ARRANMORE and Tory island will feature on a new series on TG4.
Trasna na dTonnta is an intimate and compelling four-part documentary series that follows the lives of the “New Irish” who have chosen to make Ireland’s offshore islands their home.
The series explores the remarkable journeys of people who have travelled from across Europe and beyond to settle in some of the country’s most remote islands.
Trasna na dTonnta offers a unique perspective on migration, identity and belonging. We hear extraordinary stories of journeys across countries and continents, retracing the routes, transport and life-changing decisions that ultimately brought them to Ireland’s western seaboard. For many, life on an island is an entirely new experience; some had never travelled by boat or lived beside the sea before arriving.
Filmed over twelve months, from January 2025 to January 2026, the series follows immigrants from Ukraine, South Africa, Nigeria, France, Scotland and Germany as they build new lives on five offshore islands: Arranmore and Tory Island in Donegal, and Sherkin, Bere and Dursey Islands in Cork.
Trasna na dTonnta is a powerful exploration of home, community and the enduring human capacity to embrace change, forge connections and create a sense of belonging in the most unexpected of places.
In Episode 1, Ukrainian refugees Krystyna and Diana share their story of finding sanctuary on Tory Island. In Episode 2, Nina reflects on rebuilding her life on Sherkin after fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Episode 3 follows Sasha on an emotional return to her homeland of Ukraine. Episode 4 looks at Arranmore, where Father John from Nigeria has become a valued part of community life as the local priest.
Produced and directed by Helena Ní Ghallachóir of HG Productions, an Arranmore island native.