The latest Sky comedy-drama, Small Town, Big Story, has made its debut, leaving audiences to wonder about the authenticity of its setting and story. The series introduces us to TV producer Wendy Patterson, played by Christina Hendricks, who finds herself back in her old stomping ground of Drumbán, Ireland, after leaving 20 years ago.
Rekindling old flames and uncovering buried secrets are on the agenda as Wendy encounters her former beau and local GP Séamus Proctor, portrayed by Paddy Considine. With a film crew in tow, the small town is set for upheaval.
Behind the scenes, Chris O’Dowd—best known for his role in The IT Crowd—is the creative force who penned the series amidst the solitude of lockdown. He chose to place the story within the confines of a fictional Irish village, despite taking significant cues from his own birthplace, Boyle.
O’Dowd hasn’t explicitly stated his reasons for inventing Drumbán or the rationale behind its name, but it seems he aimed to avoid any semblance of ridicule towards the real inhabitants of Boyle.
Paddy Considine plays a small town doctor with a big secret (Image: Playground Entertainment)
Although the show’s plot is a work of fiction, it draws from O’Dowd’s personal recollections of filming Moone Boy in a quaint town back in the 2010s. Reflecting on the decision, he remarked: “When I was thinking about a place to set the show, I wanted somewhere small that was more like a village. I imagined my mother’s home, which is 10 miles or so outside Boyle. I’d shot Moone Boy in Boyle and I always wanted to go back.
“What I found funny, while filming Moone Boy, was people from the town and passers-by walking around in their best clothes or with more make-up on, just in case they were caught on camera.”
This amusing observation comes from David Rawle, who portrayed Martin Paul Moone in Moone Boy. He has now reunited with his former co-star and series creator Chris O’Dowd for Small Town, Big Story, where he takes on the role of Sonny Proctor, son of Séamus Proctor.
Joanne’s 18th birthday and the first day of filming on the TV shoot lead to chaos, confessions, and cake in Drúmban. (Image: Sky)
The series was filmed in the scenic west Ireland countryside, near Boyle and its surrounding areas—where O’Dowd’s mother still lives, according to Dublin Live.
Local news outlet Boyle Today confirmed that shooting took place around the King Harman Monument (Town Clock) in Boyle town in September 2023.
Additional scenes were also shot in Wicklow, south of Dublin.
Series creator Chris O’Dowd makes a cameo as Jack E. McCarthy, the author of I Am Celt, leaving viewers pondering whether he actually penned the material.
Small Town, Big Story sees hotshot TV producer Wendy Patterson (Christina Hendricks) finds herself returning to her hometown of Drumbán, Ireland after more than 20 years, having left under something of a cloud. (Image: ©Sky UK Ltd)
Small Town Big Story airs Thursdays at 9pm on Sky Atlantic with all episodes streaming on NOW.