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film · Thursday 13 August 2026 · 8:00pm 
Harp Cinema Series - August Screening
At Valentine's Bar · Main Street, Longford, Co. Longford
At Valentine's Bar · Main Street, Longford, Co. Longford
Free cinema in a proper bar, with the people who made the film sitting a few seats away - that is the Harp Cinema Series in a sentence. Run by Longford filmmakers Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney through their production company Harp Media, this monthly series brings acclaimed Irish films to Valentine’s Bar on Main Street and pairs each screening with a live Q&A featuring directors, actors, or production creatives. The August date is the third edition of the 2026 run. It suits film lovers of any age, anyone curious about the craft of Irish filmmaking, and anyone who fancies a proper night out without paying for a ticket.
The format is simple and well-paced. Doors open at Valentine’s Bar, the film plays - full cinema-style - then the real conversation begins. The June premiere screened Frank Berry’s prison drama Michael Inside, with actor Dafhyd Flynn taking questions from the floor. Future editions follow the same shape: an acclaimed Irish film, followed by an in-person discussion with someone who was actually in the room when it was made.
Higgins and McGivney are Longford natives with serious credentials. Their debut feature Lakelands, a small-town GAA drama, won Best Irish Film at the Galway Film Fleadh and went to cinemas across Ireland and the UK via Wildcard Distribution. They set up the Harp Cinema Series precisely because film culture in Ireland tends to gravitate towards Dublin, leaving Midlands audiences without regular access to this kind of event. The specific film and guest for August will be announced in advance - check Harp Media’s social channels or the Longford Leader for the announcement.
The series is supported by Screen Ireland’s Audience Development Fund and Longford County Council’s Night-Time Economy Fund, which is why admission is free.
Longford town sits on the main N4/M4 Dublin to Sligo road, roughly 120km from Dublin. The journey by car takes about 90 minutes from the capital. There is pay-and-display parking along the main street and in car parks off Battery Road. By public transport, Bus Eireann runs regular services on the Dublin - Sligo route with a stop in Longford. Irish Rail also serves Longford station on the Dublin Heuston to Sligo line, with the town centre a short walk from the station.
Longford town has a compact, walkable centre with good pubs and restaurants within easy reach of Valentine’s Bar. The county beyond it is worth a wander - Lough Ree to the south, the Corlea Trackway visitor centre with its preserved Iron Age bog road, and the lanes of North Longford where Harp Media’s own documentaries have been filmed. There is more to see in Longford and across Co. Longford.
Heading to Valentine's Bar in Longford? Longford has plenty more to see. Read the Longford area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.