Seven years in the making, WHIDDY tells the story of a rural West Cork community that welcomed a global oil company into Bantry Bay with open arms and high hopes. What followed was a tragedy that left lasting questions about corporate power and accountability.

I’ve worked with Adrian McCarthy and Brenda Morrissey since 1998. Adrian’s father was a part-time fireman in Skibbereen when the Whiddy Island disaster happened in 1979, and the story had fascinated Adrian for years, long before funding was secured we filmed some of the key contributors for a pilot.

We began principal photography in Marseille in December 2024, following the story to Brittany and Bantry. Adrian and Brenda’s meticulous research uncovered remarkable archive footage and Super 8 home movies. Together, these helped tell a wider story about the relationship between a small community and a multinational company, and the devastating events of 1979.

I’m proud to have been the cinematographer on WHIDDY. Having been involved from those early filming days, I’ve seen the commitment, talent and sheer hard work Adrian and Brenda have put into bringing this film to the screen.

WHIDDY will premiere at DOC NYC in 2026, with its Irish premiere at the Cork International Film Festival in November.