Luke Mac Manus spoke to director Tom O' Sullivan and leading actor, Dónall Ó hÉalaí on Culture File on Lyric FM about 'home cultured gem', Arracht.
Director, Tom O' Sullivan says the film begins like many of his stories with a character facing a major flaw or trauma. This time, the trauma is the impending Irish famine in the 1840s.
Colmán Sharkey, played by Dónall Ó hÉalaí, is a fisherman, a poitín-maker and a man who understands the importance of what went before him. He finds himself in a better position than most when the potato crop fails in Conamara.
Dónall Ó hÉalaí said the script immediately resonated with him and reminded him that had he been born 170 years ago that this could have been his story. A conamara man himself, the film was set in Leitir Mealláin, not far from where he himself grew up. Ó hÉalaí said the connection with the writing was visceral and that he wanted to approach the role with integrity and reverence when dealing with 'your people's history'.
Arracht is being shown in cinemas nationwide now.
