Animation Residency Ireland welcomes new residents to Offaly

ANIMATION Residency Ireland (formerly the OFFline Animation Residency) is delighted to announce that Cora McKenna and Finn McKeon have been selected as the 2025 resident animators.

Over six months, beginning mid-October 2025, the pair will be based in Birr, developing new and original animated short films while engaging with the local community.

Cora McKenna brings five years of directing animation, with a focus on cultural storytelling. Her notable works include the student film Shergar and the co-directed series Doodle Girl. At the residency, she will develop Wolf Wolf, a short film reflecting on loneliness and personal change through the story of a questioning wolf.

Cora shares, "Developing Wolf Wolf with the space and support provided by the residency will be invaluable to me. I hope to focus on improving my film’s story, while pushing and exploring my directing style with the freedom that the residency allows."

Finn McKeon is a 2D animator and 2023 IADT graduate. He collaborated on the NTAA-funded short Unanimated Strangers in 2024. His residency project, Blackstar, follows a Garda investigating the mysterious disappearance of townspeople, exploring themes of isolation and detachment.

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Finn says, “Being part of this residency gives me the time and space necessary to fully immerse myself in the world of Blackstar. It presents a valuable opportunity to work without distraction and to examine the themes of isolation and detachment in a manner that is both introspective and personally significant.”

Gary Hoctor, Residency Co-ordinator, added: "We are thrilled to welcome Cora and Finn to Birr, supported and facilitated by Birr 2020 Vision. Their unique storytelling voices and fresh perspectives embody the spirit of this residency, providing them with the time, space, and support to deeply develop their projects. Birr is proud to be a nurturing home for talent that challenges and enriches Irish animation, and we look forward to seeing their powerful stories come to life. We also welcome the National Talent Academy for Animation on board as a funder, whose new support further strengthens our commitment to nurturing Irish animation talent.”

Animation Residency Ireland is funded by Offaly County Council, the JVM Trench Will Trust, the National Talent Academy for Animation, and Offaly Local Enterprise Office.

For more information about Animation Residency Ireland and application details for future cohorts, please visit www.birr2020vision.ie and www.animationresidency.ie .

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