Ballymanus is a new documentary which details the tragedy of ‘The Ballymanus Mine Disaster’, in which 19 men and boys were killed.

This powerful retelling of the 1943 incident draws from eyewitness testimonies to detail what actually happened surrounding what has been named “one of the worst tragedies in modern Irish history”. On a Monday morning in Donegal, Gardaí were alerted that a mine had floated to the shores of County Donegal. Upon no response from authorities after three hours, locals took it upon themselves to drag it on the beach. The mine struck a rock and saw 19 men and boys lose their lives, devastating the local community and leaving a lasting impact on the area.

This documentary explores the negligence of authorities, the lack of wartime education in the midst of Irish neutrality and why no accountability has been given almost 80 years later. “A disaster without parallel in the history of Donegal has brought death and sorrow to many homes in the West Donegal Gaeltacht,” Local historian Paddy McGarvey said to the Irish Times in 1999.

Since the tragedy, local residents and politicians have called for an official apology from the Irish Government for their negligence. Utilising stories from locals, Ballymanus’ contains impactfully stunning shot re-enactments.

The film debuted in Ireland at the Galway Film Fleadh 2023 and received the Audience Award from the Central Scotland Documentary Festival. Now it is available to watch on RTÉ, hoping to once again exert social pressure for a recognition of the lives lost and mishandling of protocol on 10 May 1946.

Elsewhere on District: 6 Stunning Documentaries To Catch At IFI’s Documentary Festival