Books, Articles & Interviews 

A Bibliography of Selected Sources

Works Authored by John T Davis

John T Davis, ‘Shellshock Rock.’ Hooleygan: Music, Mayhem, Good Vibrations. Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 2010. 124-27.

Kathleen McCracken, ‘Poetic Documentary: The Films of John T Davis.’ Contemporary Irish Cinema From The Quiet Man to Dancing at Lughnasa. Ed. James McKillop. New York:Syracuse UP, 1999. 11-21.

O’Brien, Harvey. ‘Somewhere to Come Back To: The Filmic Journeys of John T Davis.’ Irish Studies Review 9.2 (Aug. 2001): 167-78.

O’Neill, Sean, and Guy Trelford. ‘Shellshock Rock: An Alternative Blast from Belfast.’ It Makes You Want To Spit: The Definitive Guide to Punk in Northern Ireland 1977-1982. Dublin: Reekus Music, 2003: 183-187.

O’Regan, John, ed. John T. Davis: Works. Dublin: Gandon Editions, 1993.

The Uncle Jack
In 2011 a bilingual English/Brazilian Portuguese edition of a book length critical study of The Uncle Jack was published by the W.B. Yeats Chair of Irish Studies & Humanitas in São Paulo, Brazil. The book was edited by Beatriz Kopschitz Bastos and Lance Pettit, and contains a Preface to the film and the film script, both written by John T Davis, along with scholarly articles by Lance Pettitt and Kathleen McCracken. The London launch of the book was part of the Ireland Astray conference at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, November 11, 2011. A recording of John reading from the Preface on that occasion can be heard here (direct link to audio file here).


‘Shellshock Rock.’ Hooleygan: Music, Mayhem, Good Vibrations. Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 2010. 124-27.

Director’s Preface: ‘That Treacherous Country of the Past.’ The Uncle Jack. Eds. Lance Pettitt & Beatriz Kopschitz Bastos. São Paulo: W. B Yeats Chair of Irish Studies & Humanitas, 2011. 69-83. 

‘The Uncle Jack.’ [Film Script] The Uncle Jack. Eds. Lance Pettitt & Beatriz Kopschitz Bastos. São Paulo: W. B Yeats Chair of Irish Studies & Humanitas, 2011. 85-142.


Books and Scholarly Articles

Brereton, Pat. ‘Documentary Realism and Fundamentalist Religion in Ireland.’ REA: A Journal of Religion, Education and the Arts 6. 2009.
 
Byrne, Terry. ‘John T. Davis: Documentarist.’ Power in the Eye: An Introduction to Contemporary Irish Film. Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, 1997. 174-77. 

Deeney, Shaun. ‘Hard Road.’ Television and Video Production 16 (December 1985): 20-3. 

Maillot, Agnes. ‘Punk on Celluloid: John Davis’ Shell Shock Rock.’ Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television 20.3 (2000): 375-83. 

McCracken, Kathleen. ‘Aspiring to the Condition of Language: Poetry and Irish Cinema, Part 1.’ Circa 53 (Sept-Oct 1990): 32-4.

‘Aspiring to the Condition of Language: Poetry and Irish Cinema, Part 2.’ Circa 54 (Nov-Dec 1990): 34-7.

‘Poetic Documentary: The Films of John T. Davis.’ Contemporary Irish Cinema From The Quiet Man to Dancing at Lughnasa. Ed. James McKillop. New York:Syracuse UP, 1999. 11-21. 

‘North Star on a Cloudy Night: Subjectivity in The Uncle Jack.’ The Uncle Jack. John T. Davis. Eds. Lance Pettitt & Beatriz Kopschitz Bastos. São Paulo: W. B. Yeats Chair of Irish Studies & Humanitas, 2011. 151-176. 

McIlroy, Brian. ‘‘We’ll fight and no surrender’ – Perhaps: Irish (Protestant) Documentary.’ Shooting to Kill: Filmmaking and the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland. Richmond BC: Steveston Press/Trowbridge, Wiltshire: Flick Books, 1998; 2001. 191-94. 

McLoone, Martin. ‘Irish Soundscapes: Punk Music and the Political Power of “What-Might-Have-Been”.’ Film, Media and Popular Culture in Ireland: Cityscapes, Landscapes, Soundscapes. Dublin/Portland: Irish Academic Press, 2008. 173-86.

O’Brien, Harvey. ‘Somewhere to Come Back To: The Filmic Journeys of John T Davis.’ Irish Studies Review 9.2 (Aug. 2001): 167-78.

'The Real Ireland: The Evolution of Ireland in Documentary Film.' Manchester/New York: Manchester UP, 2004. 

O’Neill, Sean, and Guy Trelford. ‘Shellshock Rock: An Alternative Blast from Belfast.’ It Makes You Want To Spit: The Definitive Guide to Punk in Northern Ireland 1977-1982. Dublin: Reekus Music, 2003: 183-187. 

O’Regan, John, ed.  John T Davis: Works. Dublin: Gandon Editions, 1993.

Pettitt, Lance. Screening Ireland: Film and Television Representation. Manchester/New York: Manchester UP, 2000.

Pettitt, Lance. ‘Holywood Hobohemian: The Film-Work of John T Davis.’ The Uncle Jack. John T Davis. Eds. Lance Pettitt & Beatriz Kopschitz Bastos. São Paulo: W. B. Yeats Chair of Irish Studies & Humanitas, 2011. 21-50. 

Seidenberg, Steve. ‘John T Davis: Hobo.’ In Search of the Features Documentary: The Fine Cut Series. London: BBC, 1992. 40-3.


Newspaper Articles

Bradley, Una. ‘Call for film fans to rally round for screening.’ Belfast Telegraph 25 Feb. 2000: No page.

Doyle, Martin. ‘Irish Directions’. The Irish Post 2 Apr. 1994: 12-13. 

Guerra, Flávia. ‘Ele veio de Holywood.’ O Estado de São Paulo 4 Oct. 2011: D8. 
 
Herbert, Hugh. ‘America’s Road Show.’ The Guardian 23 Oct. 1985: Arts, 23. 

Hunter, Brian. ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.’ Belfast Telegraph 19 Oct. 1985: 23. 

Leith, William. ‘Life on the Road.’ New Musical Express 2 Nov. 1985: 23. 

Linehan, Hugh. ‘Davis’s Inferno.’ Irish Times 28 Jan. 2000: 13. 

Mafham, Rowena. ‘On the Long Road to a Lost Dream.’ Thompson Regional Newspapers, 22 Oct. 1985: No page. 

McGahan, Claire. ‘Film maker’s heartbreak as work is ruined in fire.’ Belfast Telegraph 3 Feb. 2000: 12. 

Moloney, Eugene. ‘Route 66 – Punctured Dream.’ Irish News 26 Oct. 1985: No Page. 

Robinson, Mark. ‘The Road to God Knows Where.’ Fortnight 21 Oct. 1985: 26. 

Sheehy, Ted. ‘Northern Skyline’ Film Base News 12 (April/May 1989): 16. 

Smith, Kevin. ‘Real Documentaries: Why the Outlaw Shot the Preacher.’ Irish Times 21 Feb. 1989: 10. 

Thompson, David. ‘Journey on the Road to Nostalgia.’ TV Times, 19-25 October, 1985: No Page.

Whalen, John M. ‘Getting His Kicks on Route 66.’ Outre 24 (2001): 36-41. 

Williams, Hugo. ‘Journey’s End.’ New Statesman, 25 October 1985: No Page. 

Young, Brian. ‘Shellshock Rock – Do You Really Care?’ 


Interviews with John T Davis

‘John Takes the Direct Approach.’ Interview by Lara Bradley. Newsletter: The Guide, 4 May 2001: 2-3. 

‘Hats Off to the American Heartland.’ Interview by Donald Clarke. Irish Times, 30 January 2007.

‘Looking Through John T Davis’ Eyes.’ Interview by Tony Clayton-Lea. Hot Press (Dec-Jan, 1989/90): 19.

‘Learning to Fly.’ Interview by Paul Duane. Film Ireland 42 (Aug-Sep 1994): 10-12. 

‘Route 47: John T Davis in Conversation with Nicky Fennell.’ Film West XX.

‘Director’s Personal: Architect, My Uncle Jack and the Magic of Movies.’ Interview by Neil Johnston. Belfast Telegraph 9 Oct. 1996. Print.

‘John T Davis: The Life and Times of a Punk Rock Film-Maker.’ Interview by Francis Jones.

Interview by Pat Kenny. Pat Kenny Show, RTE Radio 1. Dublin. 1 Oct. 1991. [Audio]

‘Power in the Lens.’ Interview by Dermot Lavery. Film Ireland 32 (Nov-Dec., 1992): 18-21. 

‘T-junction.’ Interview by Stephanie McBride. Circa 78 (Winter 1996): 36-9. 

‘Going West – John T Davis speaks to John Mathews.’ The Vacuum 1.

‘Holywood Hero.’ Interview by Clare O’Connor. IdeasFactory Northern Ireland: Music and Sound Zone. No date.

Interview by Sean. Rafferty. BBC Radio Ulster, 15 March 1991, 11am. [Audio]

‘Where the Hobo Goes.’ Interview by Ted Sheehy. Film Base News 26 (Nov-Dec 1991): 15. 

‘The Windhover.’ Interview by Ted Sheehy. Film Ireland 55 (Oct-Nov. 1996): 16-17. 

Interview by Charlie Whisker. Rant 1 (Sept-Oct 1985): No page. 

‘Living Memory.’ Interview by Michael Armstrong. Dublin, IFI. No date, no page.