Mayo to feature in Galway film screenings

The screening of three short films, where Mayo features prominently, will take place in Headford on Sunday, October 5, as part of the community art festival, ‘Something in The Water’.  ‘Muck’, ‘Where The Old Man Lives’, and ‘Headaches’ - are set to be shown in The Angler’s Rest Hotel in Headford, on Sunday, October 5, at 8pm. A Q&A session with filmmakers will follow the screening. 

Filmed in March 2025 at Ballycurrin House in Co Mayo, ‘Muck’ is a dark folk horror piece. It tells the story of 16-year-old Ciara, who discovers the secret of her family's merfolk hunting past. An unconventional take on folk-horror, ‘Muck’ challenges the typical lens of the genre by contrasting aesthetic expectations of the native and indigenous with the violent and exploitative legacy of colonialism. 

Pictured: Ruaidhrí Hallinan and Barra Convery on the set of Muck, which was filmed earlier this year at Ballycurrin House in Co Mayo. 

‘Muck’ was written and directed by Galway’s Barra Convery, and was produced by Carnacon-native Ruaidhrí Hallinan, who now lives in Glencorrib. The short film featured in the Town Hall Theatre at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh and the festival’s ‘Best of the West’ selection. It has also recently been selected for Kerry International Film Festival and will be screened there on Saturday, October 18.

‘Where The Old Man Lives’ explores themes of rural isolation, resilience, and the impact of losing one’s sense of security. The film was shot in and around Gort and was inspired by true events, including the well-documented Padraic Nally story in Cross. It was written and produced by Ruaidhrí Hallinan and Kilmaine’s Eamonn Keane. It was directed by Sonya O’Donoghue and stars Michael Harding, Ruth McCabe, and Michael Patric. The film has already picked up several international awards at a host of film festivals.

The final short film in the line-up is ‘Headaches’. This short film was created for the recent Galway 48-hour Film Challenge, run by the Little Film Club. Almost 20 teams from across the country took part, and were each given a prop, a line of dialogue, a shot, and a theme. They then had 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit a five-minute story. 

There were four writers involved in Headaches – Cian Conachy (also Director), Emma Whelan (also Director), Saibh Malcolm (also Producer and Composer), and Mia Donnelly (also Assistant Director). On a location scout, they found their story on the backroads of Owerbeg, the causeway to Inishquin, and the ruins of Ross Errily Friary in Headford. The locations worked perfectly in their favour, setting an atmosphere of isolation and abandonment. The group went on to win the ‘Best Use of Shot’ Award at the Film Challenge screening.

Ruaidhrí Hallinan’s short film Remote Strutting, shot in Westport, was screened in Campbell’s Tavern in Cloughanover, Headford, as part of the festival. In August this year, the short was aired on RTÉ television and is also available on the RTÉ Player. Speaking ahead of the October 5 screenings, Hallinan said the teams behind the three films are delighted to be bringing the short films to Headford.

“I got some really great feedback from the festival last year, and it’s brilliant to be returning with three new films that are very different, but equally powerful. 

“The organisers of Something In The Water are doing a fantastic job in bringing such a varied and exciting line-up to Headford again this year. The community arts festival runs from October 1 to 5, and there’s so much to suit all ages and interests,” he continued.

A spokesperson for the festival said the committee is thrilled to be celebrating the very best in local talent: “To us, short films are astounding. To be able to tell a story, often one that's overlooked or unheard, evoke powerful emotions, and bring it all to a satisfying conclusion, within the confines of a small budget, and in a matter of minutes, takes talent and tenacity. The strong local connections with all three films makes it even more exciting.” 

Screenwriter and producer Ruaidhrí Hallinan, writer-director Barra Convery, and Headford’s Saibh Malcolm, who was writer-producer-composer on ‘Headaches’, will speak on the inspiration behind the films and the process involved in bringing their visions to life. The Q&A will be led by MC Cróna Esler, from Claremorris, author of ‘Unless By Invitation: Crimes That Shocked Ireland.’

Tickets are €10 and can be purchased in advance online or at the door. 

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