Ciara Nora Creedon keeps her eye on the ball in documentary Home: The Story of Zak Moradi.
Much like Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh’s assessment of Fermanagh and Fiji, Kurdistan has never been regarded as a hurling stronghold. Nonetheless, the region has produced an exceptionally talented and passionate hurler in Zak Moradi, now a member of Leitrim’s senior hurling team.
Filmmaker Trevor Whelan’s Home: The Story of Zak Moradi is a moving documentary that traces Zak’s life from his upbringing in a refugee camp to his move to Ireland. Including archival footage of war-torn Iraq, this film provides a backdrop of increasing conflict that forced the Moradi family to leave their homeland. Intimate interviews with Zak and his family give insight into his harrowing experience of losing his home and having to completely rebuild his life.
Sport was important to Zak from early childhood; he highlights the joy and community it cultivated within the refugee camp. Once his family were granted asylum in Ireland, sport became all the more important. Zak speaks of its unifying power, how playing on a team allowed him to make friends and feel at home in Ireland despite initially struggling to speak English. Sport, much like music, is a universal language.
Zak declares that his heart “belongs to Ireland”, but he also strives to maintain a connection with his Kurdish heritage. Home: The Story of Zak Moradi gives a succinct overview of Kurdistan’s history, and the parallels with Ireland’s own past are immediately clear. The Kurdish people were often at the mercy of foreign politicians, and broken promises left their homeland divided and their people fighting for the right to exist.
Furthermore, both the Kurdish and the Irish have a unique culture that they value greatly, and Zak honours the traditions of both. The latter half of the film sees Whelan and his camera follow Zak as he returns to the Kurdistan region of Iraq. For this poignant moment in Zak’s journey, the vibrancy and warmth of the Kurdish people is vividly depicted. Zak reunites with friends and family and travels to beautiful locations he had previously only heard about. Despite the hardship and persecution they have endured, the Kurds have managed to survive and protect the traditions they hold dear.
Zak highlights how, right now, millions of people find themselves in the same horrific situation his family were in. In a world that is becoming more and more insular, this documentary proclaims the power of a hundred thousand welcomes. Home: The Story of Zak Moradi is a testament to our shared humanity and to resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
Home: The Story of Zak Moradi screens on RTÉ on 16th July 2025 and is available to watch now on the RTÉ Player.
