Irish eyes are smiling in a marvelous maritime movie that director Annabel Verbeke calls “Four Seasons in a Day,” which came out in 2021. A co-production of The Borderline Collection, the film is one of six by emerging European documentary filmmakers that “challenges viewers to rethink the different aspects of borders.”
The action here unfolds on gentle waves in an area known as the Carlingford Lough. Significantly, this lake-like inlet contains an underwater border between the Republic of Ireland to the south and the United Kingdom constituent country called Northern Ireland. Indeed, the Carlingford Lough lies peacefully between the two countries, like the glacial fjord it bisects.
While glaciers have a way of thawing, the hearts and minds of sworn enemies occasionally melt, too. For those who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (and everyone should), the Carlingford ferry also offers a living example of contemporary psychogeography.
For starters, this ferry transports people, pets, and cars. It takes 15 minutes to make the crossing from Greenore in Ireland to Greencastle in Northern Ireland. In front of Verbeke’s camera though, ticket holders make a much more profound journey as they cross the peninsula.
Many reflect on their national identity as British or Irish, cultural identity as Catholic or Protestant, and geopolitical identity as part of the European Union or the United Kingdom. The weight of history crashes right into future possibilities as the passengers contemplate the underwater boundary. Indeed, psychogeography shows us how geographical location affects our emotions and behavior.
Secondly, the Carlingford ferry is relatively new. It first sailed on June 21, 2017, two days before Brexit negotiations began. And if Irish reunification is one of the unintended outcomes of Brexit, you’ll hear no objection from me. As Oscar Wilde once said, “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”
Finally, Berkshire denizens are perhaps more familiar with psychogeography than most. To the north, the 37 miles long Narrows of Lake Champlain forms a partial boundary between New York and Vermont. And to the south, The Oblong reflects an historical border dispute over the land between the Connecticut River and Hudson River.
In conclusion, all the world seems bright and gay when the subjects of “Four Seasons in a Day” spot Finn the dolphin. Naturally, Finn swims with abandon all around the waters of the Claringford Lough. When your eyes spot him in this film, you’ll smile as you recognize his playfulness. Your eyes may also twinkle at the sight of his freedom. Your eyes might even beam with love for the natural world without borders. Surely, Irish eyes are smiling every St. Patrick’s Day when we say, “May the wind be always at your back.”
