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Adrian McCarthy

Documentary Director
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Filmography
  • The Killing Of Father Niall Molloy
    2021 — Series 2 × — 50 mins
  • Our Town
    2021 — Series 3 × — 50 mins
  • We Need To Talk About Ross
    2019 — Feature Film — 50 mins
  • My Broken Brain
    2018 — Feature Film — 52 mins
  • Portrait Of A Gallery
    2017 — Feature Film — 80 mins
  • Pull Like A Dog
    2016 — Documentary — 52 mins
  • Hidden Impact: Rugby And Concussion
    2015 — Feature Film
  • OCD And Me
    2015 — Feature Film
  • Rough Rider
    2014 — Feature Film — 90 mins
  • Inside The Department
    2012 — Feature Film
  • Whose Art Is It Anyway
    2011 — Feature Film
  • Small Far Away: The World Of Father Ted
    2011 — Documentary
  • Gilbert O’Sullivan: Out On His Own
    2010 — Feature Film
  • Life After Dell
    2010 — Feature Film
  • Croke Park Lives
    2009 — Feature Film
  • Graham Linehan: Funny Business
    2007 — Feature Film
  • A Missing Generation: AIDS in Africa
    2006 — Feature Film
  • Pigeon Heads
    2006 — Feature Film
  • Fairy Wife: The Burning of Bridget Cleary
    2005 — Feature Film
  • Beaten
    2005 — Feature Film
  • School No1: Mission To Beslan
    2004 — Feature Film
  • An Tobar (The Well)
    2004 — Feature Film
  • Communion Kids
    2004 — Feature Film
  • Crash
    2003 — Feature Film
  • Walking The Dog
    2003 — Feature Film
  • Living The Revolution
    2002 — Feature Film
  • Dead Silence
    2001 — Feature Film
  • Blowing The Whistle
    2000 — Feature Film
Awards
  • 2016 — Winner
    IFTA — Sport. Hidden Impact: Rugby and Concussion
  • 2015 — Winner
    IFTA — Editing. Rough Rider
  • 2013 — Winner
    IFTA — Editing. Inside The Department
  • 2008 — Winner
    Radharc Award — Title. Missing Generation: AIDS in Africa
  • 2002 — Winner
    CIRCOM Regional — Best European Documentary. Dead Silence
  • 2001 — Winner
    ESB National Media Award — Best Feature. Dead Silence
  • 2000 — Winner
    ESB National Media Award — Best Sport. Blowing The Whistle

Adrian McCarthy has been directing and producing documentaries for over twenty years. He is the owner of Curious Dog Films which was established in late 2019 and was previously the co-owner of Wildfire Films. Raised in West Cork and living in Dublin, Adrian has made over fifty hours of docs across a broad range of subjects including the arts, sport, politics, music, comedy, true-crime, social issues and mental health.

Some of his work includes: the IFTA winning ‘Rough Rider’ film, on controversial journalist and former pro cyclist, Paul Kimmage. It was described as “Remarkable. A superb film, a sad story of unrequited love” by The Sunday Independent and “Excellently paced, well crafted and beautifully filmed” by the Irish Times. The IFTA nominated, ‘Portrait of a Gallery’ was filmed over three years inside the walls of National Gallery of Ireland. The Irish Times described it as “A brilliant pieces of art criticism. In this documentary, the National Gallery gets a depiction worthy of its renovation”.

His IFTA winning ‘Hidden Impact—Rugby and Concussion’ was described as ‘an excellent documentary making for deeply unsettling yet essential viewing‘ by The Irish Times. After his documentary ‘Graham Linehan—Funny Business’, Shane Hegarty in The Irish Times said ‘A cracking profile. It was as assured an hour of television as you’re likely to see all year. Although it’s no surprise given it was the work of Adrian McCarthy. If you want an observational documentary maker, he’s about as good as they come’. And he directed ‘Small Far Away—The World of Father Ted‘ for Channel Four, which was nominated for an IFTA, given five stars and described as ‘Lovely Stuff’ by Time Out, London.

In 2021, he was Series director on the 3 x 1 hour Series ‘Our Town‘ following the lives of young people in the seaside town of Bray, Co. Wicklow. Described as ‘A beautiful portrait of young people in all their strength, vulnerability and wisdom. A compelling portrait of a town and community‘ by Patrick Freyne in The Irish Times. In 2021, Adrian directed ’The Killing of Father Niall Molloy’, 2 x 1 hour documentary produced by Sharon Lawless and Flawless Films.