The documentary "From That Small Island" will be broadcast on PBS stations across the U.S. beginning in January 2026. But in the meantime there are a series of screenings in a trio of Irish Consulates.
The documentary, narrated by Colin Farrell, traces 8,000 years of Irish history from first inhabitants to a global diaspora of 80 million plus.
"From That Small Island – The Story of the Irish" is billed as a ground-breaking feature documentary and accompanying four-part series, which traces the ebb and flow of people into and out of the island.
Stated a release: "The series sets out to answer questions such as: Who are the Irish? Where did they come from? Where do they go? 6 million people live on the island of Ireland, but over 80 million people worldwide say they are Irish. What does that mean? Why, in a totally unprecedented manner, does the whole world turn green on St Patrick’s Day?
"Shot on location in 17 countries worldwide, the film provides a compelling narrative of Ireland and the Irish and draws on deep historical research and the latest scientific discoveries.
"Created by Bríona Nic Dhiarmada, University of Notre Dame, and directed by Rachel Moriarty and Peter Murphy, the documentary is narrated by Colin Farrell and the original score is by Colm Mac an Iomaire. Jane Ohlmeyer, Trinity College Dublin, served as historical consultant and associate producer on the project."
Following on from its U.S. premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival (16-23 October), the documentary is being screened at three special events before being broadcast coast to coast from January on PBS stations in 23 of the top 25 markets.
There was a screening in the University of Chicago, in conjunction with the Consulate General of Ireland Chicago, on Tuesday, November 4.
There will be a screening hosted by New York University Glucksman Ireland House in conjunction with the Consulate General of Ireland in New York on Thursday, November 6
And there will be a screening hosted by the Consulate General of Ireland in Boston in conjunction with the Irish Film Festival Boston on Monday, November 10.
All screenings are followed by discussion with Professor Bríona Nic Dhiarmada and Professor Jane Ohlmeyer.
Bríona Nic Dhiarmada, series creator, said: “Since the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776, the Irish have had a presence in the US. Today over 30 million Americans are of Irish descent so I am particularly pleased to bring From that Small Island to an American audience.”
Jane Ohlmeyer, historian at Trinity College Dublin added: “It's been such a privilege to be part of the team behind 'From that Small Island', which tells the story of how Ireland shaped the world and the world shaped Ireland. The USA is such an incredibly important part of this story.”
Bríona Nic Dhiarmada is Professor Emerita at the University of Notre Dame where she was the O’Donnell Chair of Irish Studies and Concurrent Professor of Film and Television 2008-2021.
A writer, academic and filmmaker, Nic Dhiarmada was educated in Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin (UCD). She lectured at UCD and worked in television for RTÉ and TG4 before returning to academia at the University of Limerick in 2002.
She has been a Distinguished Visiting International Scholar at the University of Missouri and held a Senior Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Notre Dame before joining the full time faculty there as a tenured endowed professor in 2008. Among her many academic publications is Téacs Baineann, Téacs Mná, a full-length study of the poetry of Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, as well as numerous articles on Irish language literature and culture.
Nic Dhiarmada has written numerous screenplays and has produced, written and directed award winning documentaries including the multi-award winning documentary series 1916 narrated by Liam Neeson and screened worldwide including broadcasts on RTÉ, PBS and BBC.
Among the awards were the American Public Television Award for Excellence and the Best Documentary Series, Irish Film and Television Academy Awards 2016. Her book 1916 - The Irish Rebellion won the Forward Prize for History. She is the creator, writer and producer of the 4-part series and the documentary feature film From that Small Island – The Story of the Irish. She is the author along with Professor Jane Ohlmeyer of the book of the series forthcoming from Oxford University Press.
Jane Ohlmeyer is the Erasmus Smith Professor of Modern History at Trinity College Dublin. A noted historian and public commentator, Professor Ohlmeyer is an expert in Irish and British history. Recent publications include her 2023 book Making Empire: Ireland, Imperialism, and the Early Modern World (Oxford University Press) which examined Ireland’s complicated and contradictory relationship with imperialism.
Covering two hundred years, between the mid-16th century and the mid-18th century, Making Empire provides new interpretations of Ireland's role in the English and other European empires. The book documents how imperial processes shaped early modern Ireland. It also explores how Ireland served as a laboratory for the British empire and how Irish people – Catholic and Protestant – became active agents in the empires of Britain, Spain, Portugal, France, and others.
Ohlmeyer served as Trinity's first Vice-President for Global Relations (2011-14). She was a driving force behind the 1641 Depositions Project and the development of the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute which she directed (2015-20). She is a passionate teacher and has held appointments and fellowships at institutions in Brazil, England, France, India, Scotland, South Africa, and the US. She chaired the Irish Research Council (2015-21) and has served on numerous editorial and other boards. She is the author or editor of numerous articles and 14 books.
