“Amazing N.Z.” Shown In Ireland

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31768, 27 August 1968, Page 2

“Amazing N.Z.” Shown In Ireland

The Festival of Kerry organisers have selected the film, “Amazing New Zealand,” for their programme. The film, which is now on a tour of top Irish tourist hotels, was shown recently in Tralee to a tourist audience of about 700.

Miss Margaret O’Loan, recently chosen as 1968 New Zealand “Rose of Tralee,” is travelling throughout Ireland with the film and addressing tourist groups from many countries.

Arnong the special guests Invited to the Tralee screening were members of the Irish Tourist Board and officials of the Festival of Kerry, which is Ireland’s largest folk festival.

The award-winning film brought many inquiries from French and American tour parties staying in the hotel. The film will probably have five screenings daily, and is expected to be seen by thousands of visitors to Tralee over the week-long festival. Miss O’Loan, with the New Zealand contest organiser, Mr T. McNamara, answers any queries from the viewers. Their most unusual comment so far came from a group of Americans visiting the hotel: “Well, we didn’t even know New Zealand was there!” Other comments included reference to New Zealand drinking hours. Many , were under the impression that

New Zealand liquor laws had not changed. One young couple, who intend to take up farming in New Zealand, travelled from County Down in Northern Ireland to the screening in Limerick where the film was being shown for one night. The film tour has been very successful so far. At its Irish premier showing in Galway Bay, three screenings of the 40-minute show were necessary in the same evening to meet with the popular de mand to see the film. Apart from the screenings during the festival week, the film will be shown in 12 Irish cities.

The photograph shows Margaret O’Loan posing for newsmen in the West of Ireland with an elderly Irish donkey.