‘Born That Way’– The power of narrative
In the interview above with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications, filmmaker and former Crescent College Limerick student, Éamon Little speaks about his acclaimed new documentary Born That Way. It tells the story of Patrick Lydon, who set up, lived and worked in Camphill communities for people with disabilities that have operated in Ireland for 50 years ».
Patrick Lydon with his wife Gladys (see photo) pioneered the Camphill movement in Ireland, founding, among others, the Ballytobin community in County Kilkenny. Camphill communities were inspired by Rudolf Steiner’s anthroposophy, centred on dignity, interdependence, and meaningful work.
Through focussing on the life (and death) of Patrick, the film portrays a community based model of care where people with and without disabilities share households, land, and culture, practicing social therapy through daily rhythms, arts, and festivals. The focus is on capacities over deficits, holistic development—body, soul, spirit—and nurturing inclusive belonging through intentional, ecological community.
Patrick helped seed inclusive living, arts, and education projects, including KCAT and other initiatives in Callan, which Eamon talks about in the interview above. He also discusses the tensions Patrick experienced toward the end of his life as his vision of Camphill’s social model of care, which emphasized community living and life-sharing, clashed with a health-based approach to disability that prioritised medical standards and regulations.
Born That Way is currently showing in the Irish Film Institute, Eustace Street Dublin. Click here for times and dates ».
Born That Way Local Screening Schedule:
26 November 2025 Campbells Tavern, Headford
27 November 2025 Ballina Arts Centre
1 December 2025 Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny (x2)
2 December 2025 VISUAL, Carlow
3 December 2025 Brewery Lane Theatre, Carrick on Suir
3 December 2025 Kilcullen Town Hall
4 December 2025 Town Hall, Gort
8 December 2025 Solstice Arts Centre, Navan
11 December 2025 Glens Centre, Manorhamilton
