Watch The South Westerlies

The South Westerlies is a hilarious and heartwarming 2020 Irish television series, featuring Orla Brady as Kate Ryan, a Dublin-based environmental consultant who is assigned a project in the small coastal town of Carrigeen. Kate travels to Carrigeen with high hopes of finishing her project quickly and returning to her normal life, but things don't go exactly as planned.

Upon arriving, Kate finds out that her project involves permitting a wind farm to be built on the coast of Carrigeen - and the locals aren't too happy about it. Matters are complicated further when Kate discovers that her estranged mother, Eileen (played by Cothern native actress Eileen Walsh), is one of the chief opponents to the project, and that she has been living in Carrigeen for years without ever telling her daughter.

As is often the case with small communities, everyone knows everyone, and Kate quickly becomes embroiled in local scandals and storylines. Add in a love triangle (involving Kate, her ex-boyfriend, and the local town doctor), some shady business dealings, a missing fishing boat, and enough beautiful coastal scenery to make anyone want to pack up and move to Ireland, and you've got the makings of a truly entertaining series.

One of the strengths of The South Westerlies is its cast. Orla Brady is fantastic as the uptight, overly-professional Kate, who slowly but surely learns to let her guard down and embrace the local way of life. Walsh is equally impressive as her mother, Eileen, a woman with a secret past and a deep attachment to Carrigeen.

But the show is a true ensemble piece, and the supporting cast is just as strong. Among the standouts are Steve Wall as the handsome, charming Dr. Kieran O'Connor, Niamh Walsh as Kate's young assistant from Dublin, Rory Nolan as Sonny, a local fisherman with a grudge against the proposed wind farm, and Chris Walley as the slightly hapless town councilor, Baz.

The South Westerlies succeeds because it strikes the right balance between comedy and drama, touching on serious issues (like environmentalism and intergenerational trauma) while never straying too far from the show's lighthearted tone. The episodes are well-paced and well-written, with plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers engaged.

Perhaps best of all, The South Westerlies offers a much-needed escape from reality. The stunning coastal setting, the quirky characters, and the sense of community all combine to create a world that is both familiar and fantastical. Watching the show feels like taking a mini-vacation to Ireland, complete with stunning landscapes, cozy pubs, and a rousing soundtrack that will have you tapping your toes along with the characters.

Overall, The South Westerlies is a delightful and thoroughly enjoyable show that is well worth a watch. With its strong cast, beautiful setting, and engaging storylines, it's the perfect blend of drama, humor, and heart.

The South Westerlies is a series that ran for 1 seasons (6 episodes) between September 12, 2020 and on Acorn TV