Tears of joy and sadness as Aerfort Dhún na nGall is previewed at Donegal Airport

Donegal Airport is more than bricks and mortar, it is the beating heart of the county, a woman said after having watched two episodes of Aerfort Dhún na nGall on Thursday night. 

Invited guests gathered at Donegal Airport to watch previews of the four part-series which is expected to be broadcast later this year on TG4. 

Helena Ní Ghallachóir of HG Productions and her crew have spent two years recording events at the busy aviation site and the documentary captivates the highs and the lows of all that happens at the busy workplace. 

During the broadcast those gathered heard laughter and on occasion heard people cry as they recounted difficult times during their lives.

Filming was ongoing during the pandemic and documentary makers depicted the pain experienced by some families during that challenging time. 

Challenging times

In one of the episodes, Colm Mhicí Gallagher, a native of Coteen, Gaoth Dobhair, who lives in America flew into the airport to be greeted by his family following the death of his father, Willie Mhicí Gallagher. Sadly, Colm could not come home for his father’s funeral due to restrictions.

The documentary depicted the joyful unification of the family when Colm eventually got home and his loving family were present to greet and hug him. 

Chatty taxi-man Charlie ‘Mac’ McFadden ignited laughter as he recounted stories of celebrities he had ferried to and from the airport. On one journey he confessed to one passenger that he hadn’t yet been on an aeroplane. The friendly taxi-man said he was advised to sit on a washing machine and set the dial to spin in order to experience what it is like to fly. 

Sadness was evoked among those gathered, once again, as Grace Rodgers took to the screen. She often flies into the airport, from America, to visit her island home. Standing on the pier on Tory island, the smell of seaweed reminds her she is home and with heartfelt emotion she outlines how she has lost two brothers, one who was aged in his 50’s and another who passed away during the pandemic. Grace and her family were present for the screening. 

Friendliness

The documentary makers ensured airport staff were given ample opportunity to air their thoughts and they reported that no two days were ever the same while working at the airport. 

Pádraig Ó Cearbhaill said that on one day he could be working at the desk and on another day he could be outside cutting the grass around the scenic airport. 

Staff described the work as rewarding and described the enjoyment of being able to work in a friendly environment. 

Cathal Gillespie, who is currently studying aviation management at Dublin City University (DCU), was enjoying his work experience at the airport during filming. He spoke of how helpful and insightful the experience was at the well-run establishment. 

Undoubtedly the airport is busy, with many using the flights to get to and from work and appointments in the capital. During the Sult festival, stars, fans and attendees kept those at the  Carrickfinn-based operation on their toes. 

Many stars have flown into the airport, which has been voted the most scenic landing in the world, and many were surprised to hear that the well-known rock band Metallica had also graced the grounds.   

Connectivity

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh who lives nearby describes how important the airport is to her as she flies around the world to perform at concerts. She said that some mornings, she receives a ‘wee call’ to tell her she is running late for her flight. An amazing ambassador for the county, the fluent Irish speaker detailed how friendly, helpful and accommodating the staff truly are. She said when she lived in Dublin it could take her up to two hours to make her way through meandering traffic to the airport and that now her journey to the airport takes around 5 minutes and in less than an hour she is standing in Dublin.

The airport is pivotal to those in the north west who need to fly to Dublin for cancer care and their intimate and heartfelt stories with the documentary makers.  

The documentary depicted the beauty of the local area and remained loyal to the Gaeltacht and the Irish language throughout. Ros na Rún’s Niall Mac Eamharcaigh is the voice of the documentary and his voice-over is eloquent and humorous, at times. 

HG Productions

As the night began, the director and producer, Helena Ní Ghallachóir profusely thanked all those who took part in the documentary giving a special thanks to the staff. 

“It has been an amazing journey over the past two years. This documentary was certainly worth making. I was blessed with a stellar cast,” the Arranmore native said. 

She thanked Commisiún na Meán for their funding of the project: “Thanks for supporting this project and I would also like to thank TG4 and all those who worked on the documentary and all those who took part,” she said.  

Commisiún na Meán

Celene Craig from Commisiún na Meán was present. She spoke of how picturesque the landing is at the airport and praised the culture of the area. Mrs Craig said it is very important to produce Irish content through the medium of the Irish language. She also emphasised the importance of having local actors, musicians and speakers taking part in home produced media. 

Mrs Craig who shares close affiliations with the area described the friendliness of the waiting area for the Donegal flight in Dublin Airport in comparison to the formality of some of the other areas in the capital’s terminals. 

She described the authenticity of the documentary and how it reflects life in Donegal and how important the service the airport provides is to people.