There was standing room only in The Volt House in Raphoe last Saturday night as Texas Ollie finally got to tell his story.
It is a story of dreams, chance encounters, and a love for a horse that changed one man’s life forever.
Those whose gathered in The Volt House were lucky to get to hear the remarkable journey of a truly individual character.
Filmed by another truly individual character, Emma Harte captured the true essence of a life lived by local man Ollie Hepburn on his own terms.
Growing up in Raphoe, County Donegal, during the 1950s, Ollie Hepburn, Texas Ollie, was captivated by the cowboy heroes of the silver screen.
Ollie and Emmet discuss how the night went over whiskey at Friels in Raphoe.
Sneaking into the local picture house to watch the western classics and stare in awe of his boyhood idol, Roy Rogers, the singing cowboy.
Ollie stayed true to his boyhood dream he hit the cowboy trail himself, performing in Dude Ranches across Texas and Germany, and later joining the internationally acclaimed Spirit of the Horse equestrian theatre show that toured Ireland, the UK, and Dubai.
Many faces from Ollie’s turned up for the world premiere.
Texas Ollie and friends at The Volt House in Raphoe.
This heartwarming documentary film celebrates not only a man and his horse but also the enduring power of hope, friendship, resilience, and imagination – proving that some dreams never die.
Today, Ollie lives on a small ranch outside Glenties with his retired trick horses, JoJo and Rubio.
Though his faithful horse Silver has since passed, his spirit endures in the memories and lessons of a remarkable friendship.
“Ollie still has a passion for life and refuses to ride off into the sunset,” says filmmaker Emmet, who developed and directed the documentary. “He’s always wondering what his next adventure could be.
Speaking about the making of Texas Ollie, Harte adds: “I met Ollie while working on a programme for RTÉ and remembered him from my own childhood in Raphoe. When I heard about his life, I knew it was a story that needed to be told.
The man, the myth, the legend…
“Over twelve months of filming, what shone through was Ollie’s authentic character, his love for his horses, and his belief that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. Ollie was in his 50s when his life changed, I think there’s a lesson for us all in that”
And of course, no world premiere would be complete without an after party.
That took place across the road in Friel’s Bar and Lounge under the direction of the brilliant Majella Friel assisted by Conor and all the staff.
Music provided by Ollie’s many friends ensured that the end of this memorable occasion hit the right note.
Standing room only as ‘Texas Ollie’ has its World Premiere in Raphoe was last modified: November 17th, 2025 by Staff Writer
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