Watch: Donegal man to explore Sliabh Liag cliffs on new TG4 series
Cormac Mac Fhionnlaoich grew up on top of dramatic Sliabh Liag in a fishing family, where the cliffs were his playground as a child
TG4 has announced the world television premiere of Aillte / Cliffs, a stunning two-part nature documentary series narrated by marine biologist and local guide Cormac Mac Fhionnlaoich, who grew up at Sliabh Liag in a fishing family.
Aillte offers an unforgettable journey along Ireland’s wild edge – from the roaring ramparts of Sliabh Liag to the misty peaks of Cruachán in Achill, to the towering vertical heights of the Cliffs of Moher in Clare.
Shot over four years and across three dramatic coastlines, Aillte explores the geology, mythology, wildlife, and human stories carved into the rocks of these formidable landforms. With his signature blend of scientific insight, homespun wisdom, and poetic reflection, Cormac brings the audience on a deeply personal voyage through time, tide, and breathtaking heights.
And so they did for Cormac – having spent his childhood on Sliabh Liag, he now spends his adulthood on the Cliffs of Moher, where he works as an in-demand nature guide.
This two-part series captures the raw beauty and fragile magic of the Irish coastline - between geology and mythology, seabirds and surfboards, science and soul. Aillte is a love letter to these giants - celebrating not just the raw beauty of the cliffs themselves, but the communities and creatures that call them home.
From the nesting ledges of puffins and razorbills to the deep-sea dramas unfolding in the shadow of the cliffs, each frame is rich with nature’s stunning choreography and breathtaking cinematography. The documentary delves into the deep time of rock formations, the physics of waves, and the meteorology of storms - but always through the lens of lived experience, local folklore, and Mac Fhionnlaoich’s own charming observations from a lifetime on the edge.
From the producers of Obituary, Cliffs, David Keenan Words on Canvas, Foscadh, Daniel O'Connell - Forgotten King, CUMAR, Finné, EIPIC, Corp + Anam.
A stunning ode to the power and majesty of Irish sea cliffs, including Sliabh Liag, exploring the intimate relationships they have with the fascinating flora, fauna and the people that call them home. ‘Aillte’ -hour episodes produced by Tua Films for TG4 in association with Coimisiún na Meán, Tourism Ireland and Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. World Sales by Blue Ant Media.
Aillte is a one-hour, two-art series, which airs on TG4 and TG4 Player on Wednesday, January 14 at 9:30pm, with part two seven days later.