Director: Colm Bairead
Starring: Catherine Clinch, Carrie Crowley, Andrew Bennett, Michael Patric
Distributor: Other
Runtime: 94 mins. Reviewed in Sep 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc

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Rating notes: Coarse language

In rural Ireland 1981, 9-year-old Cait, who is oppressed by her family, goes to stay with cousins for three months and experiences warmth and affection, and learning something of what it is to be loved.

Cait is a quiet 9-year-old, living in a somewhat impoverished family in rural Ireland, 1981.

And this is a rather quiet film, requiring a silently emotional response, and, at times, meditative. (No action show here!)

There have not been many films in Irish Gaelic, so this is something of an exception (although the writer-director, Colm Bairead, has made some short films and a feature for television). We respond to the subtitles but, all the time, we are looking at the body language and expressions of the characters, noting the intonations of their language. (There are some moments of English expression and we hear English in the background of radio and television programs.)

This is the first film for Clinch, playing the 9-year-old Cait, first seen hiding in long grass, her sisters calling out for her, her reluctantly revealing herself and going home. And, it is to a somewhat unwelcoming home – a negligent father and a not particularly affectionate, harassed mother. While the mother may want to be affectionate, she is overwhelmed, and is pregnant again. And her sisters, as can be seen from a school sequence where Cait is mocked, looked down, are no help to her at all.

And, perhaps, we wonder whether we will spend an hour and a half in this impoverished household, lacking material goods, lacking warmth and affection. But, no, this is in fact a film with some hope.

The hope lies in a cousin of the mother, Eibhlin (a dignified and warm Crowley). It emerges that she and her husband, Sean (Bennett) a farmer with cattle stock, have lost their young son in an accident. They agree to take Cait for the summer while her mother gives birth. We, the audience, warm h to Eibhlin – and, eventually, to Sean, but that takes a bit more time. Eibhlin is a woman of natural grace and elegance, also at home in her marriage to Sean and with his farm work. She extends a loving welcome to Cait.

For most of the film, we, the audience, share Cait’s experience, and a growing awareness of love and affection that has not been part of her life so far. She is treated with some dignity, with her own room, Eibhlin taking her to the shops and getting new dresses, Sean gradually getting used to her, warming to her, getting her to help him with the milking of the cows. And, there is the ordinary life in the house, Cait observing household chores and joining in, cooking, jam making, cutting vegetables…

This may not be exciting for the audience but, we are invited to be delighted in sharing Cait’s awakening, the awakening of a young girl, a future before her unless it is blighted by her family.

And, so, Cait has to go home. The reception by her sisters? By her mother and father? And the anguish of Eibhlin and Sean having to leave her? As she runs after them to their car, the film comes to an end but, surely Cait will have a loving future. We hope.