Previous Projects
Tionscadail go dtí seo
Go Domhain san Fhuil (Deep in the Blood)
Go Domhain san Fhuil
In Magheraroarty in West Donegal, the O’Brien family fish for crab behind Tory Island and out towards the Scottish coast. It’s tough and unrelenting work.
John O’Brien skippers the Handa Isle with a crew of three, including his son Seán. Another son Colm skippers the Aoibh Áine, among the last of the boats fishing full time out of what was once a busy quay. With the price of crabs falling, the pressure is on to spend longer at sea just to remain in business.
John recalls when the seasonal fishing of salmon allowed them to switch to lobster, crab, mackerel and white fish throughout the year, helping to preserve stocks, but a ban on salmon fishing in 2007 forced them to concentrate on crab, bringing to an end a fishing tradition, and a way of life that had lasted for generations.
It’s hard to imagine a future for fishing in this most marginal of communities, but it’s hard too to shake what’s ‘in the blood’, the generational instinct to fish the wild Atlantic.
Producer & director: Deaglán Ó Mocháin
Camera: Gerard Conway
Music: Conor Caldwell
Editor: Sarah Kivlehan
Is gníomhaíocht í an iascaireacht a chleachtann glúnta éagsúla i bpobail Ghaeltachta, Machaire Rabhartaigh i dTír Chonaill san áireamh. Obair chrua, mhaslach atá ann.
Tá John O’Brien ina scipéir ar an Handa Isle agus a mhac Seán mar dhuine den fhoireann. Tá mac eile, Colm, ina scipéir ar an Aoibh Áine, beagnach an beirt bháid is deireanaí atá in ann iascaireacht go lán aimseartha as cé a bhí gnóthach uair den tsaoil. Tá luach na bportán ag titim agus tá brú orthu níos mó ama a chaitheamh ar an fharraige lena mbeatha a thabhairt i dtír.
Cuimhnítear ar an iascaireacht mar a bhíodh agus báid ag malartú idir iascaireacht shéasúrach bradán go dtí iascaireacht gliomach, portán, murlas agus iasc gea, a bhí ina chuidiú mhór chun an stoc a chaomhnú, ach an cosc ar iascaireacht bradán in 2007 a chuir tús leis an mheath agus cuireadh deireadh le traidisiúin agus saol a chuaigh siar na blianta.
Is doiligh a shamhlú go mairfidh an iascaireacht sna pobail seo ach is doiligh fosta stad den nós atá ;go domhain san fhuil’ agus atá beo ar éigean san Aigéan Atlantach fían.
Léiritheoir & stiúrthóir: Deaglán Ó Mocháin
Ceamara: Gerard Conway
Ceol: Conor Caldwell
Eagarthóir: Sarah Kivlehan