A powerful new short film, Connections, brings poetry and history together through a deeply personal lens - watch above.
Created by Mark Smith and poet Colm Keegan, the film explores the ties between the past and present, and how opportunity and support can shape a life.
I listen
I see
The past it's in me
There's a lot of connections
Created for this year's World Down Syndrome Day celebrations, and directed by Aisling Byrne, the piece is centered on a moving poem co-developed by Smith and Keegan, inspired by shared walks, conversations, and visits to famine-era sites.
The poem, voiced by Smith himself, reflects on how history resonates in the present—and how having access to education and encouragement can change everything.
The project grew from Smith's earlier work on poetry films during the pandemic, including pieces based on the work of Eavan Boland.
Influenced by Boland’s themes and his own background studying Anthropology as a student at Maynooth University, Smith felt compelled to write his own poem. Production company Run of the Mill films proposed a collaboration with Keegan, who helped shape Smith’s reflections into verse.
Filmed at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth - where Smith graduated - the setting echoes the film’s core message: how the past informs the present, and how far support can carry a person.
The architecture offers a visual connection to the histories the poem explores, while also representing a milestone in Mark’s own journey.
Find out more about World Down Syndrome Day here.
