From That Small Island TV series features Trinity researchers and treasures

Posted on: 05 June 2025

A host of Trinity researchers will feature in a new four-part documentary series on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player which traces 8,000 years of Irish history.

Premiering on Sunday 8 June at 6:30pm, From That Small Island - The story of the Irish will bring to life "the extraordinary story of the Irish people, from the island's very first inhabitants to the global diaspora that now numbers over 80 million people".

Developed by the same team behind the multi-award winning series 1916: The Irish Rebellion, the new series is a COCO Content production written and produced by Bríona Nic Dhiarmada, a Trinity graduate, and directed by Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy.

Professor Jane Ohlmeyer, from Trinity’s School of Histories and Humanities, served as historical consultant and associate producer on the series and an accompanying 90-minute feature documentary.

Eight Trinity academics feature as experts across From That Small Island - The story of the Irish series and feature documentary – Jane Ohlmeyer, Patrick Geoghegan, Rachel Moss, Micheál Ó Siochrú, Francis Ludlow and Immo Warntjes from the School of Histories and Humanities and Dan Bradley and Lara Cassidy from the School of Genetics and Microbiology.

Other contributors associated with Trinity include Sparky Booker (PhD), Kevin O'Sullivan (PhD), Brendan Smith (PhD), Connie Kelleher (PhD), Mary McAleese (Chancellor) and Louise Richardson (undergrad).

The senior researcher for From That Small Island - The story of the Irish was Caoimhe Whelan (PhD), who was a DFA-funded fellow and based in the Trinity Long Room Hub. In addition, many treasures from collections held in the Library of Trinity College Dublin also feature.  

From That Small Island - The story of the Irish was shot on location in 17 countries worldwide. It is narrated by Colin Farrell and the original score is by Colm Mac Con Iomaire.

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?

The first episode on Sunday, June 8th, brings us face to face with 'Rathlin Man', a 4,000-year-old ancestor whose face was reconstructed using cutting-edge DNA technology. Episode 2 looks at the transformation of Ireland and the Irish after the arrival of the Normans. Episode 3 follows the first Irish diaspora to Europe in the 1600s as a result of events at home and then later to various destinations in the New World. The fourth and final episode looks at the impact of the Irish globally as it poses the question ‘What does it mean to be Irish’? The fourth and final episode looks at the impact of the Irish globally as it poses the question ‘What does it mean to be Irish’?

From That Small Island - The Story of the Irish begins on Sunday 8 June on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player at 6:30pm.

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