Double delight for An Cailín Ciúin at the Celtic Media Awards

An Cailín Ciúin adds two more accolades to its bulging trophy case as it takes the top prize of ‘Spirit of the Festival’ and Torc for 'Single Drama' at this year’s Celtic Media festival being held in An Clochán Liath.

Along with these awards the film has received numerous nominations and awards over the past two years including a nomination for an Oscar earlier this year and winning eight IFTA’s in 2022.

There are a number of connections between the film and Donegal with producer Cleona Ní Chrualaoi’s mother hailing from the Downings area. Cleona’s uncle Michael Doherty and family own The Singing Pub (Síbín Ceoil) on the Atlantic Drive near Downings.

The mother of actor, Carrie Crowley Nodhlaig was a teacher was originally from The Rosses and her father Con - originally from Cork - was a garda, while she also has one sister, Bríd

Carrie also spent many summers in Donegal and still goes there every year visiting relatives and friends on Cruit Island and Glencolmcille. Carrie, who plays the role of Eibhlín, one of the lead roles in the film, is from Waterford.

An Cailín Ciúin tells the story of Cáit played by newcomer Catherine Clinch, a nine-year-old girl from an overcrowded, dysfunctional family who is sent away to live with foster parents for the summer. Despite a warm reception from the woman, Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley), the man of the house, Seán (Andrew Bennett), keeps his distance from Cáit and she from him, but over time, their strained relationship begins to deepen. Slowly, in the care of the Kinsellas, Cáit blossoms and discovers a new way of living.

But in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth.
Based on Foster by Claire Keegan, An Cailín Ciúin is a complex and delicate coming-of-age drama that explores questions of family, neglect and loss through the eyes of its young protagonist.

An Cailín Ciúin is the feature film debut of writer/director, Colm Bairéad and producer, Cleona Ní Chrualaoi of Inscéal. The film was produced as part of the Cine4 funding scheme for Irish-language film, in partnership with Screen Ireland, TG4, and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), and the film was also in receipt of the Irish Government’s Section 481 tax incentive. 

Director General of TG4 Alan Esslemont congratulated the winning entry saying. “The ‘Spirit of the Festival’ Award at the Celtic Media Festival is truly the pantheon of the all-time greats of screen creativity in the Celtic countries over five decades.  ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ is recognised as breaking new ground for creative artistry in the Irish language and this award is a very significant recognition for the freshness and depth of vision which Colm Bairéad and Cleona Ní Chrualaoi have brought to Irish cinema.”

The Celtic Media Festival (CMF) is one of the most prestigious and long-established in these islands and is held each year, rotating between venues in the various Celtic nations and regions.  It combines a three-day media conference that attracts broadcasters, producers, media and students with a competition across the full range of Film, TV, Radio and new media content genres.  CMF awards are highly coveted. This year’s Festival is taking place in An Clochán Liath.

An Cailín Ciúin is part of the Cine4 initiative from a TG4, Screen Ireland and BAI partnership, to develop original feature films in the Irish Language.