CRÁ: A thrilling new Irish-language crime series
An Cailín Ciúin was nominated for an Oscar last year, and the film depicting the rise of Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year, where it won an audience award. After such successes, one might reasonably ask, what’s next for Irish-language film and television? What will be the next great Irish-language production to grace our screens? One possible answer to that question is CRÁ, a thrilling new 6-part Irish-language crime drama series set in the Irish Gaeltacht. The series, directed by Philip Doherty, was shot in January of this year and first aired on BBC Northern Ireland and TG4 in mid-November, becoming the second most requested programme on the BBC Northern Ireland iPlayer.
Storyline
The storyline of CRÁ – which means ‘anguish’ or ‘torment’ – plays out in the fictional small Donegal town of Carraig na nGall in the north-west of Ireland. All seems quiet at first, until the body of a woman who vanished fifteen years previously is found in a bog near the town. The murdered woman is Sabine Uí Shúilleabháin, an attractive German artist with many admirers, and mother of Garda Conall Ó Súilleabháin (played by Dónall Ó Héalai – star of Irish-language feature films Arracht and Foscadh). Conall is understandably forbidden from being part of the official murder investigation, but sets about investigating on his own, using his passive underling, Garda Barry Roche (Alex Murphy of The Young Offenders), as a mole, to keep abreast of the official investigation’s developments.
Every episode of CRÁ brings dramatic twists and turns, as long-buried small-town secrets are suddenly or gradually drawn to the surface, and probable blame for the murder shifts continuously between the various characters – Conall’s ex-hotelier father, Art (Barry McGovern); Art’s former driver, Ray (Niall Mac Eachmharcaigh); Inspector Patsy Sweeney (Tara Breathnach) and even Conall himself, who blacked out on the night of the murder and cannot recall his own actions. A young journalist, Ciara-Kate (Hannah Brady), working for the fictional Sligo Voice, also plays a part in the unfolding drama by deciding to make a podcast about the case and then digging shamelessly around in hopes of uncovering something that will boost her download stats. The production of a TV documentary about the case, which airs as the official investigation is still ongoing, points fingers and raises new questions too, especially via its clearly-biased live reconstruction of the events thought to have occurred on the night of the murder.
Gaeltacht Setting
The small town of Carraig na nGall is really a thinly-veiled version of the Irish-speaking parish of Gaoth Dobhair – the largest Irish-speaking parish in Ireland, and the home of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta’s north-west regional studios. The parish, sitting in the shade of County Donegal’s highest peak, An Earagail, is a known cradle of Irish language and culture. Given that most of CRÁ’s dialogue is in Irish, the authenticity of the series is greatly boosted by the Gaeltacht setting and the presence of local man and Ros na Rún actor Niall Mac Eachmharcaigh in the role of Ray. The raw landscape surrounding the town, the abandoned Óstan Ghaoth Dobhair (Gaoth Dobhair Hotel), and the abandoned fishing boat known as Bád Eddie (Eddie’s Boat) are instantly recognisable hallmarks of Gaoth Dobhair, Bunbeag and surrounding areas, and act as a fitting backdrop to the events of the series.
The Emergence of 'Gaelic Noir'
Many of us are familiar with the genre of crime fiction known as Nordic Noir – the bleak landscapes, the intrigue of foreign-language subtitles, the dark and complex atmosphere, the tension between the somewhat unassuming everyday setting and the horrific crimes and secrets that lie underneath. Well, in showcasing the raw and rugged landscapes of Donegal and putting the Irish-language front and centre, CRÁ appears to be pioneering a new home-grown genre of crime drama that some reviewers have called ‘Gaelic Noir’ or even ‘Nordi Noir’.
And why not? If it’s bleakly beautiful landscapes, a dramatic storyline, and an intriguing language you’re looking for, CRÁ has certainly got you covered. And did I mention the haunting Celtic soundtrack?
The popularity of Nordic Noir productions – think Trapped and The Bridge – has shown that language barriers are no obstacle to widespread acclaim, or at least, no obstacle that subtitles can’t overcome. If anything, subtitles appear to be gaining wider acceptance nowadays, being found not only on YouTube videos, TV series and film, but also on social media posts everywhere from Instagram to TikTok. Subtitles are great for language learners too, so if you’re looking for an easy and entertaining way to fit some more Irish listening comprehension into your day, CRÁ is really worth a look – especially if you’re interested in the Ulster dialect. (It’s worth mentioning that Ó Héalai, although hailing from Indreabhán in the Connemara Gaeltacht, does a great job of adopting the Donegal dialect for his role as Conall.)
Where to Learn More
The official trailer for CRÁ is available to watch here, and you can watch the full 6-part series on the TG4 Player here – or if you’re in the UK, on the BBC iPlayer here.
If you have already binge-watched the series, or plan to do so, then you’ll want to check out the upcoming 7-week live online course about the series from Let’s Learn Irish! The course will dive deep into all aspects of the series: the language, the actors, the characters, the plot, and the wider cultural impact. The course will be delivered live via Zoom across seven consecutive Tuesdays from January 7th to February 18th 2025, with each session being held at 8–9:20pm ET (New York). Fortunately, if you can’t attend live there’s no need to feel any ‘crá‘, as all classes are recorded and available for playback afterwards!
Bígí páirteach!
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