CALENDAR GIRLS ON THE MONEY!
AFTER an incredible €131,753 and counting was raised for St Aidan’s Services at the Gorey Oscarz last month, one of the seven film groups Calendar Girls have produced a 2020 calendar to commemorate the event.
The twelve images fit the theme of the film and see the female stars of the Calendar Girls movie discretely bare all at memorable Gorey and Courtown locations with some local personalities and well known characters thrown in to the mix as well.
Locations include Pettitt’s Supervalu, French’s bar, Myles Doyle grocer, Courtown Golf Club and Funge’s shop to name but a few.
The photographs in the calender were taken by Kate Reynold’s of Gorey Photographic Club, who also starred in this year’s winning Oscarz film, The Snapper.
The production team were Orla Brooks, Stephen Acton, Catherine Stafford, Miriam Murphy and Orla said that the team put a bit of thought into the photographs used.
‘Although this calendar wasn’t planned, we decided to put it together due to popular demand, especially after we won best filming moment at the Oscarz for the photoshoot, which popped up on screen at the end.
‘We felt that a female photographer would be best considering the type of photographs being taken, and Kate Reynolds kindly offered to help’.
Each woman involved was asked to pick a location and a well known local to appear in their photo.
‘It took a few weeks, and there was a lot of juggling around as each photo was taken at different times, maybe when shops were closed or at a particular time early in the morning or later in the evening.
‘It was most important that we focused in on it all happening in or around Courtown and Gorey,’ said Orla.
In terms of aligning the photograph to a particular month, Orla said that it was a collaborative approach.
‘For the summer months we used the picture at Green’s Berry Farm and Courtown’s tea cups as they bring back summer memories, and we picked the winter months for Pettitt’s and French’s.
‘Then for the other months we let some of the stars pick, mainly around their birthdays’.
The team have 200 calendars to sell and are hoping to sell out as the last memento of the Gorey Oscarz, with all profits to go towards St. Aidan’s Services.
‘The local personalities and those who appeared in the calendar will all be given one as a thank you, but we think they are going to be popular. I’ve already been stopped on the street by people asking about it,’ said photographer Kate Reynolds.
When asked if the stars of the Calendar Girls took much convincing to take part in these photos, Kate said that it was all a lot of fun.
‘There was some hesitation, but we told them it would be discrete.
‘Beforehand the women were so nervous and had even got the hair and tan done on the day. But once they realised they wouldn’t be completely nude, even the shy ones just went for it.
‘About three out of four of them were all for it when it came to it’.
Kate put her own stamp on some of the photos which she sees as a tribute to the great characters of Gorey.
The calendar is now available for €5 in Myles Doyle shop on Main street, Brook’s supermarket Riverchapel and the Gorey Tourist Information Centre at the Market House.