NewEnglandFilm.com

She was eventually drawn to the filmmaking program at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University where her final project developed into Sin Sceil Eile: Tell Me a Story, a 24-minute film showing at the Magners Irish Film Festival in Boston in November.

The documentary, shot in Kerry, Ireland in a small village called Castlegregory, explores how the lives and traditions of the citizens have changed since a period of economic growth in Ireland, referred to as Celtic Tiger.

“The local storyteller talks about how the village used to be full of activity with a factory, farming and many small merchants, and how the pub was the place to get news and catch up with neighbors,” Donahue says. “Now there are hundreds of new houses being built and the new residents are from other parts of Ireland and Europe.”  

Donahue interviews locals who are concerned that the next generation will not follow long established Irish tradition. Economic, technological and social changes lead them to reflect on the past.

Nikki Chase: Where does the title come from?

Catherine Donahue: The title is Irish for Tell Me the Story — the film conveys the main idea of the ‘disappearance’ of the tradition of storytelling, as well as some shared stories of the residents of the village.

NC: Where did you get the idea for the film?

Donahue: Maureen and John Connolly own the Aisling Gallery in Hingham, MA and are friends of mine. When they heard I was in film school they proposed the idea of making the film about their brother Micheal, who was the local storyteller in Castlegregory, where they grew up.  Micheal was ill and the family wanted to capture his story… [He] remained there until he passed away last year.  I knew that this was a unique opportunity to make the film and that it would be a privilege for me to contribute to the Irish culture through film.

NC: The economic growth associated with Celtic Tiger has generally been regarded as positive, so how did you come to find out about the negative effects this period has had on Irish culture?

Donahue: Economic change certainly affects the social-cultural context of a country and people may find that adaptation to such change is difficult.  The Irish are resilient people and will adapt to this as they have in the past.

NC: Do you have any ties to Ireland yourself?

Donahue: Yes, my relatives on both sides of my family are from Ireland.  I also wrote an ethnography on families with young children with disabilities in Cork in 1993 and have many friends from that experience.

NC: How did you get in touch with the subjects and get them to open up to you?

Donahue: Maureen and John Connolly introduced me to the people in the village — their friendliness and hospitality enabled me to engage with them in conversation and interview.  They all had a story to tell about their lives and their village. 

NC: Why do you think this topic is important?  Why is it important to you?

Donahue: Ireland is experiencing tremendous social change right now.  In addition to the economic success, residents of countries in Europe, Eastern Europe and Africa are now coming to live and work in Ireland.  This influx of immigrants is relatively new to Ireland and areas outside of Dublin.  I am personally interested in describing how cultural beliefs and values inform and guide our behavior.  I saw this film as a way to explore the present perceptions of the people in this small village and to tell the story of Micheal’s place in sustaining culture in this village.  Telling a story such as this can inform people around the world about changes in one country.  Film enables us to tell a story in an interesting and coherent way and in this case, expand our understandings of the diversity of the world.

NC: Are there any difficulties you recall while filming?

Donahue: Mainly the weather and my short filming schedule.  I made two trips for one week each to film in 2006.  The first week it rained every day in February so we did most of the interviews inside.  Fortunately, on the second trip in May the sun was out so we could shoot the outside shots. 

NC: Any future projects in the works?

Donahue: I would like to return to Ireland to film a documentary on a child in Cork that has Down syndrome.  Her family lives on a farm and has agreed to help me make the film.  I am looking for funding for this one…