Tin Castle

Along a long-forgotten country road, the O’Reilly family has made a home in a rundown trailer surrounded by fields. Pa’, Lisa and their ten children live together in their “tin castle”, holding fast to a traditional way of life that is increasingly difficult to sustain.

Descendants of Irish Travellers, the family’s world is shaped by horses, dogs, odd jobs, family ties and a deep attachment to life on the road and at the margins of mainstream society. But the family’s fragile sense of stability is under growing pressure. The threat of eviction hangs over their home, while the expectations of a society that offers little room for their way of life become increasingly difficult to ignore.

Rather than imposing an outside judgement on the O’Reillys, Alexander Murphy allows their story to unfold with remarkable intimacy and patience. Shot over five years, Tin Castle is both a portrait of one family and a quietly powerful reflection on belonging, poverty, tradition and the right to choose a different way of life. Murphy’s close, observational approach gives the film an extraordinary sense of trust, while his cinematography finds beauty and poetry in the family’s everyday surroundings.

Tin Castle received a Special Mention from the jury of L’Œil d’or (best documentary film) at the Cannes film festival.

Filmmaker Alexander Murphy will be in attendance at this screening.

This film is eligible for the Best New Irish Feature Award, proudly sponsored by the Irish Examiner.