Sunday 24 July 2022

THE NEWRY FILM FESTIVAL, FOOTBALL AND PETER McPARLAND

Sadly, I only heard about this today, but it's not too late, to attend, should you be in the area or have a private jet. AND of course there is always next year. The Newry Film Festival runs (ran) from July 22-24th at the home of Newry City FC, from County Down.

The first ever football dedicated film festival on the island of Ireland is coming to Newry later this month.

The inaugural Kick Off Football Film Festival will take place at Newry Showgrounds, the home of Danske Bank Premiership club Newry City AFC.  Newry City Athletic Football Club is a semi-professional  club that played in, and won, the NIFL Championship in 2021-22, and will play in the Premier in 2022-23. 

The club was created in 2013 after the city's former semi-professional club, Newry City FC, was dissolved in September 2012, when a winding-up petition brought against the club by former player and manager Gerry Flynn was granted, and the club decided not to appeal the decision. This led to the majority of Newry City's players leaving the club. The new club, wearing the same colours and having the same home as its predecessor, is regarded as a phoenix club, but has and claims, no legal connection to the former club business.

The women's team.....


played its first season in 2011. They won the Division 4 in 2011 and the Division 3 in 2012. They won the Division 1 title in 2013. The women's team was promoted to the Premier League in 2014, after winning the Championship. In their 2015 Premier League season, they only had 2 defeats and were second place going into the final matchday. After Linfield only drew with Glentoran United and Newry City won the team took first place and won the Premier League title.


Over the course of the weekend of July 22-24, the festival will play host to wide range of films, exhibitions and special guests with all screenings overlooking the Showgrounds pitch – a truly unique setting.  

Tonight 22 July will see the screening of Evan Marshall’s Spirit Of ’58, which tells the story of the famous Northern Ireland side who competed in the 1958 World Cup.  

Not only will Evan Marshall himself be in attendance on the night, but Northern Ireland and Aston Villa goalscoring legend Peter McParland – who hit the net five times in that tournament – will be returning to his hometown for the film as well.

There will also be a Northern Ireland memorabilia exhibition prior to tonights screening.  

To see the full list of screenings and events, and to book your seat, go to WWW.KICKOFFFILMFESTIVAL.COM 

Tickets can also be booked via Eventbrite at: WWW.EVENTBRITE.CO.UK or via Ticket Button above.

Who's he?? A legend! Clubs played for: Dundalk, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Plymouth Argyle, Worcester City, Toronto Inter-Roma, Peterborough United, Worcester City, Atlanta Chiefs, Glentoran (1951-1971)

McParland holds a unique place in English football history as the first player in the game to score in and win both English major domestic knockout Finals. 

During his time with Villa, McParland won the FA Cup in 1957, scoring twice in the final against Manchester United, but also becoming involved in a controversial incident in which he shoulder-charged (at the time a legitimate form of challenge) the Manchester United keeper after only 6 minutes which left United's goalkeeper, Ray Wood, unconscious with a broken cheekbone. McParland's two-goal haul is remembered fondly as an example of his all-round abilities as a player showcasing his diving header and volleying techniques. He played 293 matches and scored 98 goals.

McParland also won the Second Division title in 1960 and the League Cup in 1961 with Villa and was on the scoresheet for the second leg of the 1961 League Cup final, when Villa overturned a 2–0 deficit against Rotherham Utd to win the second leg 3–0 at Villa Park, to win.

McParland represented Northern Ireland 34 times and scored twice in his debut against Wales in 1953–54 season.

He also starred in the 1958 World Cup Finals in which he scored five goals and helped his team to the quarter-finals. France eventually defeated Northern Ireland 4–0 in the quarter-final. He holds the record for being the highest-scoring Northern Irish player in World Cup finals history.

Full List of Events

Friday 22 July

7pm: Northern Ireland Memorabilia Exhibition and Spirit of ’58 film screening with Northern Ireland’s top scorer at the 1958 World Cup Peter McParland in attendance 

NOTE: Screening begins at 8pm sharp 

Saturday 23 July

12pm: Screening: Why are there no openly gay footballers? – followed by Q&A with filmmaker John Reavey 

5pm: Respect Project Mental Health short video screening followed by The Play Off Newry City AFC screening 

8pm: Screening: I Believe In Miracles (European Cup in attendance) 

Sunday 24 July

1pm: Football Monologues 

8pm: The Three Kings (European Cup in attendance)

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