Great Island Enters Partnerships with Irish Writers

Cork-based production company Great Island has inked agreements with up-and-coming Irish writers Richie O’Connell (Hush Clowns, Dry) and Joshua Kenny (Into the Badlands, Penny Dreadful) for two original series.

The dramedy Headcase, written by O’Connell, follows a troubled street artist, his former boxing champion sister and an agoraphobic friend on their search for more meaningful lives. The series aims to explore mental health issues through a personal lens.

The upcoming dark comedy People Do Bad Things, written by Joshua Kenny, sees Grace’s suicide attempt interrupted by a young thief named Jack, who Grace catches breaking into her home. With nothing else to lose, Grace offers to help him rob her, leading Grace to become involved with a gang of criminals whom she influences to use their skills for good.

Mark Kenny, CEO of Great Island, commented, “It’s our pleasure to announce our collaboration with these two fantastic writers. A huge amount of work has gone into shaping these stories for screen adaption, and we are thankful to Richie and Joshua for trusting us with their work and collaborating with us individually. Headcase and People Do Bad Things are local Cork stories that are authentic yet universally relevant in their own right. This is something we look for in every project we that we work on. With thanks to Screen Ireland, we are working to bring these stories to audiences around the world.”