Oileán: Atlantis
"You can run but you can't hide"
Far out on the edge of Western Europe a small island called Inis Fraoigh/Inishfree off Burtonport in Co. Donegal became home during the 1970's to an unusual community known as "Atlantis", but more popularly known as "The Screamers". It was their particular take on psychiatry and their belief that screaming in itself was a form of therapy, that earned them this nickname.
"People have this impression that we sit around screaming all day, have you ever tried screaming for more than a minute- it simply didn't happen like that."
Rebecca Garcia: daughter of Jenny James founder of Atlantis Community
Jenny James founded Atlantis in London in 1974 after receiving therapy for her own unhappiness from David Boadella a pupil of the controversial psychiatrist Willhelm Reich. The Atlantis commune spent some years living in Burtonport - gathering many followers along the way - before moving out to the island of Inishfree, in the hope that the island might be a utopia - an Atlantis in the modern age.
"Saol simplí préamhaithe sa timpeallacht díreach mar a chleacht gach aon oileánach in Éirinn, mar a léighimid i Peig nó na Campasinos shuas sna sléibhte i Meiriceá Theas."
Manchan Magan Film Maker
(They practised a simple life very much in touch with nature as practised by all islanders in Ireland as we read in "Peig", or as practised by the Campasinos up in the mountains of South America)
However conservative catholic Ireland of the day was always going to be suspicious of such a radical group. Under continuous scrutiny from state authorities and some local hostility, Jenny and her followers eventually succumbed and moved on once again, this time to the other edge of the world, the Colombian Jungle in South America. It was here in South America, that filmaker Manchán Magan first encountered the Atlantis community.
"Ba thriall iontach é, triall soisialta a bhí ann agus mhol mé an rud seo, agus molaim fós é. Aon duine a théann amach ag iarraidh an saol a athruú molaim iad munar Hitler iad, you know".
Bob Quinn: Film Maker
(It was a wonderful social experiment and I praise them, I praise anyone who tries to change the world as long as there not like Hitler you know.)
In this programme Manchán journeys back to the island of Inishfree 20 years later, to try and gain a better understanding of the Atlantis experiment and what it was all about. There he also meets a daughter of Jenny James, Rebecca Garcia, who gave birth to her own son Tristan while living on the island. The story he uncovers is one of hope, misunderstanding, and love, but one which is also disturbing and dark and one that clearly proves no matter how determined you are, the old adage is still true "you may run but you can't hide".
"I think if we really understood better, how we are with our children that generally we would be much more careful about having kids
Rebecca Garcia: daughter of Jenny James.
Producer/Director: Dónall Ó Maolfabhail
Researcher: Mark Keenan
