Award a tribute to Patrick’s family - says director
A local director has spoke of the “incredible honour” he felt at receiving the Radharc Award.
Alan Bradley won the prestigious award for his ground-breaking documentary ‘Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost’.
The Radharc Award for documentary in Ireland, is only presented periodically, with the last awards presented in 2021. ‘Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost’ beat off stiff competition including BAFTA nominated ‘Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland’.
First aired in November 2023, the film shone a light on the urgent issue of the alarmingly high suicide rates among the Irish Traveller community through the harrowing, deeply personal story of 12 year old Patrick McDonagh from Finglas. Patrick lost his life to suicide in 2022 and the documentary sensitively follows his parents, Michelle and Pat, as they came to terms with their loss, whilst the film also explores the wider challenges facing the community, and highlights the devastating impact on those left behind.
Speaking of receiving the Radharc Award, the Alan told the Celt: “This recognition is a tribute not only to the film but to Patrick’s family, who showed extraordinary courage in sharing their son’s story with the world.
“Their openness in the face of heartbreak has allowed us to shine a light on the profound impact of bullying and the crisis of suicide in the Traveller community. It’s my hope that Patrick’s legacy will inspire empathy and real change.
“My deepest gratitude goes to the Radharc Awards for supporting stories that highlight our shared humanity.”
At the time it was first aired, President Michael D Higgins said the documentary should be shown in every school.
“The personal testimonies of Patrick McDonagh’s parents, and [Traveller Outreach worker] 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.
The President added: “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.”
‘Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost’ is still available to view on the RTE Player.
Separately the Virginia native also had his radio documentary ‘Invisible Men - Ireland’s Incels’ broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1’s ‘Doc on One’ series on Saturday, October 26.
Incels – or involuntary celibates - are men who believe they are incapable of finding anyone to have a sexual relationship with. Alan’s documentary charted the experience of an Irish man, they call ‘Paul’. Aged in his 30s now, Paul considers himself involuntary celibate, though he tried to date when he was younger, he never managed to progress any dates to a romantic relationship.
The documentary notes that among this global community of men and boys, there are Irish incels engaging with this troubling content. It can be confined to online forums, but it often turns outwards and can manifest through trolling or through real world assaults and murders.
In the midst of the rage and misogyny, the documentary finds a world that is filled with loneliness, anxiety and sadness, and young men and boys who feel lost in the world today.
‘Invisible Men - Ireland’s Incels’ has been the number one documentary podcast in Ireland in the days since its first airing and is still available to download or stream.