Once We Were Punks screens at Clones Film Festival

The story of a Cavan punk band and their enduring friendship comes to the big screen at the Clones Film Festival.

Once We Were Punks will be screened on Saturday, October 24, at 1.30pm in The Courthouse, Clones.

Directed by Irish filmmaker Frank Shouldice, the 90-minute documentary revisits 1980s Bailieborough, where four school friends — Justin Kelly, David Meagher, Noel Larkin and Paddy Glackin — formed punk band The Panic Merchants, dreaming of musical fame and fortune.

Although their initial ambitions went unfulfilled and the band eventually split, the friends reconnected 25 years later, reigniting their passion for music. They subsequently returned as Sons of Southern Ulster, drawing inspiration from their roots and experiences growing up in small-town Ireland.

Blending music, nostalgia and personal reflection, the film explores friendship, lost dreams and the enduring desire to create. It also examines how family history and the past shaped the musicians’ lives and artistic expression.

The screening takes place at The Courthouse on McCurtin Street, Clones, as part of the 25th Clones Film Festival, running from October 22-25.