On the 10th of May, 1943, a mysterious object came ashore on Ballymanus strand in rural Donegal. The next day, nineteen people, mostly children, were dead. A generation of the small townland was lost. Calls for answers were silenced by the authorities. No one has been held accountable. The disaster is unknown outside of the close-knit community, and barely spoken of within it. Ballymanus tells the story of one of the worst tragedies in modern Irish history, through the words of the victims’ descendants and the memories of the few remaining survivors. Historical insight which positions this WWII tragedy within the context of Irish neutrality is provided by local and professional historians.

Co-directors Seán Doupe and Patrick Sharkey will participate in post-screening Q&A.

Notes by Sunniva O’Flynn