Glimmermen was a web-based transmedia narrative which invited users into the world of An Roinn Anaithnid – the Department of the Unknown. The website Glimmer.men acted as an exposé and hub of information about the supernatural beasts and cryptids of Irish folklore which are revealed to actually exist, having been covered up by “Glimmermen” since their inception 1937. Users were presented with four documentary-style videos about Irish monsters, complete with cinematic flashback sequences, special effects and the ever-present Narrator character, who has purportedly created Glimmer.men to warn the public about this grand conspiracy. The site also hosted a discussion forum and “hacked” government archive, where much additional information (which adds context and depth to the primary videos) could be found. Parts of the site, including a video finale, were inaccessible without passwords which require close examination of all materials to find. In this way, Glimmermen sought to further the development of transmedia storytelling by attempting to create a self-contained narrative world across multiple formats, accessible from a single location. Glimmermen is also an experiment in the exploitation of Irish folklore for the purposes of pure entertainment and cinematic horror. Great care was taken to imbue the videos and additional materials with elements that thrill, surprise and scare.
The Narrator – Hilary Bowen-Walsh
De Selby – Gerard Byrne
Young Narrator – Elisha Stanley
Síofra – Palomi McDonald
Folklore Professor – Stephen Jack Cullen
Older Máire / Each Uisce – Karen Meenan
Young Máire – Sophia Jones
The Soldier – Aidan O’Sullivan
Conor – Conor Maloney
Eadaoin – Eadaoin Ní Dhubhghaill
Carla – Carla Coleman
Lonan – Lonan Sheppard
Maidhc – Mickey Quigley
Uncle – Peter Quigley
Jane Murray – Glenda Cimino
Soldier #2 – Steve Spada
Mr Kennedy – Leo Collins
Ms. Kennedy – Helen McGrath
This project was by
Janina Franck
Jamie Hooper
Dónal Kennedy
Harry Moylan
Jane Quigley
Dobhar Chú Design by Dylan O’Connor