A new documentary series that will air on RTÉ 2 this week will document the lives of young people in the seaside town of Bray, Co Wicklow, as they try to come to terms with Covid and other challenges in their lives.

Filmed over 18 months to the end of last year, Our Town follows the hopes, dreams, challenges and joys of young adults making their way in the world.

Their only connection is that they all live in Bray, a town that has shaped their lives for the better.

CJ, of local rap duo The Bray Side Boyz, is from Malawi, but, along with bandmate Sammy, has made Bray his home. The pair recently wrote the new anthem for Bray Wanderers FC and shot a video. Their new song, Sláinte, is also due to be released soon.

“Covid stopped a lot of what we were doing in terms of gigs,” CJ said. “Also, we will reshoot the video for the Bray Wanderers song. We want it with the fans in the stadium and the kids.”

As well as detailing how Covid has impacted the development of their musical endeavours, the three-part
documentary explores the issue of racism, with CJ describing how an unprovoked assault last year left him with a badly broken jaw.

The programme also looks at the life of footballer Dylan Barnett (23), who, at the age 16, moved to England to play for Brighton and other clubs.

However, when his dream did not work out and he faced his demons, he returned home and now plays for Wanderers.

The life of single mother Gabi (22) is also explored. Her struggles in raising a toddler son on her own while also studying and working as a healthcare assistant are documented.

Jasmin, a local mixed-race woman, whose mother is from Co Wicklow and father from Jamaica, narrates the series.

Our Town shows the central characters dealing with the roller coaster of ‘normal’ life in a world before and during a global pandemic.

“These are resilient and hopeful young people and their stories are both unique and universal,” said filmmaker Adrian McCarthy, who developed the Wildfire Films/Curious Dog Films production for RTÉ.

“As with all other obstacles — they just do what they always do.”
 

‘Our Town’ is on RTÉ 2 on Thursday at 9.30pm