Aifric

Aifric (Irish pronunciation: [ˈafʲɾʲɪc]) is an Irish-language TV series aimed at young adults, co-created and written by Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin and co-created and directed by Paul Mercier. The show has won multiple IFTA awards for "Best Children's/Youth Program".[1]

This article is about the TV series. For the name and people named Aifric, see Aifric (name).

Aifric
GenreDrama
Comedy-drama
Teen drama
Created byTadhg Mac Dhonnagáin
Paul Mercier
Micheal ó Domhnaill
Developed byTadhg Mac Dhonnagáin
Paul Mercier
StarringClíona Ní Chiosáin
Kevin O'Dwyer
Mairéad Coneely
Barry Barnes
Gráinne Bleasdale
Sláine Hutchinson
Country of originIreland
Original languageIrish
Production
Camera setupSingle-Camera
Running time25 minutes
Release
Original networkTG4
Original releaseNovember 2, 2006 (2006-11-02) –
November 25, 2008 (2008-11-25)

The first of the weekly thirteen-part series began broadcasting on 31 October 2006, the date of TG4's tenth anniversary.[2]

Premise

The series followed the life of Aifric whose wacky family have just moved to a new town in the West of Ireland. The 14-year-old wants nothing more than to fit in but feels her family will not make it easy for her. Her mother is a new-age hippie who has banned television, while her father is a wannabe rock star, and her little brother is just annoying.

Cast and characters
  • Clíona Ní Chiosáin as Aifric de Spáinn, a shy and quirky teenage girl.
  • Kevin O'Dwyer as Traolach de Spáinn, Aifric's younger brother. He is an intelligent and quirky child with a keen interest in Eastern philosophy.
  • Mairéad Coneely as Janis de Spáinn, Aifric and Traolach's mother.
  • Barry Barnes as Tom de Spáinn, Aifric and Traolach's father. He is an accountant by profession but rock musician by aspiration.
  • Gráinne Bleasdale as Sophie, Aifric's best friend.
  • Sláine Hutchinson as Claudia, Aifric's blonde rival. She is wealthy, arrogant, and selfish.
  • Josef Hrehorow as Maidhc, Aifric's classmate who has a crush on her.
  • Cárthach Bán Breathnach as Jimín, Maidhc's right-hand man and the chief messer.
  • Eoin O'Dubhghaill as Bertie, a strange boy with an odd fondness for jellyfish.
  • Colin Murray as Beartla, Aifric's classmate. He is the seemingly attainable "Hottie" of the group.
  • Dónall Ó Héalai as Jeaic, a boy whom Aifric had a crush on in season 1.
  • Christy Leech as Leo, the "surfer dude" of the series, whom Aifric had a crush on at the start of season 2.
  • Gráinne Pollack as Bróna, an eccentric classmate of Aifric's. She has few (if any) friends and plays the cymbals.

Episodes

Season 1 (2006)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleWritten byOriginal air date
11"Codlach na hOiche"Róise Goan & Tadhg Mac DhonnagáinOctober 31, 2006 (2006-10-31)

Broadcast

As well as on TG4, Aifric has also been shown on BBC Alba, where it was dubbed into Scottish Gaelic.[3] It was also shown on HBO Latin America where it was dubbed into Portuguese and Spanish, and on Brezhoweb where it's been dubbed into Breton.[4]

Trivia
  • Over 95% of the production budget was spent in the Galway region.
  • The production employed over 170 crew and a cast of almost 150 actors.
  • In August 2004, there was a national talent search which auditioned hopeful teenagers for the many young roles in the show, including that of Aifric.

Awards and nominations

Aifric won best Children's/Youth programme at the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Irish Film and Television Awards, and was nominated for Best Irish Language show.[5] It won best Youth programme at the Celtic Film and Media Festival, 2009

References
  1. "IMDB - Aifric". IMDb. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  2. RTÉ Guide, 28 October-3 November 2006 edition
  3. Aifric, Series 1 Aingil Chaitlin, BBC Alba, 28 October 2008
  4. "Aifric (Rann 18) - Prenañ skiant labour".
  5. Irish Film and Television Awards 2009
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