Rooney

The title track is sung as the credits begin. # What a fine bold figure of a fella was the Rooney, Oh! he's six feet tall, and allow me to remark, sure the girls all sigh to go walking with the Rooney, Oh, especially when the moon is over Phoenix Park . . . Looking towards mouth of the River Liffey in Dublin with with Sir John Rogerson's Quay to the right.

# Why the air's exciting as he strolls along O'Connell Street, who was he? all the ladies want to know, Oh, the dear sweet things would give anything on earth to meet the broth of a boy from Dublin called the Rooney, Oh . . . . The camera pans left towards North Wall. This stretch of the River Liffey can also be seen in 'Tim Driscoll's Donkey', 'The Quare Fellow', 'The Face of Fu Manchu' and ‘The Big Gamble’.

Michael Holliday's rendition of 'Rooney' continues. as a cut finds Spencer Dock at the Liffey end of the Royal Canal in Dublin 1.

"The dawn broke over the Irish Sea and shed its light on the fair city of Dublin . . . " O’Connell Street with Nelson's Pillar to the top left and the crossroads formed by Bachelor's Walk and Eden Quay in the foreground.

"Everything was pretty much as it was the night before. Nelson's Statue in O'Connell Street was still standing . . . " O’Connell Street, looking north past O’Connell’s Statue. Views of O'Connell Street feature in many other productions including '30 is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia', 'Dublin Nightmare', 'The Quare Fellow', 'The March Hare', 'I See a Dark Stranger', 'Girl with Green Eyes', 'Dead Man's Evidence' and 'Johnny Nobody'.

A rather busier O'Connell Street met Tony Hanna's eyes.

"The River Liffey was still flowing, as it always did . . . " The south side of O’Connell Bridge on the corner of Aston’s Quay.

The same corner captured by Tony Hanna with the lamp just visible through the greenery.

" . . . and those things essential to the life of a great city were already on their way to the consumers." The gates to St. James’s Gate Brewery on Victoria Quay in Dublin 8.

Tony ventured across the river to take this view as the footpath on Victoria Quay was blocked.

A milk float approaches the lodging house where landlady Mrs. Wall is preparing tea in bed for James Ignatius Rooney. Looking east along Usher’s Quay in Dublin 8 with the Four Courts to the top left, which also features in 'Dublin Nightmare', 'The General', 'Another Shore', 'Shake Hands With the Devil', 'Johnny Nobody' and 'The Quare Fellow'.

A quiet moment on Usher’s Quay by Tony Hanna.

Flowers are watered around the statue of The Virgin Mary at the Dublin Corporation Cleansing Department depot where Rooney works as a dustman alongside Mickey Hart, Joe O'Connor, Paddy Ryan and Tim Hennessey. Looking onto the junction of Fountain Place and Stanley Street in Dublin 7 from inside the gateway of the Dublin Sanitation Department's depot. The disused tram line ran from the depot along George Lane and Queen Street to a junction at Queen's Bridge.

Tim Hennessy (Noel Purcell) prepares their dustcart for the day's toil. The Dublin Sanitation Department's depot in the Arran Quay area of the city. The site remains in Council use as a Fire Brigade depot.

Running late as an excuse to sprint from home, James Ignatius Rooney (John Gregson) comes into view outside the depot gates. Looking along Stanley Street in Dublin 7 with Brunswick Street North in the left distance and St. Paul's church standing at the corner of North King Street and Blackhill Parade beyond. The church survives as an enterprise centre without it's spire and the buildings to the right have been replaced by Brunswick Court.

With the background now completely dominated by apartments, Tony Hanna's shot shows that the tram lines are still set in the roadway even though the last trams ran in Dublin city on 9th July 1949, some nine years before filming took place!

The gang head towards Rathmines while Rooney tells Tim that he has to move. College Green with Henry Grattan’s statue in front of the Bank of Ireland and the junction of Westmoreland Street and College Street to the top right. The location also appears in 'Hidden Agenda', 'Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx', 'Ulysses' and 'Another Shore'.

Reaching the better off suburb of the city, Tim, Rooney and Joe O'Connor (Jack MacGowran) start their collections. Outside number 7 Mespil Road, Dublin 4 located by Pat Cleary.

Due to the early morning sun this was the best angle Pat could achieve of the decorative entrance pillars that still stand.

At Mrs. Manning ffrench's house, Rooney finds two dustbins and calls to Joe. Found by Pat Cleary, this is number 7 Mespil Road in Ballsbridge.

The foliage is gone in Pat's comparison and the well manicured front garden is very attractive.

Rooney runs from the property after his dog chases Mrs. Manning ffrench's cat. The driveway of 7 Mespil Road identified by Pat Cleary.

It was all very quiet during Pat's visit with Rover's descendants nowhere in sight.

Mrs. Manning ffrench (Irene Browne) and her Grandchildren chase the dustmen from the driveway and down the street. Mespil Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 located by Pat Cleary who adds that the left turn ahead is Sussex Road and the white building in the distance stands on Leeson Street adjacent to Eustace Bridge.

Pat's view shows that the original properties and their gardens to the left have been demolished and replaced by apartment blocks standing back from the road and fronted by a grassed area. The Grand Canal runs parallel on the right hand side of the road but the white building in the distance has been replaced by apartment blocks.

Due a break, the lads make their way to a bar where a Mr. Doolan enquires about Rooney who he recognises as a Sons of Éireann hurler. Sean Murphy’s bar on Power’s Court off Mount Street in Dublin 2. Pat Cleary recalls that the shooting of this film was very big news at the time, especially as John Gregson had to learn about hurling - the game that helped make Eoin Morgan cricket Captain of England!!

Pat captured a sorry looking comparison.

Learning from Mr. Doolan that a room has come available at Mrs. O'Flynn's house, Rooney and his pals drive to collect his furniture after work. The corner of Usher’s Quay and St. Augustine Street with buildings on Arran Quay in the background.

Note the roof line to the right in Tony Hanna's modern image.

Paddy brings the dustcart to a stand at the corner near Mrs. Wall's lodging house. The corner of Usher’s Quay and St. Augustine Street with Whitworth Bridge crossing the Liffey to the left and the Four Courts beyond. Without the dustcart, a similar view appears in 'Girl with Green Eyes'.

A clearer view of the Four Courts by Tony Hanna.

Tim tells Rooney to go inside and keep Mrs. Wall occupied while he Joe and Mickey Hart (Eddie Byrne) remove the furniture. Usher’s Quay in Dublin 8.

Showing that the buildings have been replaced, Tony Hanna's comparison is taken from the safety of the pavement.

After a less than amicable parting with Mrs. Wall, Rooney and the dustcart arrive outside 25 Rathmines Terrace where the amused neighbours gather around as his belongings are unloaded. Looking out from the steps of 25 Belgrave Road in Rathmines, Dublin 6.

Tony Hanna looked down from the same steps.

After watching Rooney play in a hurling match on Sunday, Mr. Doolan (Liam Redmond) gives the young player a lift home where the press soon arrive for an interview. Belgrave Road, Rathmines with Holy Trinity church in the background.

The same location taken by Pat Cleary.

Monday sees Rooney and his workmates back on their round. Belgrave Avenue at the corner of Belgrave Road.

Pat Cleary found the same corner.

In the back of the dustcart, Tim reads the article written about Rooney. Facing east at the junction of Belgrave Road and Belgrave Avenue with the corner of Dunville Avenue and Killeen Road in the distance.

Pat Cleary turned to face east towards a similar scene.

As Rooney calls at the Manning ffrench's house, Mickey walks along the driveway next door. The front garden of the since demolished number 5 Mespil Road in Dublin 4 located by Pat Cleary.

Mickey finds a full bottle of whiskey a bin full of empties while Rooney picks up Mrs. Manning ffrench's bin containing a box of discarded jewellery and a necklace which he later gives to Maire. Pat Cleary advises that this is looking into the front garden of number 7 Mespil Road, Dublin 4.

After reading in the newspaper that the price of stout is going up, Mrs. Manning ffrench has been burgled and Rooney has been picked to play in the All Ireland Hurling Final, Paddy drives the gang from the depot. The Dublin Sanitation Department's depot on Stanley Street 7.

Now updated, the depot still stands as Tony discovered.

An evening of celebration ends with Tim and Rooney singing as they stagger home. The railings of Holy Trinity church on Belgrave Road.

A fairly unchanged view from Pat Cleary.

The following morning, Mrs. O'Flynn's niece Maire Hogan (Muriel Pavlow) waits for a bus near home. Palmerston Road, Rathmines in Dublin 6.

Pat Cleary stood at the long gone bus stop.

As Maire boards the number 12, Rooney runs from the house. Palmerston Road in Rathmines with the junction formed by Belgrave Road and Belgrave Avenue in the background.

No bus turned up while Pat waited.

Morning dawns on the day of Maire's Grandfather's funeral. Facing west towards Holy Trinity church on Belgrave Road, Rathmines.

Pat Cleary took this image from a similar position.

A single bell tolls in the background as the shot pans right across Rathmines Terrace. Belgrave Road with the roofs of properties on Cambridge Villas visible in the left distance.

Moving right to follow the action, Pat finds the terrace.

The camera settles on the front door of the O'Flynn household, behind which Rooney apologises to Maire that he won't be able to attend the funeral due to the hurling final and will soon be leaving. Numbers 24 and 25 Belgrave Road, Rathmines.

Pat centres his lens on the same front doors.

A band marches across the pitch before the match in which Rooney is playing. This is Croke Park on Jones' Road in Dublin 3.

Explaining that he wasn't able to move around once seated, Tony Hanna captured the interior of the stadium which now has a capacity of 80,000.

As the crowd grows quiet, the Referee's whistle sounds and the final begins. Croke Park on Jones' Road, Drumcondra.

Tony Hanna took this view 63 years later.

After the police take Maire into custody during the reading of Mr. O'Flynn's will, Rooney and his friends approach the house. Belgrave Road in Dublin 6.

Discovering that Maire has been arrested after being found in possession of a piece of jewellery from the Manning ffrench's bin, Rooney takes the horse's reins and drives away. Pat Cleary recognised Castlewood Park in Rathmines . . .

. . . and here's the location now.

At Tim's house, Mickey, Paddy Ryan (Philip O'Flynn) and Joe watch as Mrs. Hennessy hands Rooney other items that were found in Mrs. Manning ffrench's dustbin. Steve Freer identifies this as the courtyard between Bishop Street and Lower Kevin Street in Dublin 8.

The men set off for Mrs. Manning ffrench's house where they explain that she wasn't robbed and realise that it was her Grandchildren that put the jewellery in the bin whilst playing a game. Steve Freer explains that the buildings and the courtyard between Bishop Street and Lower Kevin Street were demolished in the 1960s adding "My Grandmother lived there and my Dad told me about 'Rooney' being filmed there.

Rooney and Maire leave the police station after explanations are given to the Inspector. The steps of Merchants’ Hall on Wellington Quay, which can also be seen in ‘Flight of the Doves’, 'The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne' and 'Ulysses'.

Tony Hanna captured Merchants' Hall now.

Prompted by his friends, Rooney follows Maire when she walks onto Ha'penny Bridge. Alongside the River Liffey, facing Liffey Bridge from Wellington Quay in Dublin 2. The bridge can be seen in 'Another Shore', 'Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx' and '30 Is a a Dangerous Age, Cynthia'.

Changes to the bridges approach are apparent in Tony's shot.