Attention is a Form of Love

By Niall McKay

Pat Collins on film, community and the art of paying attention

Niall McKay talks to Pat Collins about That They May Face the Rising Sun, his adaptation of John McGahern’s novel, and a filmmaking career shaped by rural Ireland, community and close observation.

Visiting Collins in West Cork, Niall traces connections between the film and earlier work including Silence and Song of Granite. Their conversation explores changing rural life, the craft of performance and the humour that sits alongside loss.

Published in Film Ireland, the piece considers how Collins finds meaning in everyday encounters, shared work and the small details of a place.