The Hawk Against The Dove: Addiction in Small-Town Ireland

A raw and unflinching portrait of addiction, homelessness, and survival in small-town Ireland.

Once confined to the cities, drug addiction has crept into the quiet corners of rural Ireland, leaving no community untouched. Through the life of Antoinette Foley, The Hawk Against the Dove lays bare the brutal realities of substance abuse, loss, and the fight to reclaim what was lost.

Born into a Traveller family, Antoinette’s world spirals after teenage love leads to heartbreak, separation from her children, and a devastating descent into addiction. From the streets of Athy to the banks of the River Barrow, she navigates violence, desperation, and the unforgiving gaze of society. But beneath the chaos flickers a memory-the girl she once was, and the life she still dreams of.

Told with a blend of documentary insight and poetic reflection, The Hawk Against the Dove is a testament to resilience, the weight of judgment, and the fragile hope of redemption.