Draft:Alex Fegan

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Alex Fegan
Born
Ireland
NationalityIrish
EducationDegree in Economics and Finance
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, director, producer
Years active2009–present
Notable workThe Irish Pub, Older Than Ireland, Abbeyfealegood, Am I Here?, Sins of Ireland, The Omagh Hum, The Essence of Eva

Alex Fegan is an Irish filmmaker known for his documentaries exploring Irish culture, history and social themes. His work includes The Irish Pub (2013) and Older Than Ireland (2015), both of which hold 100% ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and have received international critical acclaim. Older Than Ireland was also selected as a Critic’s Pick by The New York Times. Fegan’s films have won awards at the Galway Film Fleadh, Celtic Media Festival and Royal Television Society Awards, and his work has been commissioned by broadcasters including the BBC.

Early life and education

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Fegan holds a degree in Economics and Finance.[1] Before pursuing filmmaking, he trained and worked as a solicitor.[2] He founded the production company Atom Films to develop independent documentary films.

Career

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Man Made Men (2009)

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Fegan’s debut feature film, the micro-budget science fiction drama Man Made Men, was directed, filmed and edited by Fegan himself. It premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh and won Best Foreign Feature at the Arizona International Film Festival.[3][4][5]

The Irish Pub (2013)

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The Irish Pub is a documentary exploring the role of traditional Irish pubs in communities. It was distributed internationally, including on Netflix,[6] and won Best Audience Reaction at the London Irish Film Festival. It has been widely recognised as one of the best Irish films of all time,[7][8] and holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[9] The Washington Post called it "a lovingly laid-back documentary about the charms... of the traditional Irish watering hole",[10] while the Boston Globe described it as "spirited".[11]

Older Than Ireland (2015)

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Older Than Ireland profiles 30 centenarians and their experiences over a century. It holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 26 reviews.[12] The film won Best Irish Feature Documentary at the Galway Film Fleadh and was the highest-grossing Irish documentary of all time at the combined international and domestic box office upon its release.[13] It was tipped in the media for a potential Oscar nomination.[14][15] The film was selected as a Critic’s Pick by The New York Times.[16] The Guardian described it as "funny, affecting and charming".[17]

Later documentaries

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Fegan has continued to direct documentaries often described as thematic portraits of Irish life, combining oral history traditions with a multi-role production style.

  • Abbeyfealegood (2019) – A portrait of Abbeyfeale, County Limerick, through the lives of 16 barbers and hairdressers across two streets, capturing community spirit in a rural setting. It won a Royal Television Society (RTS) Ireland Television Award.[18][19][20]
  • The Confessors (2020) – Examined the decline of confession in modern Ireland, presented through interviews with priests. The documentary aired on both **RTÉ One** and the **BBC**, and was described by RTÉ as “a sin to miss it,” with one reviewer calling Fegan a “genius.”[21][22]
  • The Irish Wedding (2021) – A documentary capturing wedding traditions across Ireland, from intimate rural celebrations to same-sex ceremonies in urban venues. The Irish Examiner described it as "an impressionist painting of that big day”, praising its observational style.[23] It was also featured on RTÉ Radio 1, where Fegan discussed the humour and poignancy of wedding speeches.[24]
  • The Toy Shop (2021) – A documentary about a family-run Dublin toy shop, exploring the magic of traditional toys and the changing nature of childhood. RTÉ described it as “a magical world of traditional toy shops”, highlighting its nostalgic appeal.[25] Extra.ie noted the emotional audience response, with many viewers calling it heartwarming.[26]
  • Am I Here? (2023) – A powerful look at homelessness in Dublin, it was awarded the Torc Award for Excellence at the Celtic Media Festival.[27]
  • Sins of Ireland (2024) – Examines the enduring influence and personal impact of the confession box in Ireland. The film was released nationally in cinemas across Ireland from Good Friday, April 18, 2025.[28]
  • Jackie & Coco (2024) – Produced by Fegan, this documentary won an RTS Ireland Award in 2025.[29]
  • The Omagh Hum (2024) – Commissioned and broadcast by the BBC, the documentary aired UK-wide under its Our Lives strand and as part of the True North series for BBC Northern Ireland.[30]
  • The Essence of Eva (2025) – Co-directed with Malcolm Willis, this portrait of the U.S. singer Eva Cassidy premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh and was acquired by Autlook Film Sales for international distribution.[31]

Filmmaking style

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Fegan frequently works as a “one-man crew”, serving as director, cinematographer, sound recordist and editor on his films. His documentaries are typically theme-driven rather than plot-driven and rely heavily on conversational interviews, minimal intrusion and preservation of natural speech patterns. Critics have described his work as warm, humorous and unsentimental.

Awards and recognition

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  • Best Foreign Feature – Arizona International Film Festival (Man Made Men)
  • Audience Award – Irish Film Festival London (The Irish Pub)
  • Best Irish Feature Documentary – Galway Film Fleadh (Older Than Ireland)
  • Director’s Choice Award – Boston Irish Film Festival (Older Than Ireland)
  • Torc Award for Excellence – Celtic Media Festival (Am I Here?)
  • Royal Television Society Ireland Awards – (Abbeyfealegood, Jackie & Coco)
  • Nominated – RTS Award (The Irish Wedding)
  • Nominated – IFTA Rising Star Award[32]
[edit]
  1. ^ "We made a sci-fi film for just 4k and it's big in Arizona". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Older Than Ireland: The Secrets of Centenarians". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  3. ^ "Made men, made movie". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Man Made Men wins at Arizona film fest". IFTN. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Man Made Men". RTÉ. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  6. ^ "The Irish Pub launches on Netflix". Janson Media. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Best Irish Movies of All Time". The AV Club. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  8. ^ "21 Best Irish Films According to Rotten Tomatoes". The Irish Post. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  9. ^ "The Irish Pub". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  10. ^ "The Irish Pub movie review". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Spirited look at The Irish Pub". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Older Than Ireland". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Older Than Ireland achieves record box office". IFTN. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Older Than Ireland tipped for possible Oscar glory". RTÉ. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Older Than Ireland documentary tipped for Oscar nomination". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Review: 'Older Than Ireland,' a Century of Life Stories". The New York Times. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Older Than Ireland review – Alex Fegan's centenarian documentary". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  18. ^ "RTS Ireland Television Awards 2021". Royal Television Society. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Abbeyfeale's 16 barbers and hairdressers star in new documentary". Image.ie. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Abbeyfealegood review – No bad hair days in the town with 16 barbers and hairdressers". The Irish Times. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  21. ^ "'The Confessors' – it would be a sin to miss it". RTÉ. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  22. ^ "The Confessors – where to watch". Entertainment.ie. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  23. ^ Fitzpatrick, Pat (12 February 2021). "TV review: The Irish Wedding is just like being there in a local hotel, and it's brilliant". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  24. ^ "RTÉ Radio 1 clip: The Irish Wedding". RTÉ Radio 1. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  25. ^ "New doc delves into the magical world of traditional toy shops". RTÉ. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  26. ^ "The Toy Shop leaves RTE viewers saying the same thing". Extra.ie. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  27. ^ "Celtic Media Festival Winners 2024". Celtic Media Festival. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  28. ^ "'Sins of Ireland' documentary gets nationwide release". RTÉ. 12 April 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  29. ^ "RTS Ireland Television Awards 2025 – Gradaim RTS". Royal Television Society. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  30. ^ "The Omagh Hum". BBC. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  31. ^ "The Essence of Eva". Autlook Films. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  32. ^ "IFTA Rising Star Nominees". Variety. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2025.