‘Old Irish traditions are fascinating and so are the ways that communities mark this time of year’

The last thing I saw and loved was… the series Wolf Hall on BBC. The acting, script, cinematography, costume, and production design were perfect. Although I knew how the story ended (no spoilers with Henry VIII) I am very very sad that it’s over.

The book I keep coming back to is… I enjoy children’s books and I like to re-read ones I enjoyed as a child, things like Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green. It’s a mixture of comfort, nostalgia and enjoyment and children’s classics are very well written! 

I find inspiration in… I make documentaries so I am out and about on boats, on farms, in schools, in hospitals, in factories and in an awful lot of homes. I am regularly inspired by the people I meet while filming. You might not think it from the online world, but most people seem to be kind, caring and good humans even when life is challenging. For Na Féilte Tine we filmed people coming together to celebrate and mark the cycle of the year, that was fun and uplifting. 

My favourite film is… I honestly don’t have one favourite. Right now the film that comes to mind is The Castle, an Australian comedy set in the 90s.  It’s the simple set-up, it’s the great characters, it’s the brilliantly quotable lines – “It’s the vibe, I rest my case.”

My career highlight is… I was thrilled when Bríd Ní Neachtáin won an IFTA for her role as Róise in Róise & Frank. We had written the script with Bríd in mind and she delivered an amazing performance. Having a cute dog as a co-star was not easy (as he was always ready to steal the spotlight) but Bríd really delivered the heart in the movie. 

The song I listen to to get in the zone is… I don’t use music to get in the zone but if I need to shock myself into action I’d probably play something kind of ridiculous and energetic – Blue, 5ive or Taio Cruz are in this ballpark. 

The last piece of work I recommended is… I definitely recommended Wolf Hall to a lot of people, which was pointless as it got amazing reviews everywhere and everyone knew about it. I am also reading What You Are Looking For Is in the Library at the moment and I would heartily recommend that.  

I never leave the house without… looking forward to returning.

The best advice I’ve ever gotten… is to start any major shoot on a Thursday not a Monday, so that you only have two days of things going wrong before the weekend, when you should have time to think about how to fix it!

The art that means the most to me is… the artist that amazes me the most is the Italian sculptor, Bernini. That sounds more highbrow than I am but I’ve visited Rome a few times and joined other awestruck tourists looking at his work. Bernini’s sculptures are what I think of when I think of genius. To make us all feel even more inadequate, he was dazzlingly brilliant from childhood. The Pope recognised his genius at eight years of age!

The most challenging thing about working in film is… I think managing stress, keeping energy levels up and trying to enjoy what you are doing are challenges in film but also in lots of other jobs. I try not to spend too much time fretting about what’s done and worrying about what might happen. Easier said than done!

I wanted to direct this documentary on Imbolg and St. Brigid’s Day because… it’s a very new (and welcome) Bank Holiday that revives ancient celebrations. The old Irish traditions are fascinating and so are the ways that communities today mark this time of year. 

My favourite moment in Na Féilte Tine: Imbolg is… the celebration in Kildare town, home to St.Brigid. It brought so many elements together – fire burning in the dark night, the pagan goddess, the local saint. Small children were wrapped up in their coats soaking up all this magic, the community was gathered sharing memorable moments. 

The magic of film to me is… that you can travel in time, be inside other people’s heads, be terrified or thrilled, end up laughing or crying – it’s all about the escapism, inspiration and entertainment.

Na Féilte Tine is a four-part series commissioned by RTÉ which explores the four indigenous Irish festivals of Samhain, Imbolg, Bealtaine and Lúnasa. Each festival is a welcome to the new season. Imbolg the second programme aired on St. Brigid’s Day but you can still catch it on the RTÉ Player.