Limerick teens hit out at ‘stab city’ image
The makers of “id” asked 15 youths, aged from 12 to 20, what they thought of their hometown.
Local artists and youth workers came up with the film idea during the alleged abductions of the Ryan brothers last January.
Producer Miriam Lohan, 27, said the documentary makers wanted to find out what Limerick’s young people thought of their city.
“The place was making the news for the wrong reasons and we had to do something about it.”
Ms Lohan, artistic director with the Limerick Youth Theatre, hopes the film will provide a balance to the mass coverage of Limerick’s crime problems.
“The documentary was filmed and produced with full attention on how the negative identity of a place affects those growing up there at that time,” Ms Lohan said.
Those behind the film picked youths who were willing to speak honestly.
“Perception is the only thing that separates Limerick from other cities in Ireland. In reality, it is no different: it lives with the same social advantages and difficulties,” she said.
The documentary was produced free of charge by artists and youth workers. It’s now hoped that similar programmes will be made nationwide.
The documentary will be shown at the Belltable Arts Centre next Tuesday.
