Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive is a free public access resource for teachers, students, historians and anyone who has an interest in moving images. Spanning from 1897 to the present day, the films in the Digital Film Archive cover all aspects of life in Northern Ireland and includes everything from dramas to documentaries, newsreels and features, animation to amateur footage.
This film is part of Free
Dial A Prayer
Join the dial-a craze and receive spiritual comfort from the comfort of your own home.
From the collection of:
Overview
What did worshippers do before YouTube? Call the prayer hotline of course. The Dial-a craze began in the mid 50s with electronic secretaries (tape recorders) providing pre-recorded words of spiritual comfort. From 1955 churches in the UK and US opened their prayer lines with slogans like “you can save your soul right at home”. It didn’t stop there soon you could dial-a-sermon, dial-a-hymn, or even dial-a-saint but it would be at least a decade before you could dial-a-joke.
As technology has continued to change so have innovations in prayer services. Christians can now use an email prayer request line, download audio sermons or watch prayers and Church services on YouTube. RTÉ continues to broadcast the Angelus every day in Ireland; although it has been revamped as “a pause for prayer” since it began on radio in 1950. The prayer hotline shown in these silent news rushes is possibly associated with the Seventh Day Adventist church in Northern Ireland. This material is Courtesy of the UTV Archive.
Related
Task of the Teacher Task of the Teacher
School programme and Educational film 1973 43 mins Location: Northcourt
London’s school kids get to grips with teaching methods, technology and cows in this film from the 1970s explaining educational theories at different London schools.
District Nurse District Nurse
Government sponsored film 1952 27 mins Location: Wadhurst
Never a dull moment for a rural district nurse in the early days of the NHS.
Pakistani Bus Driver Pakistani Bus Driver
News 1974 2 mins Location: Birmingham
Bus timetables are sacrosanct to some but to others there are more important things in life - and faith is one of them.
Dustman Dustman
Documentary 1928 3 mins Silent Location: Sheffield
Refuse collection you cannot refuse with some state-of-the-art bin business in 1920s Sheffield
Mobile Shop Mobile Shop
News 1975 4 mins Location: Ullesthorpe
It's an Aladdin's Cave of household goods: Donald Sansome's travelling store is a lifeline for the people of rural Leicestershire
These Are the Hands These Are the Hands
Charity appeal 2020 2 mins
Beautiful NHS fundraiser, setting Michael Rosen’s poem to powerful archive images.
Food for Thought Food for Thought
Advert 6 mins Location: Belfast
Hangry animals demand better grub in this bizarre advert by E.T. Green
Kennedy's Bread Kennedy's Bread
Advert 1960 0 mins Location: Belfast
This family favourite is guaranteed to have you singing all the way to the bread bin
Launch of the "Celtic" Launch of the "Celtic"
Non-Fiction 1901 1 mins Location: Belfast
Seawards heads a great ship, the biggest of its day
Belfast Street Scenes 1890's Belfast Street Scenes 1890's
Non-Fiction 1898 2 mins Silent Location: Belfast
A view down the High Street featuring the Albert Clock, a shot of Queen's Bridge and the docks
Disabled Access in Belfast City Centre Disabled Access in Belfast City Centre
Current affairs 1981 20 mins Location: Belfast
Join Belfast’s first female Lord Mayor and reconsider how disabled people navigate the streets of Belfast.
Talking Telephone for the Deaf Talking Telephone for the Deaf
Current affairs 1976 7 mins Location: Belfast
Witness Northern Ireland’s first telecommunications device for Deaf people
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.