Fearghus Ó Conchúir’s ‘All to Play For’ was developed and shot on location in Kilkenny, with All-Ireland medal winners Anne Dalton, Ann Downey, Liam Fennelly and Tommy Malone all featuring prominently.
Their incredible on-field power, talent and skill and their off-field inspiration as role models is captured in the short film that uses dance to embody connection, community, drive and determination.
All to Play For is, one of five community-rooted projects commissioned by Kilkenny County Council’s Public Art Programme 2024-2027, and funded by the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage and Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.
This cinematic dance film that celebrates the source and energy of former hurling and camogie stars and their impact in the community premiered in Thomastown on 29th May.
Speaking at the premiere in Thomastown, Mary Hilda Cavanagh, Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, said the local authority is proud to support such a public art project, adding that investment is not defined by permanence alone, but by its ability to connect, to inspire, and to engage.
“It is something we are committed to building on — continuing to broaden the scope of what public art can be, and who it is for. Tonight, we turn our focus to something deeply embedded in the identity of this county — our extraordinary and proud tradition of hurling and camogie.
“These games are far more than sport here in Kilkenny; they are a living legacy, passed down through generations, woven into the fabric of our communities, our language, and our sense of pride.
“From parish fields to Croke Park, from childhood memories to lifelong dedication, hurling and camogie carry stories of passion, resilience, and belonging. They bring people together and create bonds that last a lifetime.”
More than a sports story, All to Play For lifts the viewer into something felt rather than simply seen. After the whistle blows and the lights go down, it’s still all to play for, choreographer, Fearghus Ó Conchúir, explained.
Stevie Russell, Director, said sport leaves a mark that doesn’t fade when the final whistle blows. “That charge, the one that fills a stadium and courses through a player’s body at the moment everything clicks, it doesn’t disappear. It lives on, quiet and constant, woven into the fabric of ordinary life. This is a film about that feeling. Not the glory itself, but what remains of it.”
Mary Butler, Kilkenny County Council’s Arts Officer, said the local authority’s Public Arts Programme approach to the film and other projects now underway spans a wide range of artforms — visual arts and film, music, literature, and performing arts — recognising that public arts does not belong to one discipline alone.
“These projects ensure that the public is not just an audience, but a participant — central to the work itself. They create space for people to share their voices and stories, to imagine the future, and to engage with the past in new and meaningful ways.
“The projects selected in this programme truly reflect these values. They are ambitious, inclusive, and deeply connected to the people of Kilkenny. And they are creating meaningful experiences that stay with us — whether they are permanent, temporary, or simply felt. All to Play For is a wonderful example of this approach in action, and we are very proud to support its presentation.”
This project was funded by:
