Filmmaker Charlie Joe Doherty is working closely with an at-risk community group in the co-creation of a documentary film that explores 'Donegal Amy'.

Charlie is teaching the community group important digital media and filmmaking skills and enabling them to document their personal stories. This encourages increased participation in creative and cultural activities, supports capacity building, and promotes the value of creativity to an 'at risk' group.

Amyloidosis, also known as Donegal Amy, due to it's prevalence along a 15 mile stretch of coastline between Carrigart and Burtonport, has been traced back to Conall Gulban, an Irish King and eponymous ancestor of the Cenél Conaill, who founded the kingdom of Tír Chonaill in the 5th century. The disease originated along a fifteen mile stretch of coastline in North West Donegal. Former Deputy First Minster of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness, who had links to Inishowen through his mother, died from the disease in 2017. A study back in 1995 found that as estimated 1% of Donegal's population could be a carrier of the gene. For many the gene causes a protein which transports Vitamin A around the body to misfold leading to organ and nerve malfunction. Until very recent times the disease was progressive and fatal. Thankfully innovative new treatments such as gene silencing are slowly becoming available.
 

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.