New Irish Documentary 'From that Small Island' Premiers in Boston Area on November 10, 2025

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Irish Film Festival Boston is hosting a screening of the new film, From That Small Island – The Story of the Irish on Monday, November 10 at 7 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre in Arlington, MA.

The ground-breaking documentary tells the story of the Irish from first inhabitants to the present day, tracing the ebb and flow of people into and out of the island. Shot on location in 17 countries worldwide, the film provides a compelling narrative of Ireland and the Irish. 

The film crew spent four days in Boston in October 2023 interviewing several people for the documentary, including Michael Quinlin, author and co-founder of Boston Irish Tourism Association; former US Congressman and US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III; former Mayor of Boston and US Ambassador to the Vatican Ray Flynn; Martina Curtin, Board Chair of the Irish Cultural Centre of Greater Boston; and Guy Beiner, Sullivan Chair in Irish Studies at Boston College.

Created by Bríona Nic Dhiarmada 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. 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?

Presented by the Irish Film Festival Boston in partnership with the Consulate General of Ireland, Boston, the screening will show a feature-length 90 minute cut of the documentary. In early 2026, the documentary will be broadcast as a four-part series by American Public Television on PBS stations nationwide. 

This special screening event in Boston will also include a post-film panel featuring Director of the Irish Institute at Boston College Professor Mary Murphy in conversation with Prof Bríona Nic Dhiarmada and Prof Jane Ohlmeyer, two of the major visionaries behind the documentary.

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