Film lovers will be flocking to Offaly this August for a new summer series of outdoor film screenings.

Beginning on 5 August, OFFline Film Festival, which organises a popular event in Birr, Co Offaly, each October, will present Moonlit Movies, showcasing the best of cult Irish cinema with a fusion of film, food and fun.

There will be a mini season of classic Irish films on the big screen including Intermission and The Commitments under the open sky (weather permitting) at several unique outdoor venues across the county.

Screenings

The first screening of cult Irish film Intermission will be held on Monday 5 August during Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival at the Courthouse Yard on Townsend Street in the town.

Kinnitty Castle is the location for the second outdoor screening on Saturday 24 August with a special screening of Handsome Devil in association with Offaly Local Development Company, in support of Offaly Pride (€25 plus booking fee (includes transport and food).

Next up is a double header at Birr Castle at the end of August with The Commitments on Friday 30 August and Sing Street on Saturday 31 August.

The finale of Moonlit Movies will take place in September with a very special surprise screening in Birr - details to be announced in August.

Unique experience

Gary Hoctor from OFFline Film Festival said: “The aim of Moonlit Movies is to reignite the love for classic Irish films and also to give people the chance to see these films on the big screen, perhaps for the first time.

"In particular, we are encouraging those aged 18 to 25 to come along and savour this unique experience and discover these Irish films in a new way. Outdoor film screenings on this scale are rare in the county, so it’s definitely not to be missed.

“We have chosen some of the county’s most unique outdoor venues to host the screenings, so it will also give our audiences the chance to experience these Offaly landmarks under the night sky with great films, music and food.”

If required, it will be possible to move some of the screenings indoors to the Banquet Hall at Kinnitty Castle and to the Old Cinema on Brendan Street for the Birr Castle events.

Visit offlinefilmfestival.com for more information.