Filmmaker Statement

This documentary entitled ‘Unlocking Ireland’ shines a light on real people experiencing homelessness in Galway. Alongside the film, Connolly is showcasing 1,329 keys he collected over the course of this year – one to represent each vacant home in Galway city. The displayed keys were donated by both Locksmiths shops and individuals. The large number of them speaks to a damning statistic about the state of housing in Galway city, but each single key also bears its own story. All of these keys came into the world with a purpose that is now lost. They were abandoned or forgotten about. Homeless people are among the most disregarded members of our communities. These keys unlock a door to remembering forgotten people, but the keys are suspended just out of our reach or discarded on the floor, just like the solutions to this everyday tragedy.