Bradley’s poignant film on Traveller suicide up for award

A Cavan documentary film maker has had his documentary covering the tragic death of a young Traveller boy is in the running for a prestigious award.

Alan Bradley’s film, ‘Patrick A Young Traveller Lost’, has been nominated for a Royal Television Society Award.

The ground-breaking documentary aired last November on RTÉ and was lauded for shining a light on the alarmingly high suicide rates among the Irish Traveller community. The film focussed on the harrowing, deeply personal story of Patrick McDonagh from Finglas.

The 12-year-old lost his life to suicide a year ago. Sensitively following his parents, Michelle and Pat, as they come to terms with their loss, the film explores the wider multifaceted challenges facing the community and highlights the devastating impact on those left behind.

Through the compelling first-hand account of Bernie Power, a Traveller Outreach worker from Kilkenny, the film provides insight to the inner turmoil of those from the Traveller community struggling with poor mental health and the real life positive impact of reaching out for help.

Suicide rates within the Irish Traveller community have long been a cause for concern, yet the issue often remains unaddressed.

The deeply moving film, created in close collaboration with the Irish Traveller community, provides an opportunity to ignite conversations, dismantle stigmas, and encourage proactive measures to address the underlying factors contributing to this most devastating crisis.

After the film’s screening President Michael D Higgins felt compelled to share his thoughts:

“The personal testimonies of Patrick McDonagh’s parents, and Bernie Power moved me in a way I find difficult to describe. It would be so valuable if all members of the public could see this film, which describes a life lost to bullying. An incredibly talented boy, interested in all aspects of life and full of curiosity, within one year had his life destroyed.

“RTÉ and Alleycats Films have in my mind placed all of us in their debt in what is a splendid, valuable exercise in public service broadcasting. There are so many reasons I could think of why this film should be seen in every household, and it would be just incredibly valuable if it were seen in every school.”

The film is still available to watch on the RTÉ Player and Alan hopes the nomination will encourage further people to watch it.

The Royal Television Society awards ceremony takes place on Tuesday, March 19.