Sins of Ireland, directed by Alex Fegan (Older Than Ireland, The Irish Pub), is a portrait of Ireland through the lens of the confession box. Fifteen Irish priests, who have long heard the sins of others, offer their own confessional on the rise and fall of a sacrament that now epitomises the turbulent changes in faith and spirituality in contemporary Ireland.

The documentary is a nuanced and uncynical examination of confession, as priests themselves acknowledge how a rite meant to offer absolution and guidance had for many years become a tool of control and shame, with devastating consequences. Yet, Sins of Ireland also explores forgiveness – not as an easy resolution, but as a necessary reckoning with the past and a gateway to spiritual redemption. In confronting their own failings and the sins of the church, these priests lay bare the complexities of remorse, accountability, and the possibility of reconciliation.

The opening night screening on Friday 18^th will be followed by a Q&A with Alex Fegan and Fr Joe McDonald, hosted by Patsy McGarry (Irish Times).

Notes by Sunniva O’Flynn