyrical biopic.

Acclaimed filmmaker Pat Collins brings the dramatic life story of legendary seannós singer Joe Heaney to the screen in Song of Granite, an audacious exploration of the man and his music. With an approach that marries traditional narrative episodes with documentary footage, the film will celebrate the music Joe Heaney created while painting an unflinching portrait of Heaney, the man.

The life story of traditional Irish folk singer Joe Heaney, who is estimated to have recorded in excess of 500 traditional Irish sean nós ('old style') songs. Heaney moved from Ireland to the UK, and then on to New York City, where he settled shortly after performing at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.

Song Of Granite revolves around the life of the great traditional Irish singer, Joe Heaney. The harsh landscape combined with the myths, fables and songs of his Connemara childhood helped shape this complex and fascinating character. But Heaney's devotion to his art came at a huge personal cost. By the time of his death in Seattle in May 1984, he was widely recognised as one of the most important figures in Irish traditional music, having won fans and admirers from every part of the globe and most particularly from the folk music scene in the United States.