ALFIE:
14 year old Alfie lives with his Mum and 5 younger brothers and sisters on an estate in Waterford City. A year ago Alfie’s dad died suddenly and both educationally and behaviourally the former ‘A’ student fell off a cliff. Alfie stopped going to school, gave up football and became uncontrollably angry at home. Alfie’s mum Esther was worried that he was feeling pressure to assume the role of ‘Man of The House’ – a roll he’s far from ready for. She wanted to go to the village to learn how to control his anger, be inspired to focus on his future and, after a year of heavy emotional trauma, to learn how to be a kid again.
The Vance Family:
Alfie travelled from the South East to Ireland’s most northerly tip to muck-in with Laura & James Vance and their 8 year old son Nathan in the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it village of Ballintra – 5K from the gorgeous Rossnowlagh Beach. The Vance’s raise rare-breed sheep and goats and their 8 year old son is already an expert in rearing pedigree animals. The family win all the top prizes at local agricultural shows with their magnificent livestock – but is Alfie temperamentally able to cope with the demands of their lifestyle?
AMBER:
Amber is 14 and lives with her mum, had and 5 sisters in Clonsilla. Her Dad is originally from Pakistan and was recently forced to give up a thriving restaurant business due to ill health, her Mum – who’s originally from Finglas – is a full-time homemaker. Amber is obsessed by Social Media and can spend up to 18 hours a day on her phone – scrolling through Instagram, scrutinising the body shape, skin and hair of models and influencers who she perceives as much more beautiful than she is. Amber’s Social Media obsession has led to an emotional disorder labelled ‘Compare and Despair’ – constantly comparing herself to on-line images of perfection and despairing that she’ll never reach their high standards of ‘perfect beauty’. Amber’s Mum has watched her once bubbly daughter become sullen and withdrawn. She’s sending Amber to The Village to give her a break from the on-line world and to hopefully learn how to reconnect with her true self.
The McDermott Family:
Amber spent a busy, phone-free week with Brian and Brenda McDermott and their two teenage daughters in the idyllic seaside village of Moville in Donegal. The McDermott’s run a family hotel – The Foyle Hotel – at the heart of the village and their two teen daughters work with them in all aspects of the business from kitchen to dining room to chambermaiding. Dad Brian is an award-winning Chef who runs the hotel kitchens, while Mum Brenda handles Admin and Front-Of-House. For the McDermott family Summertime equals 18 hour work days – so how will the girl who spends 18 hours a day lolling about on-line cope with their hectic lifestyle?