David Keenan: Focla ar Chanbhás (Words on Canvas)
Film Screening & Q&A with Director Paddy Hayes
ICC is delighted to present a special screening of the award-winning Irish-language feature documentary Focla ar Chanbhás (Words on Canvas). The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Director Paddy Hayes and Musician David Keenan.
Winner of the Best Cinematography Award at Docs Ireland Festival Belfast, Focla ar Chanbhás has been praised for its lyrical, intimate portrayal and poetic exploration of one of Ireland’s most original and poetic musical voices, David Keenan (Dáithí Ó’Cianáin).
Four years after the breakthrough success of his debut album Beginner’s Guide to Bravery, Dundalk-born songwriter, musician, and composer David Keenan finds himself at a crossroads. Known for his evocative lyricism and compelling live performances, Keenan invites us into his world of words as he returns to the studio to create new music; “Anger is easy to portray, it’s the hurt that’s hard”.
Over the course of 500 days, the film offers an unfiltered look at Keenan’s creative process, the challenges of navigating an ever-changing music industry, and the struggle to retain authenticity in an era dominated by “algorithm and blues”.
This film is not just a documentary about one artist—it is a meditation on artistry itself, a resonant portrait of the trials and triumphs of musical expression. Director Paddy Hayes masterfully weaves together candid footage, powerful performances, and deeply personal moments, crafting an immersive documentary that will leave audiences deeply moved and inspired.
The film is told partly in Gaelic (with subtitles), capturing a natural, contemporary Irish-born artist in the council estates of Dundalk. The film builds on the success of recent Irish-language cinema and contributes to the growing movement of modern Irish-language expression in film and music.
Doors: 7.30pm; Starts: 8pm
Tickets: £12/£10 (concessions)
Production Details
Directed by Paddy Hayes, Focla ar Chanbhás is produced by Tua Films and funded under the Ildána scheme by TG4 and the Arts Council. Hayes’ previous credits include Obituary, Foscadh, Finné, CUMAR, and Daniel O’Connell: Forgotten King.
Trailer:
About David Keenan
David Keenan wrote the ode to his hometown of Dundalk on the Irish border, “El Paso”, at 14. Self-educated and guided by his grandfather’s storytelling gift, songwriting has always been a full-time vocation.
After a number of self-released EPs, his first album A Beginner’s Guide to Bravery (2020) reached number 1 in the Irish Indie Charts and was followed by the critically acclaimed WHAT THEN? a year later. Other works include live album/concert film Alchemy & Prose and the DIY CRUDE records.
With a reputation as a uniquely poetic singer-songwriter/storyteller and a relentless live performer, he has toured consistently from a young age across Ireland, the UK, Europe, North America and Australia.
About Paddy Hayes
Paddy Hayes is a documentary director and drama producer with 25 years’ experience in the entertainment industry. Hayes produced the award-winning feature film Foscadh, which was the Irish entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 2022 Academy Awards.
Other drama works include teen comedy drama EIPIC and the award-scooping Corp & Anam (starring Maria Doyle Kennedy), which received multiple IFTA awards and garnered acclaim on VoD releases in the US and Europe. Hayes is currently executive producing season two of Obituary for Hulu, starring Siobhán Cullen and Máiréad Tyers, having initiated and produced season 1 in 2023.
Film Credits
David Keenan – Focla ar Chanbhás is an Ildána film funded by TG4 and the Arts Council.
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Production Company: Tua Films
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Director/Writer: Paddy Hayes
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Producers: Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha, Aisling Ní Fhlaithearta
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Length: 70 mins
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Made in: Ireland, 2025
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Languages: Irish, English (English Subtitles)
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