Chance is a strange thing. This concerns the famed Rock of Cashel and its varied history. Who doesn't know the rock? As you sweep along the Dublin/Cork road, it suddenly moves into view. It stands majestically on the outcrop, dominating the skyline. In terms of Irish landmarks, it ranks with the very best. It is a symbol and an icon - history has been witnessed here.
And that's why 40 years ago an amateur film-maker made a short movie called The Witness. It lasted only 22 minutes and was shot in colour on a reel-to-reel tape which was synchronised for sound.
Locals were involved, and proudly so, in the adventure. The Rock of Cashel was the setting and the cast of 20 was drawn from the Cashel Choral and Dramatic Society.
Mr Justin Nelson, later to become a well-known RTE producer, did the camerawork and co-produced the film with Mr Joe Irwin, who was then a central figure in the society. This was a labour of love for the two instigators and was never expected to be anything more than a homage to the Rock of Cashel with a slim story line thrown in.
It must be said too that Father Gus Crowe - now Monsignor Crowe in the US - suggested the idea and knew then where to find the film stock. Mr Irwin took on the task of writing the screen play.
Mr Nelson, then on the staff of the Nationalist newspaper in Clonmel, owned a cine camera. Three minds met and the project began. Filming was scheduled for Sundays to facilitate all concerned.
Mr Irwin wrote: "The work was done on a shoe-string budget and we were fortunate with the weather. In those pre-television days, there was great enthusiasm for the project. Two showings to full houses followed in Cashel.
"Justin Nelson proposed sending the film to Mr Dermot Breen, director of the Cork Film Festival. He accepted it as the first amateur film to be shown at Cork, a showing which later took place in the old Lee Cinema with others in a non-competitive capacity."
The film, a new departure in its time, was made with the rock providing a set that not even Hollywood could match. It concerned an emigrant's return to Cashel from America. On his arrival he goes immediately to see the famous landmark. He wants to visit the grave of his sweetheart. This had an authentic ring because locals in Cashel have had graveyard rights to the area around the rock going back more than 200 years.
Forty years after it was made, Mr Nelson contacted Mr Irwin to ask if the film could be revived.
But where was it? After a rummage, he located it on top of a wardrobe at his Cashel home. The original 16 millimetre tape was still in the can.
Some work needed to be done on it but Mr Nelson was of the opinion that the film could be preserved. And so it was. It involved the use of technology that wasn't even in existence when The Witness was made. Some resplicing had to be done and a new sound track added.
The result was celebrated recently with a showing at the Bru Boru Heritage Centre in Cashel, close to the rock which was handed over to the church in 1101 by O'Brien, one of the last kings of Munster. The gathering included many who were associated with making the film.
Afterwards, all concerned recalled their memories of the time, a special one for Cashel. Requests for copies now stand at 125.
This was a community effort and reliving it has evoked great nostalgia, said Mr Irwin.
And so, after all these years, a slight but important local film lives on.