Brendan Canty: 'What we hear in my film is Knocknaheeny Irish'

Thu, 06 Nov, 2025 - 07:07

Ballincollig director Brendan Canty, whose Cork-based film Christy received widespread praise earlier this year, is back with an Irish language documentary, Gaeltra, which will premiere at the Cork International Film Festival on November 7.

Filmed in Knocknaheeny, the documentary follows young people from the Kabin Studio as they record new music and learn to embrace the Irish language.

Gaeltra is Canty’s first documentary, and he says the idea came to him while he was working on Christy, which features many young people from the Kabin.

“I was intrigued by what was under the surface of the Kabin. It is such a special, transformative place that means a great deal to these kids. I knew their story would make a good documentary, but I wasn’t entirely sure what angle to take. I just knew there was something deep and spiritual about the place.”

Colm Hogan, the director of photography on Christy, suggested that Canty apply for funding from ilDÁNA, a funding strand offered by TG4 to make Irish language documentaries about the arts in under-represented communities. Canty says while he was thinking about how to introduce Irish to the documentary, he realised the answer was in front of him.

“Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin, a rapper from Kerry, was about to start workshops at the Kabin, teaching the kids how to rap in Irish. In recent years, Irish has been growing in Knocknaheeny. The Terence McSweeney School in Hollyhill is a Gaelscoil that has taken off really well. UCC set up a project called Barr na gCnoc, which aims to bring Irish to the north side, offering free, open sessions where people can come in and chat in Irish. There is something in the water in Knocknaheeny, so it was the right time to make a documentary in the Irish language.”

Canty admits his knowledge of the language is not the strongest, but making the documentary gave him more confidence.

“The way Seamus comes at the language is so refreshing. When he was working with the kids, he told them it was OK to make mistakes. He encouraged them to speak Irish in local ways, to embrace the slang, and to let their accent come through. What we hear in the film is Knocknaheeny Irish, and it sounds alive and vibrant because it’s unique to the area.”

Canty points out the kids from the Kabin are immensely talented. Their hit song The Spark has over a billion views on social media. He said filming them navigating a challenge made for a more interesting documentary.

“Capturing these exceptionally talented musicians working in Irish presented a unique challenge. They are already known for writing global hits and performing at festivals across Europe, so filming them writing in English was not a challenge. Creating music in the Irish language proved a genuine test of their abilities. I was eager to observe and document the process within the Kabin, as well as the unspoken power in the studio that empowers these young artists.”

With so many of the Kabin kids featuring in Christy, Canty said it was important to show audiences some of the other kids who make up the talented bunch. He also says he prioritised those with an interest in the language.

“All the kids up there are amazing. I worked with many in Christy, but knew I had to display the talents of some of the others. We were leaning towards the kids who had an interest in Irish. Ellen is almost fluent. Darren is in the Gaelscoil and has a great sense of the language. Aaron is another brilliant talent.

Sophie and Heidi are that little bit younger and have that free, fun energy, where they’re not thinking about things too much. They were both interested in learning to write rap songs in Irish and not afraid to make mistakes. And we have Rosaleen, the oldest member of the group. She is a mentor to the younger kids, and it was essential to have her in the documentary.”

Canty effectively captures the Kabin’s unique ability to make all kids feel comfortable in their own skin, regardless of how they dress or act. He also presents Knocknaheeny in a cinematic manner, resulting in a documentary that is visually stunning and well-suited for the big screen.

“When we made Christy, it was done on handheld cameras. We spent years shooting in this one style, so it was fun to be able to shoot the same area in whatever way I wanted. I was ready to experiment after Christy and make it super- cinematic, to be able to film the water tower with a drone, to have freedom to play with it.”

Canty is thrilled to premiere the documentary at CIFF and thinks that viewing it with the friends and family of the young stars will make the experience more meaningful.

He hopes that audiences will feel empowered after watching it.

“I always wanted Gaeltra to be like a hug that lets people come away feeling empowered to try things and not be so insecure.

“There’s such positivity and encouragement within the film. There’s an atmosphere and a spirit that is good for humanity. If people can take on some of that, then I’d be happy. If there was a Kabin in every city, the world would be a much better place. If people come away with just an ounce of the magic that I experience in the Kabin, then that’ll be a good thing.”