The Gault Collection
About the Film
Ornithologist Benjamin True Gault went to Ireland in the mid 1920s to study native bird life, and the wild and rugged Atlantic coast of Kerry, overflowing with rocky havens for nesting seabirds, was an ideal place to set up camp and observe. Luckily for us, Gault saw the value in recording birdlife in motion, so he brought a 35mm camera with him for this two year long expedition. In addition to bird life, Gault captured a wide range of activities in the rural communities he encountered, filming tantalizing snatches of everyday life as it was in the Ireland of the mid 1920s.
About the Restoration
This restoration is based on nitrate camera negatives held in the collection of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. The film contained no titles, so descriptive titles have been created to indicate shooting locations, and actions taking place in the footage. The film was scanned at 6K resolution, and digitally restored. Following digital restoration, a new safety 35mm negative and 35mm print were created. These preservation elements are held in the San Franciso Silent Film Festival Collection at the Library of Congress. This restoration was completed in February 2023 as a collaboration between San Francisco Silent Film Festival, the Irish Film Institute, and the Chicago Academy of Sciences.
Restoration Partners
Irish Film Institute; Chicago Academy of Sciences
