The first day I went to Callan to shoot specifically for this film, I found myself filming a conversation in a polytunnel between Patrick Lydon and Mark Dwan in which a speech was invoked that Patrick had given at his alma mater in Exeter almost twenty years previously. It sounded intriguing and when Patrick sent me the speech’s manuscript I knew a recording of this was something for me to unearth. Months later, a harassed archivist in New Hampshire
produced an audio tape and a two photographs. Pure gold. Patrick being simultaneously articulate, succinct and passionate on the subject most
dear to his heart.

The speech was delivered in October 9th, 2001, less than a month after the toppling of the Twin Towers in new York. The occasion was Patrick being awarded the John Phillips Award for his life’s work in Ireland. He was fifty one years old.

That it hadn’t been shot on video presented a challenge that sent us back
to Exeter to film a talk to the students, in the very same hall, by past-pupil Zoë Brennan-Krohn, about the impact Patrick’s speech had had on her that day and on the subsequent trajectory of her life. In her talk, Zoë played back for her audience some key moments of Patrick’s speech.

Éamon Little - Director