BBC viewers are raving over a ‘brilliant’ Irish language crime thriller which is ‘full of twists and turns’ that hit screens this week.
Crá is a six-part series set in Co. Donegal in the north west of Ireland and kicks off when Garda (Irish police officer) Barry Roche, played by Alex Murphy, discovers a body buried in a bog.
Barry’s co-worker Conall Ó Súilleabháin, played by Dónall Ó Héalai, soon discovers the body is his mother, who has been missing for the last 15 years.
Because of his personal connection to the case, Connall is barred from working on it.
Instead, he joins forces with Ciara-Kate, the host of a true crime podcast, to expose the culture of silence over the village and its darkest secrets.
All the twists and turns of the investigation are broadcast to the podcast’s rapidly growing fan base.
Crá is a six-part series set in Co. Donegal in the north west of Ireland and kicks off when Garda (Irish police officer) Barry Roche, played by Alex Murphy (pictured), discovers a body buried in a bog
Barry’s co-worker Conall Ó Súilleabháin, played by Dónall Ó Héalai (pictured), soon discovers the body is his mother who has been missing for the last 15 years
Connall is barred from working on the case because of his personal connection and instead joins forces with Ciara-Kate (pictured), the host of a true crime podcast, to expose the culture of silence over the village and its darkest secrets
However, as the duo get closer to the truth, they face a close-knit community ‘bound by silence and its own moral codes’.
Crá – meaning ‘torment’ or ‘anguish’ – is commissioned by both Irish language TV channel TG4 and BBC Northern Ireland.
The cast of Crá includes lan Mahon (King Frankie), Alex Murphy (The Young Offenders), Barry McGovern (Obituary), Caoimhe Farren (The Woman in the Wall), Róisín Murphy (Vikings) and Tara Breathnach (Dune: Part Two).
Viewers have taken to social media to praise the show and urged other to binge watch it.
On social media site X, one wrote: ‘We just watched the first two episodes of the brilliant new Irish-language drama #CRÁ produced by @CiaranCharles and set in beautiful #Donegal.
‘We would highly recommend it. Looking forward to seeing what happens next. Congrats to all involved.’
Another said: ‘#CRÁ well worth a binge watch. Brilliant drama and the scenery is breathtaking. Music is fabulous.’
‘Watching Irish crime drama Crá on iPlayer and enjoying it. Atmospheric. Varied and different soundtrack. Donegal at its most scenic. Six- part series. Gets my thumbs up,’ a third posted.
A fourth said: ‘Further to my posts last night, I’m still bingeing Crá, the new as Gaeilge crime drama on TG4/BBC NI (also on iPlayer).
‘If you like Nordic Noir then you’ll love this – think Wallander, but set in the boglands of Donegal. I think if you enjoy Shetland, you’ll love this too!’
Alex Murphy (left) as Barry Roche and Alan Mahon (right) as Cathal Keogh in BBC Irish-language crime drama Crá
Caoimhe Farren as Inspector Conlon (left) and Alan Mahon as Detective Keogh (right)
Tara Breathnach as Inspector Patsy Sweeney (left) and Alex Murphy as Garda Barry Roche (right)
Discussing the show before its release, TG4’s Máire Ní Chonláin’s said in a statement: ‘Crá is a powerful and evocative drama that captures the essence of the rugged northwest of Ireland, both in its landscape and in its storytelling.
‘This series brings together a talented team of writers, actors, and directors to tell a gripping tale of mystery and justice, while also exploring the modern role of media in uncovering truth.
‘We are proud to support a production that showcases not only the beauty of the Irish language but also its relevance and power in contemporary storytelling.
‘We believe audiences will be drawn into the intensity and emotion of Crá, and it’s a testament to the strength of cross-border collaboration between TG4 and BBC Northern Ireland.’
Crá comes after the success of other Irish crime drama Kin. The RTE gangland thriller, featuring Charlie Cox, Clare Dunne, Aidan Gillen and Ciaran Hinds has had viewers glued to two seasons since it debuted in 2021.
Kin was an instant hit on the Irish channel, with the season two finale pulling in nearly 600,000 viewers.
Crá airs on BBC One Northern Ireland and is available to stream on iPlayer.
