Jimmy Brennan

A group of unemployed and marginalised souls eke out a meagre living by drawing welfare and occupying a derelict squat in an apocalyptic inner city Dublin. Among the undesirables are a gay man estranged from his wife, a pimp and his prostitute, a destitute businessman, and a paranoiac. The makeshift family soon find themselves subject of intimidation from the State, along with other external forces.

Mixing classroom dramatization with documentary material, interviews with former students who recall barbaric punishments in the name of learning, and a 1932 newsreel of a triumphant Catholic congress in Dublin, this piece poses a challenging and controversial exploration of the Christian Brothers' education system in the 50s.

Based on the writings of David Chapman and Jimmy Brennan, Withdrawal is about Jimmy, a heroin user in a Dublin psychiatric hospital. His thoughts and observations dominate, his subjective voice-over speculating on the lives of his companions. Jimmy leaves the hospital, returning to the city to reconcile with his loved ones, but his withdrawal leads ultimately to a dead end.