Featured Work
Priest Hunters
Feature Documentary
A feature-length documentary exploring the life and legacy of Francis O’Sullivan – a 17th century Irish Franciscan priest who lived as a fugitive during the Cromwellian campaign.
Blending historical reconstruction with observational documentary, the film examines a period in which Catholic faith in Ireland was criminalised, and the role individuals and communities played in preserving it.
Overview
Priest Hunters is a feature-length documentary currently in development, centered on the life of Francis O’Sullivan.
Rather than presenting a single biography, the film explores a wider moment in Irish history – one defined by supression, adaptation, and cultural endurance.
"A story of survival,
faith, and memory."
The Story
In 1663, Francis O’Sullivan was executed on a beach in County Kerry. For years prior, he had lived in hiding – celebrating Mass in secret, teaching, and moving through the landscape as a hunted man.
His story is not presented in isolation, but as part of a wider narrative of cultural and religious survival in Ireland.
The film draws a parallel between that period and the present day, exploring how faith, identity, and community evolve over time – and what is at risk of being lost.
Approach
The project is structured as a four-act documentary, combining multiple forms to create a layered narrative.
Dramatised Sequences
Carefully constructed scenes used sparingly to bring key moments into focus.
Observational Documentary
Contemporary footage following present-day clergy and communities.
Expert Consultation
Historians and commentators grounding the narrative in research.
Landscape as Narrative
The Irish landscape as refuge, context, and silent witness.
Faith and identity
Cultural survival under pressure
Individuals within wider historical movements
Memory, continuity and change
Rather than focusing solely on religious history, the film considers how communities
preserve meaning – and how that meaning is carried forward.
In Development
Priest Hunters is currently in development.
The project is being shaped through ongoing research, narrative development, and early visual exploration.
We are actively engaging with historians, locations, and collaborators to ensure the work remains grounded, accurate, and resonant.
"A story not just of one man, but of a culture under pressure - and what it took to sustain it."
This is a story of faith, courage and the quiet strength of a people.
