YDA winner Alan Bradley on filming a tale of heartbreaking loss

How did you first come to be involved with this project?

After completing my previous documentary about Irish men living with eating disorders, I was searching for another compelling story. At the Hinterland Festival of Literature & Art in Ireland, I went to a talk about the struggles faced by the Traveller community and was shocked to learn about the alarmingly high suicide rates in this group. 

This led me to Patrick’s story, and I reached out to his parents, who were ready to share their experiences. With the support of our production company Alleycat Films, we secured the commission from Kathy Fox and Grainne McAleer at RTÉ to create the film.

The parents of Patrick McDonagh are very open about their loss; can you tell us about the casting and how you connected with them?

I first met with many leaders from the Traveller community to understand the root causes of the suicide crisis from their perspective and to ensure the film would be valuable and sensitively produced. Micheal MacDonnachada from the Traveller community aided me as an assistant producer, helping us remain culturally sensitive. 

We had a psychologist on board to advise and support both the production team and Patrick’s family.

The film wouldn’t have been possible without Patrick’s parents' consent and involvement. I spent many months with them, building trust and ensuring their comfort before introducing a camera. 

Their grief was of course still very raw, we scheduled short filming sessions over several months and kept the crew small and consistent in order to avoid it becoming too overwhelming. We also had a psychologist on board to advise and support both the production team and Patrick’s family.

The film lays bare the parents' pain without being mawkish or exploitative; how did you strike the right tone?

It was constantly in the back of my mind throughout the process of filming and in the edit to ensure that the film did not feel exploitative or sensationalised. I think taking a gentle and supportive approach with Patrick’s family throughout filming provided us with content that veered away from anything voyeuristic. 

We used eye direct interviews and no voiceover narration to ensure the film was coming directly from the contributors themselves.

I tried my best to simply provide a supportive safe space for the Traveller community to tell their stories without my influence. We used eye direct interviews and no voiceover narration to ensure this film was coming directly from the contributors themselves, allowing the community to voice their experiences in their own words. 

Did you come up against any resistance in discussing this issue?

The statistic is indeed shocking, however that research is quite old - unfortunately, the numbers are likely higher now. If we had attempted to make the film a few years ago, we might have faced more resistance due to the shame traditionally associated with suicide in both the Traveller community and wider Irish society. 

There was a collective sense that it was time to speak out, to try to learn from these devastating losses.

However, I found that every Traveller I spoke with had lost multiple family members to suicide. There was a collective sense that it was time to speak out, to try to learn from these devastating losses, and to turn the tide on this crisis. People were ready to share their stories in the hope of fostering change.

What challenges did the filming present?

The biggest challenge was the emotional toll of handling such a difficult and sensitive story. It was crucial to ensure the mental health of my team and myself. We had access to a fantastic psychologist, Dr. Malie Coyne, who provided support when needed. My executive producer, Ed Stobart at Alleycats Films, was also a great support. 

Despite the tough days, making this film was the greatest honour of my career. Sharing Patrick’s family’s memories, hearing Bernie Power’s story of hope, and meeting many members of the Traveller community was a privilege that made it all worthwhile.