IF THERE IS a more fascinating political family than the Healy-Raes, then this reviewer will eat her flat cap.

Patriarch Jackie Healy-Rae came out from under the wing of Fianna Fáil in 1997 to successfully win a seat as an Independent TD. His triumph began a winning streak for the Healy-Rae dynasty that has lasted for 50 years. Currently, his two sons Michael and Danny are TDs, while grandchildren Maura, Jackie Jr and Johnny Healy-Rae are councillors in Co Kerry.

The Healy-Rae brand is family and Kerry above all. But this documentary – made by former photojournalist Jerry Kennelly – leads up to a major drama earlier this year, which culminated in Michael standing down from his position as minister of state for agriculture.

Smooth operators

Michael Healy Rae TD pictured on his farm. Jerry Kennelly / Local Story Films Jerry Kennelly / Local Story Films / Local Story Films

The documentary tees up this incident by looking back at the Healy-Rae family’s political history. Jackie Healy-Rae Sr was a canny operator, teaching his sons about the value of putting local politics first. When his sons followed him into the family business, they learned to pay close attention to their constituents’ needs, and this has paid dividends for them.

These are men who keep their phones on 24/7 in case they get a phone call, and who will fix a problem within 24 hours if they can. Michael Healy-Rae is even quoted here as saying that sleep is basically a waste of time.

In between their political activities we see them mucking in on their farms (Michael says that if he wasn’t a politician, he’d be “up on a digger”), or working on their other businesses. They are canny operators who have a lot on the go. 

The brothers are a fascinating duo. Michael comes across as the smoother operator, while Danny’s appeal is that he’s a straight talker. Neither are afraid of controversy.

Talking heads such as Vincent Browne and Ivan Yates don’t mince their words around what they think of them, with Browne saying there has been no one like them in the history of the state. Terry Prone describes them as “underestimated”. 

Family lore

TDs Danny and Michael Healy-Rae pictured at their weekly meeting at the Healy Rae Bar, owned by Danny Jerry Kennelly / Local Story Films Jerry Kennelly / Local Story Films / Local Story Films

But while we get a good insight into what makes them tick workwise, it’s the personal stories that stand out. We learn that Michael was diagnosed as a child as being profoundly dyslexic, and learned to read and write with the help of a local teacher, Sister Regina. 

Both brothers recall the impact of their parents’ separation in the 1970s, acknowledging that it was unusual – particularly given that Danny remained with his father while the rest of the siblings and Michael stayed with their mother. But these aren’t men who are interested in raking through their childhood traumas. They have a strong work ethic and a ‘can-do’ attitude that they’d rather focus on. And there are voters to think of.

Visually, the director Kennelly’s photography skills pay dividends, with sweeping shots of Kerry vistas and unusually-framed talking head interviews. This gives the documentary a slick look, lifting it above your typical fare.

Drama

Michael Healy-Rae TD pictured in Radio Kerry's Killarney studio with host Jerry O'Sullivan in his first radio interview since his departure from his Ministerial post. Jerry Kennelly / Local Story Films Jerry Kennelly / Local Story Films / Local Story Films

The action builds until the pivotal time in early 2026 when the brothers did something unexpected: a deal with the government. Typically, they were steadfast independents who stood apart from the government, but they agreed to support the new coalition and Michael Healy-Rae became a minister of state. Danny, who didn’t get a new role, was there to support his brother (and Kerry – let’s never forget Kerry).

But after Danny went on Radio Kerry during the fuel protests and criticised the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris, pressure was put on the brothers. Michael Healy-Rae ended up standing down from his role on the day that a no-confidence vote in the government was taking place. 

The resignation was a surprise to Danny and many others. But Kennelly has trouble trying to get a satisfactory answer from Michael about what happened, though Michael tells him he is in fact giving him the full answer. It’s the most tense moment in the documentary and shows what a savvy communicator Michael is.

The impact of this so-called ‘feud’ between the brothers will linger, and the question now is whether it will impact the next generation of Healy-Raes, who are already making their way through local government and have their own takes on what happened.

Though the Healy-Raes are often mocked or derided for their brash antics in the Dáil, this documentary underlines just how switched on they are. The pair know where each vote lies, and know what they need to do to get it. But the people who vote for them aren’t eejits either – if the Healy-Raes were all talk and no action, they wouldn’t be hoovering up the votes in every election. Their team of volunteers do sterling work in supporting the pair.

There’s plenty to learn about the Healy-Raes in Blood, Sweat & Tears, but there’s nonetheless the feeling that when it comes to this family, they will hold some of the true secrets of their success close to their chest. As for whether the brothers will be able to get over their ‘feud’? Hopefully there’s another documentary in the making about that.

The Healy-Raes: Blood, Sweat & Tears is available to watch on the RTÉ Player.