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Documentary

Rocky Road to Dublin (1968): Cast & Plot

Rocky Road to Dublin (1968) movie poster

Rocky Road to Dublin is a 1968 documentary starring Peter Lennon, Conor Cruise O’Brien and Douglas Gageby. It runs 1 hour 7 minutes.

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Rocky Road to Dublin (1968) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 7m (67 min)
Genre
Documentary
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Rocky Road to Dublin About?

The premise of Rocky Road to Dublin without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Journalist Peter Lennon, born in Ireland, travels the country in 1967 to assess its post‑revolution condition, asking, “What do you do with your revolution once you’ve got it?” He argues that the Republic remains mired in cultural isolation, Gaelic nationalism and a strong clerical conservatism that shape everyday life.

Rocky Road to Dublin Themes & Keywords

· 38 tags
  • irish culture
  • irish history
  • 1916 easter rising
  • irish independence
  • post revolution
  • the dubliners
  • irish folk music
  • irish pub
  • playing spoons
  • church state enmeshment
  • gaa
  • hurling
+26 more
  • nationalism
  • irish language
  • gaeilge
  • emigration
  • dublin
  • trinity college dublin
  • abbey theatre dublin
  • fianna fail political party
  • irish politics
  • religious education
  • clergy
  • censorship
  • irish catholic
  • bigotry
  • narrow mindedness
  • irish clergy
  • irish priest
  • city name in title
  • hypocrisy
  • truth
  • ireland
  • western europe
  • catholicism
  • roman catholic church
  • place name in title
  • independent film
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Cast & crew

Rocky Road to Dublin Cast

Peter Lennon leads the cast, with Conor Cruise O’Brien and Douglas Gageby.

Also Starring in Rocky Road to Dublin

· 5 more
Plot

Rocky Road to Dublin Plot Summary

What happens in Rocky Road to Dublin from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

A concise, textured look at Irish history since the Easter Rising of 1916 traces how the early dreams of a republican society, championed by the founders of the Irish Free State, were tempered by rolling social, political, and cultural changes. In the film, the writer Seán Ó Faoláin argues that, after the revolutionary period, the hoped-for transformation did not fully take hold, and the narrative unfolds through a blend of archival voices and observational scenes.

Full summary

The whole story of Rocky Road to Dublin, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Rocky Road to Dublin Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Rocky Road to Dublin.

Rocky Road To Dublin Official Film Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Rocky Road to Dublin?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which writer argues that the revolutionary hopes of the Irish Free State were never fully realized?

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FAQ

Rocky Road to Dublin FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, cast and post-credit scenes of Rocky Road to Dublin, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Rocky Road to Dublin?

Rocky Road to Dublin runs 1 hour 7 minutes (67 minutes).

When was Rocky Road to Dublin released?

Rocky Road to Dublin was released on May 24, 1968.

Who is in the cast of Rocky Road to Dublin?

Rocky Road to Dublin stars Peter Lennon, Conor Cruise O’Brien and Douglas Gageby, among 9 credited actors.

Does Rocky Road to Dublin have a post-credit scene?

No. Rocky Road to Dublin has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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