Tabby Daly

Tabby Daly is set against the backdrop of rural Ireland in 1847, as the potato blight tears through a community. A charitable woman, being the titular character Tabby Daly (Andrea Kelly), helps young boys emigrate in search of a greater life. However, as doubts begin to surface within the community, questions arise about her true intentions.

One of the most mesmerising aspects of the piece is the fantastic production value throughout, as it is an impactful portrait of rural Ireland during the 1800s, making the experience feel lived-in and true to its time period. The boxed-in 4:3 aspect ratio is another commendable formal decision that pays off wonderfully within the rural community at the height of the famine. David Christopher Lynch’s cinematography is striking, as the piece consists of gorgeous drone photography that gives the viewer a sense of the beautiful landscapes of Ireland, along with the shift to extreme close-ups of each character. These close-ups are impactful thanks to the intimacy in each interaction between characters, making the experience more visceral throughout. The film primarily relies on low-key lighting, achieved with candles, which is an admirable choice given its rural setting. Conor Kilkelly, serving as the film's composer, delivers an evocative musical score that creates a sense of awe and wonder between dialogue-heavy sequences and anchors the quieter aspects of the material.

The piece is an audacious portrayal of a woman during this time period helping younger boys emigrate with a fully realised characterisation for the titular character that's both shocking and endearing to witness throughout. Both central performances from Andrea Kelly in her portrayal of the titular character and Declan Curran in his portrayal of Father Winters are the centrepiece within the narrative, as their dialogue is enriching and deeply provocative throughout. Each performance displays a sense of warmth and urgency during the struggles of the potato blight ravaging through the community, and it's utterly gripping to watch. Andrea Kelly, in particular, is the standout of the cast, as her actions are widely unpredictable, and this pays off heavily in its final moments, as the piece takes a shocking tonal shift. The piece tackles incredibly potent themes such as the rise of the Great Famine, a time in Ireland of mass starvation and disease, and themes of religion.

While the piece takes a meandering approach in its pacing, this gives the audience enough time to connect with each character despite the film's incredibly tight runtime. The sluggish pacing also allows for the jarring tonal redirect to feel more natural, thanks to the prolonged build-up, as it explores the intentions behind the titular character's ideal motivation within the community. The brevity of the piece’s exploration of the subject matter makes the overall viewing experience worthwhile and rewarding. Whilst the piece would perhaps not have enough material to sustain a longer runtime, it certainly leaves the viewer wanting more, which is a testament to directors John Doherty and Conor Kilkelly's sheer attention to detail.

Tabby Daly is a provocative exploration of the rise of the Great Famine against the titular characters' mischiefs within the community of rural Ireland. Anchored by a spellbinding central performance from Andrea Kelly, alongside John Doherty and Conor Kilkelly’s formalism, Tabby Daly is an engrossing experience.