TV: Fishing series has Cork trawlermen on board

The fishing industry in Ireland has been in a state of turmoil for decades, as workers grapple with a fragile occupation constantly on the cusp of seismic change.

A new bilingual four-part series Tarrac na Farraige, which starts on RTÉ1 on Thursday at 7pm, throws the spotlight on it, following a colourful and diverse cast throughout Ireland’s coastal communities.

Cork is well represented on-screen with local fishermen Johnny Walsh from Kinsale and the Murphy family from Castletownbere all flying the flag for the Rebel County.

A fly-on-the-wall documentary, the fishermen welcome us onto their boats and into their lives as they go about their business in increasingly tough times.

The storyline with the Murphy family in particular is compelling. Hailing from the coastal town of Castletownbere in West Cork, the family stands as one of the last Irish fishing dynasties still operating in national waters.

Now fishing out of Killybegs, Donegal, the Murphys — led by patriarch Larry and his sons Ryan and Eric — embody the resilience and tradition of Ireland’s coastal communities as they work aboard their vessels Menhaden and Seaspray, casting nets for blue whiting while navigating the dangers of the open sea.

Ryan, who grew up on the boats, is now skipper of the Menhaden, carrying forward a legacy built over generations.

Meanwhile, excitement brews as Eric prepares to launch the Eilean Croine, a brand new trawler — the first new vessel in 45 years, since Larry first brought home the Menhaden.

With Eric’s young son now stepping aboard, a new generation enters the fold.

In a time when fishing families are dwindling and the industry faces immense pressure, the Murphys offer a rare glimpse into a life lived at sea, driven by passion, heritage, and unbreakable family bonds.

The fishing community may be scattered around Ireland’s 3000km of coastline, but this landmark new series captures the community spirit and love of the sea that unites them all.

This is the first time many of these hard-working fishermen have allowed themselves to be filmed. In a time of uncertainty, the series aims to humanise the headlines and bring the stories of one of Ireland’s hardest-working communities to our screens.

Maggie Breathnach, a native of An Rinn, beside the fishing port of Ceann Heilbhic, produced and directed the series. Having grown up by the sea, her aim was to honour the fishermen and fishing communities she grew up with.