Us Boys is the story of Ernie Morrow, an 80 year old bachelor farmer from the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland. Life has stood still at his farm ‘ Old Church ‘ for Ernie, living as he does without electricity or modern comforts. Despite losing his life-long partner and younger brother, Stewart, a year ago to an old people’s home. Ernie still farms with a passion, holding twenty cattle, a hundred sheep and countless fowl. Rarely washing and living on a diet of white bread, potatoes, cigarettes, tea and fresh air, Ernie goes about his life tending to his animals. The Morrows also speak the Glens dialect, not always decipherable, even to people from Belfast. The filmmakers took the politically sensitive decision to subtitle the film but with the family’s approval and with expert help. Although their life seems strange to an outsider, the Morrows remain a sort of touchstone for the local community, a reminder of what life used to be like for everyone in the Glens.

Ireland/ UK 1999,
Colour,
60mins