Capital Irish Film Festival: DANIEL O'CONNELL - THE EMANCIPATOR
Please note that this event takes place in Washington, DC (Silver Spring, MD) at the American Film Institute Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. Times are in EST.
Solas Nua / Capital Irish Film Festival presents
in partnership with the University of Notre Dame and University College Cork
DANIEL O'CONNELL: THE EMANCIPATOR
Sunday, March 1st at 1:45 PM
AFI Theatre, T2
Written and directed by multi-award-winning filmmaker Ruán Magan and narrated by Domhnall Gleeson, this documentary celebrates the life and legacy of Daniel O’Connell. Marking the 250th anniversary of his birth, the film reveals how his campaigns reshaped Ireland’s political and cultural landscape—positioning O’Connell as a model for later figures, including Frederick Douglass, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. In his time, O’Connell was renowned across the world as a visionary statesman, reformer, and champion of human rights. Known as The Liberator and The Emancipator, O’Connell dedicated his life to the struggle towards achieving Catholic Emancipation, pioneering non-violent mass political mobilization, and inspiring democratic movements around the world. Featuring newly uncovered archival material, the film traces O’Connell’s journey from a young Catholic living under the oppression of British rule, to his rise as a lawyer and global advocate for justice.
Funded by RTÉ, University College Cork, and the University of Notre Dame, with support from the Government of Ireland's Department of Culture, Communcations and Sport, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
🎟 For further information regarding bookings:
Please call +1 (301) 495-6720 between M-F, 9 AM - 5:30 PM or email silverinfo@AFI.com
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
As a director and producer, Ruán Magan’s work has reached audiences of millions throughout the US, Europe, Africa, India and China and has received over 40 international awards.
Notable projects include the feature film Báite (Moe Dunford, Juliette Crosbie, Eleanor O’Brien) the comedy-drama series, Wrecking the Rising (Peter Coonan, Owen McDonnell) and the documentaries, Our Blue World (narrated by Liam Neeson) Patrick (Ciarán Hinds), Steps of Freedom, The Irish Civil War (Brendan Gleeson) and 100 Years of Ulysses (Ann Skelly).
For 20 years, Solas Nua has presented Irish film to audiences in Washington, D.C., celebrating the contemporary culture and rich heritage from across the island of Ireland on screen. CIFF is one of the largest programs of Irish cinema in North America, showcasing the latest narrative and documentary features, shorts, art films, and animation releases by Irish and Ireland-based filmmakers. The four-day festival spotlights emerging voices on Irish screen, celebrates the exceptional talent and passion of contemporary Irish filmmakers, and is a reflection of the robust and vibrant screen industry that has grown in Ireland in recent years.
The 2026 edition of the four-day festival presented in partnership with the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center (AFI) takes place February 26 - March 1, 2026.
Solas Nua — meaning “new light” in Irish — is an non-profit, multidisciplinary arts organization that brings the best of contemporary Irish arts to Washington, DC. Founded in 2005 , we are the only such organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. With over 100+ nominations and multiple awards, Solas Nua has commissioned and presented the work of over 1,000 Irish artists across theater, film, literature, music, and visual arts.