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\n Michael Healy Rae TD pictured on his farm. Jerry Kennelly \/ Local Story Films<\/p>\n
IF THERE IS a more fascinating political family than the Healy-Raes, then this reviewer will eat her flat cap.<\/p>\n
Patriarch Jackie Healy-Rae came out from under the wing of Fianna F\u00e1il in 1997 to successfully win a seat as an Independent TD. His triumph began a winning streak for the Healy-Rae dynasty that has lasted for 50 years. Currently, his two sons Michael and Danny are TDs, while grandchildren Maura, Jackie Jr and Johnny Healy-Rae are councillors in Co Kerry.<\/p>\n
The Healy-Rae brand is family and Kerry above all. But this documentary \u2013 made by former photojournalist Jerry Kennelly \u2013 leads up to a major drama earlier this year, which culminated in Michael standing down from his position as minister of state for agriculture.<\/p>\n
Smooth operators<\/p>\n
\n Michael Healy Rae TD pictured on his farm. Jerry Kennelly \/ Local Story Films<\/p>\n
Jerry Kennelly \/ Local Story Films \/ Local Story Films\n<\/p>\n
The documentary tees up this incident by looking back at the Healy-Rae family\u2019s political history. Jackie Healy-Rae Sr was a canny operator, teaching his sons about the value of putting local politics first. When his sons followed him into the family business, they learned to pay close attention to their constituents\u2019 needs, and this has paid dividends for them.<\/p>\n
These are men who keep their phones on 24\/7 in case they get a phone call, and who will fix a problem within 24 hours if they can. Michael Healy-Rae is even quoted here as saying that sleep is basically a waste of time.<\/p>\n
In between their political activities we see them mucking in on their farms (Michael says that if he wasn\u2019t a politician, he\u2019d be \u201cup on a digger\u201d), or working on their other businesses. They are canny operators who have a lot on the go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The brothers are a fascinating duo. Michael comes across as the smoother operator, while Danny\u2019s appeal is that he\u2019s a straight talker. Neither are afraid of controversy.<\/p>\n
Talking heads such as Vincent Browne and Ivan Yates don\u2019t mince their words around what they think of them, with Browne saying there has been no one like them in the history of the state. Terry Prone describes them as \u201cunderestimated\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Family lore<\/p>\n
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\n TDs Danny and Michael Healy-Rae pictured at their weekly meeting at the Healy Rae Bar, owned by Danny Jerry Kennelly \/ Local Story Films<\/p>\n
Jerry Kennelly \/ Local Story Films \/ Local Story Films\n<\/p>\n
But while we get a good insight into what makes them tick workwise, it\u2019s the personal stories that stand out. We learn that Michael was diagnosed as a child as being profoundly dyslexic, and learned to read and write with the help of a local teacher, Sister Regina.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both brothers recall the impact of their parents\u2019 separation in the 1970s, acknowledging that it was unusual \u2013 particularly given that Danny remained with his father while the rest of the siblings and Michael stayed with their mother. But these aren\u2019t men who are interested in raking through their childhood traumas. They have a strong work ethic and a \u2018can-do\u2019 attitude that they\u2019d rather focus on. And there are voters to think of.<\/p>\n
Visually, the director Kennelly\u2019s photography skills pay dividends, with sweeping shots of Kerry vistas and unusually-framed talking head interviews. This gives the documentary a slick look, lifting it above your typical fare.<\/p>\n
Drama<\/p>\n
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\n Michael Healy-Rae TD pictured in Radio Kerry’s Killarney studio with host Jerry O’Sullivan in his first radio interview since his departure from his Ministerial post. Jerry Kennelly \/ Local Story Films<\/p>\n
Jerry Kennelly \/ Local Story Films \/ Local Story Films\n<\/p>\n
The action builds until the pivotal time in early 2026 when the brothers did something unexpected: a deal with the government. Typically, they were steadfast independents who stood apart from the government, but they agreed to support the new coalition and Michael Healy-Rae became a minister of state. Danny, who didn\u2019t get a new role, was there to support his brother (and Kerry \u2013 let\u2019s never forget Kerry).<\/p>\n