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THIS DOCUMENTARY ABOUT the Mayo town of Ballyhaunis was published on the Guardian website last week.
It tells the story of Ireland’s “most diverse” town, and focuses on how the local GAA club has been successful in bringing people together against a backdrop of the crisis in Direct Provision, the system where asylum seekers live while they await a decision.
The video went viral and was one of the most popular articles on the site for days afterwards.
Earlier this week, TheJournal.ie caught up with documentary filmmaker Maurice O’Brien to talk about the film, how it came about, and the overwhelmingly positive reaction to it.
Pitching up
“It’s already one of the most viewed videos ever on the Guardian,” he said. “They look at stats for people who watch it right through to the end, and it’s right up there.”
O’Brien said that he moved back to Ireland recently from abroad, and had wanted to make a film about the GAA in some way.
“I heard about the fact that Ballyhaunis was the most multicultural town in Ireland, and a journalist called Eoin Butler wrote about the GAA club doing an integration day, so I just went along and spent some time there,” he said.
For me it was a positive story. The GAA is the social fabric in a lot of these towns. You can really see how it takes on an even more important role in this film.
The documentary presents a compelling account of the local GAA volunteers who put in the long hard hours for the teams of all age levels, the children of over a dozen nationalities who play on the teams, and some of the parents of the children who have lived in Direct Provision.
O’Brien said that it was a good way to highlight how far Ireland has come.
“Immigration still feels like a new thing in Ireland,” he said. “I’m sure there are schools in Dublin where a large proportion of children speak another language at home, but it’s not as common in towns in the west of Ireland.
I think, overall, Ireland has done pretty well. Ballaghaderreen is just down the road in Roscommon has many Syrian families there. To see the welcome that the local community has afforded these people is heartwarming.
O’Brien said his experience filming in Ballyhaunis was a welcome change from the traditional narratives around immigration, particularly “across the water”.
“I think we should highlight the positive elements of people from different cultures coming together in the same community,” he said. “Look at the Brexit debate over in the UK.”
He said that away from the “endless negativity” about immigrants, a counter-narrative needed to be portrayed.
The nationalities of children playing GAA in the documentary range from Polish and Lithuanian, to Nigerian and Syrian.
“There are always challenges with everything, but there are some inspiring stories, too,” he said.
O’Brien said that this documentary struck a chord with many people, which was reflected in the comments under the original Guardian piece, and the emails he’s received since.
One story that features in the documentary is that of Desmond, a boy who has spent most of his life in Ballyhaunis. A keen GAA player, the small Mayo town feels like home.
His mother, Francisca, came to Ireland from the Ivory Coast and spent over eight years in Direct Provision.
In the documentary, she expresses frustration that she wasn’t able to work during this time, and O’Brien said that is a massive problem for the people he’s come into contact with.
“She was appreciative of the fact that she got a roof over her head, and got food, but it was a big problem that she wasn’t allowed to get a job,” he said.
It’s one thing living in that accommodation, but not allowed to be useful either? People are not allowed to feel like they’re being of some use.
Francisca thought that she would leave Ballyhaunis when her time in Direct Provision came to an end but, with she and her son sowing roots there in the community, that is no longer likely.
“Desmond has been there all his life. All his friends are there. He’s a Ballyhaunis boy,” O’Brien said.
The filmmaker said it was never the intention to “overly sugarcoat” the issues with the documentary, but simply to highlight how hard it is for some people and the way a positive community atmosphere can pull everyone together.
With over half a million views already and counting, O’Brien has certainly helped to get the message about Ballyhaunis out there.
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And now, lets get onto the important stuff… the lotto. The last lotto I monitored for integrity was very interesting, because the people who ran the lotto, actually won it! So it’s not unusual for that to happen, now and again
@Dan The Man: listen Dan most readers do not know but you are well known for pulling your own name from the drum of the local gaa draw the two times you were asked to officiate
@Dan The Man: and the guy that won it didn’t know he’d won it cause he was holding the ticket upside down!! Number 11 I think, was the winning number!!
@Shane Doyle: the dirty dog
It might make for an awkward TV viewing experience, but maintaining public faith in the integrity of all the draws, would be better served by continuing the live broadcast with any technical difficulties included.
Bertie Ahern won it
@Mary Toilet: RTE CFO won it
@Dman: YAWN…….
@Mojo Jubjub: Yawn Yawn!!
@Dman: Are you all out of original ideas this morning?
@Patrick MC Dermott: I am. Please don’t hold it against me. I’m really sound once you get to know me.
@Mary Toilet: He did the lotto in the bookies, won a few 5 number accumulators, clever guy, hid the cash under the strawberry patch, got paid in cash, bought shares in ‘Meanies’ crips and sold at the right time. Who needs a bank account.
@Dman: why be boring? It makes no sense
@Mary Toilet: is it still resting in his account
As for slight of hand by FFG on tax increases with comments closed, seems the journal has lost all dignity too
@Davy: This seems to upset you a lot.
Do you have a need to tell others you opinion?
Is validation or the approval of strangers something important to you?
@Alison Hughes: I would imagine it’s more of the fact that it was an exceptional site for debate up until quite recently and people enjoyed the debates in general. 90% were done with a degree of respect to opposing views and it was a an opportunity to get a sense of public support on topics.
I am a rare poster but I enjoyed the discussions and back and forth. And despite a small minority of completely entrenched views it was nice to see at times people coming around to understanding at least parts of other viewpoints! If your argument is the correct one it could clearly be won without silencing opposition which only drives fringe elements beliefs. Put it out there.
I for one miss that aspect of the site which seems now to only want one consensus view that aligns with there articles.
@R B: From a casual observer’s perspective, the comment section can be broken down into 3 groups;
1) the people that have a need for their opinions to be heard…a sort of validation, if you will.
2) those that feel the “establishment” are conspiring against them and post in the comments section as nobody anywhere else would listen to them.
3) those that feel they know better than those appointed to positions of responsibility, e.g. those that feel able to say our Taoiseach is this, that or the other when they themselves come nowhere near having achieved any level of success.(This group is the most humorous as they remind me of a security guard on the gate of Microsoft who thinks they run the company!)
@Alison Hughes: which group are you in ?? :)
All jokes aside I think you have about 25% there and I agree with elements of what you say but at least some of them have to right about something’s so we can’t just decide we are right and they shouldn’t be heard is the key point imo. Let ppl have there say it doesn’t affect us. Debate if you want ignore if you want but let them speak.
I did chuckle at the security guard comparison. Life would be boring if we all taught in same way. And it’s differing opinions and debate that leads to innovation.
Today is day be out in sun. Hope you have great day
@R B: I agree with you 100% and you hit the nail on the head saying life would be boring if we all thought the same…It’s the sense of “injustice” that many feel when they can’t comment on an online article that makes me laugh!
They are like toddlers screaming to be heard!
The sun is indeed out and you’re right about being out in it!
Have a great day too!
@Davy: Haha! …and the Shinners won’t put taxes up!?? Hahahaha
@R B & Alison: Agree with you both. Spot on.
@MTB Mayo: what have SF to do with the lotto
Brendan Howlin won the lotto many years ago when he was responsible for flogging it off to premier lotteries
No winner .
Lol.
Need your head examined to play this..
@Davy: that would be your expert opinion, would it?
My only issue with the integrity of the Lotto, is that all the profits are funding foreign investors. The Lotto boasts that it contributes four million Euro every week towards Irish causes. I’d love to see evidence of that! It also shows the problem we have with gambling in this country. – How much is given towards rehabilitation of gambling addicts I wonder? Integrity, my ass!
Surprised comments are even open for this one
RTE and trust. Never to be the same again. That bastion of truth the bbc has been steadily losing its credibility too. Where will ordinary Joe and Joan go to for their world view ?
Reminds me of Father Ted.
“Number 11, number 11, …what’s that Dougal, you are the winner?” “Ah sorry Ted, I was looking at the ticket upside down”
“The money was just ‘resting’ in my account. Did an RTÉ staff member win it?
The draw is not done live its pre-recorded… what are they at?
Even been drawing twice I could win a washer
@The Gate Florist: What???
@Alison Hughes: I was going to tell a joke about washing machines, but it was too dirty.
Ah yep.
One of the greatest scams of all times
@Jb Walshe: another know all expert. I suppose you have proof of this.
So do we get a refund?
Number 11 …
Colm O Gorman loves any balls
@Mary Toilet: considering the man was sexualy abused and raped by men, that’s a particularly horrific comment
So was the draw Void ? Or is it allowed to stand ? Serious question. As it is a visual draw !!
have your say