A FENIT photographer described how the support of his local community after a horrific road accident inspired him to give something back, during an interview broadcast on RTE last night.

James McCarthy described to Anne Cassin of RTE’s ‘Nationwide’ programme how he and his family were involved in the car crash in June 2011 and after the community rallied round, he made a documentary about Fenit.

The programme saw Fenit take centre stage in what is sure to be big boost to the tourism sector there.

The episode which is now available for viewing on RTE Player, features stunning imagery of Tralee Bay, Dingle Peninsula and of course the beautiful area that is Fenit.

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The main body of the show featured on the work of James McCarthy and a documentary that he created about the village and about the people there. After horrific injuries were suffered by both Jim and his wife after a car crash in Tralee, he was left unable to walk or for months after the accident.

It was the help and solidarity that his community offered him that fully aided his recovery and inspired his film project on the village.

“I said, why not make a documentary about the parish, It was something that was never before done. I guess that it would be something for the people of the parish to cherish for the years to come, that they can see their community in a different light,” said James on his decision to make the film.

The film which took almost two years to make, focused on the people of the village so that they could watch it back and remember it in years to come.

“I wanted to capture it as naturally as I could, to capture the people as they are now, because they could be here tomorrow but in ten years time that person could be gone. They always that ‘I wish we had filmed him, and I wish we had filmed her’. Now we’ve done it and it’s something to give back to the parish,” said James.

Another part of the show focused on the new ‘Tralee-Fenit Walkway’ that is currently being built and the benefits it could bring.

“Fenit, being such a wonderful little village with two other other villages along the way will certainly benefit from it [the walkway]. It goes right into the very heart of Tralee,” said David Slattery of Fenit on the development of the 12km walkway.

There is much focus put on the huge potential that the project has to offer to both the people of both areas. David mentions on numerous occasions that the space is currently just lying idle and that the walkway will facilitate everyone in the village from children having access to schools to walkers and cyclists getting their exercise in.

The full episode on Fenit can be watched on RTÉ Player right now here