Kildare talent takes centre stage at Galway Film Fleadh

KILDARE’S film community has a lot to celebrate as two local artists represent the county at this year's Galway Film Fleadh – Ireland’s most prestigious film festival, taking place from 7-12 July.

Clane writer and actor Niamh Mahony will premiere her deeply personal short film Macha, while Kildare Town actor Colin Malone celebrates the achievement of appearing in two separate productions selected for this year's festival programme.

Together, their success highlights the growing influence of Kildare creatives on the Irish film industry, with projects spanning powerful social drama, psychological horror and contemporary storytelling.

One of the festival's most anticipated Irish shorts, Macha explores the realities of living with endometriosis through the story of Anna, a young woman struggling to obtain answers after surgery for suspected endometriosis fails to provide the diagnosis and relief she desperately needs.

Woven throughout the contemporary narrative is the ancient Irish mythology of Macha, the goddess of war and fertility, whose story becomes a source of strength and resilience for the film's protagonist.

Written by and starring Ms Mahony, the project was inspired by her own experience of living with the condition.

"It took me over 12 years to get diagnosed," she said. "I've been through multiple surgeries, lost jobs because of the condition, and experienced years of uncertainty. I wanted to use my creative skills to give the Irish endometriosis community a voice."

The idea for Macha first emerged four years ago after director Shane Robinson encouraged Niamh to transform her personal experiences into a narrative.

The film was completed earlier this year during an intensive three-day shoot combining modern medical settings with ambitious recreations of ancient Ireland featuring horses, fire effects and period costumes.

Despite the challenges of producing the film on a limited budget, producer Croía McDermott said the commitment of the cast and crew made the ambitious production possible.

"Everyone involved believed in the importance of this story," she said. "It has been a real passion project. We've become like a family over the past few months."

Selected from thousands of submissions, Macha will screen as part of the Irish Shorts programme at the Galway Film Fleadh.

Both writer and producer praised director Shane Robinson for his dedication to portraying the realities of endometriosis with sensitivity and authenticity, and expressed their honour to be chosen to screen the film at the festival this year.

Following its Galway premiere, the team plans to host a special screening for people affected by endometriosis at Bellinter House Hotel in Co Meath this August. The venue, through the Ardán Collective, helped fund the production as part of its support for endometriosis awareness.

For Niamh, however, the film's greatest success would be helping others feel understood.

“I wanted to use my creative skills to do something that I knew I could do, which was film and create something to give the Irish Endo community a voice.” 

Meanwhile, fellow Kildare actor Colin Malone is celebrating an exceptional year of his own after earning selection for two very different productions at the festival.

Mr Malone stars as Father Malachi in the independent horror feature Hollow Trees, directed by Cathal Fitzpatrick. Set in a bleak post-war landscape, the film follows survivors navigating a dangerous world while facing a terrifying creature capable of imitating human beings.

In a rare feat for an actor, Colin not only plays one of the film's principal characters but also performs all of the creature work featured throughout the production.

The creature itself was designed and built by special effects artist Roisin Murphy, with Malone's dual contribution showcasing a highly specialised area of performance that has become a defining feature of his career.

Alongside Hollow Trees, Malone will also appear in HRTeaze, a short film directed and produced by MK Quane and written by Annie Sherry.

The film follows Annie, a trans woman aspiring to global pop superstardom, whose performance of a song about accessing hormone replacement therapy brings back memories of invasive medical scrutiny. Exploring themes of identity, self-expression and healthcare, the short reflects the festival's continued commitment to diverse contemporary Irish storytelling.

A professional actor with an increasingly impressive list of screen credits, Mr Malone has recently appeared in Rumpelstiltskin, FOX's Going Dutch and Channel 4's Hunting Alice Bell. Earlier this year he also won Best Actor at the International Film Awards for his performance in Those Who Feel Haunted.

Beyond acting, he is the founder of Celtic Creatures, a platform dedicated to professional creature performance and practical monster work for film and television.

Speaking ahead of the festival, Malone said he was proud to represent Kildare on such an important stage.

"To have both Hollow Trees and HRTeaze screening at the same festival is incredibly special. They are completely different productions, but both challenged me as a performer in different ways. Galway Film Fleadh has always been one of the most important events in Irish filmmaking, so it's a privilege to be part of this year's programme."

As Galway prepares to welcome filmmakers from across Ireland and beyond, Kildare audiences have plenty to celebrate. From Niamh Mahony's heartfelt exploration of endometriosis to Colin Malone's fantastic versatility across horror and contemporary drama, the county's creative talent will be in the spotlight, showing the huge ambition and creativity within the Kildare film community.