Mayo production company wins prestigious Radharc Award for Manchán Magan documentary

A Mayo-based production company has won a prestigious national award for a documentary featuring the late Irish writer and broadcaster Manchán Magan exploring the wisdom and inspiration found in Ireland’s landscapes and myths.

Crossing the Line Productions received the Radharc Awards Trophy for Listen to the Land Speak at the 2026 Radharc Awards, presented at a film and television industry event in Dublin on Thursday, October 22.

The documentary, produced by Zlata Filipović and directed by Maurice O’Brien, explores how the knowledge contained in Ireland’s landscapes and mythology has shaped the way people understand the world.

The independent Radharc jury praised the production for its outstanding visual quality and the passion with which Magan revealed the wisdom and moral inspiration contained in the country’s landscape and myths.

The trophy was collected at the ceremony by Magan’s close friend, Eoin Warner.

Established in 2002 by the Radharc Trust, the biennial awards celebrate outstanding Irish-produced television documentaries and recognise excellence in documentary filmmaking.

The awards honour the legacy of the Radharc Films production unit, which pioneered religious affairs programming for RTÉ over four decades, beginning in the 1960s. They recognise documentaries exploring issues including social justice, human rights, spirituality, religious faith and heritage.

The 2026 ceremony took place at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan in Dublin, bringing together established and emerging programme makers, senior broadcasting executives and members of Ireland’s screen industry.

The keynote address was delivered by acclaimed film director and writer Jim Sheridan, who spoke about the importance of documentary filmmaking in giving people a voice and ensuring their experiences are not forgotten.

“Documentary filmmaking is one of the ways a society holds a mirror to itself,” he said. “It asks who gets to tell our stories, whose suffering is acknowledged, whose power goes unquestioned, and whose lives risk being forgotten… and if you don’t see people, if you don’t hear their stories, it’s very easy to forget them.”

The Radharc Awards were presented in two categories this year.

In Category One, which recognises television documentaries broadcast in Ireland, Listen to the Land Speak took the Radharc Trophy.

Two other productions received highly commended recognition from the jury.

Born That Way, produced by Adrian McCarthy and directed by Éamon Little for Curious Dog Films, follows Patrick Lydon during his final year as he reflects on a life that took him from rock journalism in the United States to leading the inclusive Camphill Movement in Ireland.

Women Locked Up – Inside the Dochas, produced and directed by Pamela Drynan for Midas Productions, offers an insight into the daily challenges facing women in prison and the staff working with them. The series examines drug problems, overcrowding, mental health difficulties and the potential for change through prison and peer-led education.

The Category Two Radharc Trophy, recognising documentaries produced for digital distribution, went to The Good Farmer and the Failed Son, a story following a drag queen and his father as they consider the traditions surrounding inheritance produced by Peter Kilmartin and directed by Ailill Martin for Chaser.

The Radharc Trust acknowledged the support of sponsors Coimisiún na Meán, RTÉ, TG4, Fís Éireann and BBC Northern Ireland.