O’Donoghue’s Opera (IN COLOUR) starring The Dubliners and Johnny Moynihan

O'Donoghue's Opera is an Irish film starring Ronnie Drew and his bandmates in The Dubliners. The film is a mock opera, based on the ballad "The Night That Larry Was Stretched". It was shot in 1965, but was left uncompleted after the film's production ran into financial difficulties. Although the negative had been long destroyed, the working copy and various outtakes survived, allowing for its recovery. In 1996 filmmaker Sé Merry Doyle of Loopline film oversaw its restoration, and it was first shown at the Dublin Film Festival in 1997. Producer Seamus Byrne's first job in the film industry was on this film working with the assistant director and the art director. Dubliners fans should note that this film does not include Luke Kelly--it was filmed during the period between the first and third albums, when Kelly was in England as a solo act. Instead, it includes his replacement, Bobby Lynch (it also includes the band's other new member, John Sheahan...who is the only surviving member of the band The legendary Ronnie Drew plays the lead. Playing the role of a one-man Greek chorus is Johnny Moynihan. Criminally under-remembered today, Moynihan was a seminal figure in the Dublin folk scene (known as "The Bard Of Dalymount"), and formed Sweeney's Men with Andy Irvine in the mid 60s, which was one of the first Irish folk bands to have Irish chart success ("Old Maid In A Garrett" reaching #6 in 1967 and "Waxie's Dargle" hitting #5 in 1968). He was also a member of Planxty (replacing Dónal Lunny), and appeared on that group's COLD BLOW AND THE RAINY NIGHT album. He then joined De Danann (appearing on the SELECTED JIGS, REELS & SONGS album). He also helped form The Fleadh Cowboys. He is also credited with introducing the bouzouki to Irish folk music. Moynihan bought his first bouzouki from a friend called Tony Ffrench, who had brought it back to Ireland from Greece but decided he couldn't play it, or didn't want to. At first, the other Sweeney's weren't too keen on Moynihan's new instrument, until the evening when he and Irvine worked out an intricate harmony for bouzouki and mandolin while rehearsing "Rattlin' Roarin' Willy." Interestingly, at 3:23 he can be seen holding the instrument while offering the girl sketching Drew a cigarette. Also appearing in the film are Maev Mulvaney & Amanda Douglas, Trevor Crozier, and The McKenna Folk Group. Colorized using Pixbim AI

Added 20 Apr 2026