In the “Blackshore” series, a lady detective solves grim cases of murders in a remote town in Ireland. This dark crime thriller investigates past as well as present-day shocking killings.
This Irish show reminds us of Nordic Noir series/movies, in certain ways. Maybe, because of its brutal crimes, dark secrets, depressing moods and remote settings of its tale.
Trailer of the Blackshore (S1/2024) Series
Synopsis of the Blackshore (S1/2024) Series
A police detective Fia Lucey (Lisa Dwan) returns to her home town and becomes involved in a missing person case, which is linked to her traumatic past and the town’s dark history.
Rating of the Blackshore (S1/2024) Series
| FM Rating | 3.50/5 |
| FM Short Comments | In this Irish crime show, DI Fia Lucey (Lisa Dwan) seems to carrying a very heavy burden on her shoulder. Although it has an interesting storyline, some of the aspects of this crime series seem hurried and unbelievable. Still, with only six episodes, it is an engaging and entertaining crime drama to watch. |
Spoiler Free Review of the Blackshore (S1/2024) Series
The introduction
This Irish crime drama is about the Police (Garda Síochána) Detective Inspector (DI) Fia Lucey (Lisa Dwan). In the past, a tough and angry woman cop, Fia has won a medal and numerous recommendations. But after three undue forced complaints in the last year for her police work, Fia was reprimanded. So, as a punishment posting, she was transferred back to her hometown Blackshore from Dublin.
It is worth noting that the Blackshore is a fictional town in the show. However, the shooting of this show happened in Killaloe, a small town in east County Clare, Ireland.
The storyline
A couple of decades ago, her father Jack Lucey (Seán T Ó Meallaigh) appeared to have shot her mother Elizabeth Lucey (Siobhán O’Kelly) and younger sister Aidan Lucey (Senan Jennings) before taking his own life in the Blackshore town. That family tragedy has haunted her entire life, since her childhood days. Fia Lucey’s (Lisa Dwan) classic tragic past, perhaps, explains her anger issues.
Meanwhile, back in her town, Fia was assigned the missing Roisin Hurley (Clara Fitzgerald) case, her acquaintance from the past. Besides finding missing Roisin Hurley, DI Fia is also trying to find out the truth about her family’s cold case – was that a case of murder or a suicide? And, is there a link between Roisin’s disappearance and her family’s case?
What did we like in this Irish crime show?
In this Irish crime show, DI Fia Lucey (Lisa Dwan) seems to carrying a very heavy burden on her shoulder. Despite our best efforts, we could not identify with the bad-tempered lead protagonist DI Fia Lucey (Lisa Dwan). But, given her tragic past related to her family and subsequent childhood days, one can develop an understanding and perhaps a liking for her angry and angst-ridden behaviour.
Alright, she is not a perfect role model for a police detective. Yet, she tries to solve cold as well as present-day murder cases honestly. On the other hand, the other police officials (her boss and colleagues, with one exception) are not exactly trying to solve the murder case(s) because of their reasons. And as the season one ending suggests, she is not done yet. Most likely, in the upcoming season, she will be catching more bad guys/gals. As we said earlier, this Irish crime drama has tried to recreate the dark and tension-filled mood of the Nordic Noir from the past. No doubt, we have loved those hit Nordic shows.
The conclusion
One of the big positives of this show is that its first season only has six episodes. On the other hand, the drawback is that the season finale episode seemed to be rushed. All the explanations for the (past and present day) crimes came thick and fast. And the so-called ringleader of all those related crimes somehow stays free and out of jail. Maybe, we might see another season of this show in future. Meanwhile, you can watch this dark and brooding crime tale from a small town in Ireland that hides so many heart-breaking secrets.
Key Details about the Crime Drama from Ireland
| Genre | Crime, Drama |
| Language | English (UK) |
| Released | February 4, 2024 |
| Season | First (1st) Season |
| Episodes | Six (6) Episodes |
| Director | Dathaí Keane |
| Cast | Lisa Dwan (Fia Lucey), Rory Keenan (Cian Furlong), Aidan McArdle (Charlie Reid), Amy De Bhrún (Niamh Furlong), Stanley Townsend (Bill McGuire), Andrew Bennett (Donal Riley), Lisa Dwyer Hogg (Emma Riley), Jade Jordan (Donna Walsh), Lloyd Hutchinson (Superintendent Shanahan), Orla Charlton (Deirdre McGuire), Barry McGovern (Dr James Whelan), etc. |
| Taglines | Dark Waters Run Deep |
| Network | RTÉ |
Poster of the Blackshore (S1/2024) Series
Spoilers Alert – Episodes Summary & Ending Explained
Summary of the Six Episodes of the First Season
First Episode (S1, E1) | February 4, 2024
When her career is threatened due to a series of undue force allegations, DI Fia Lucey is sent back to her hometown of Blackwater to investigate a missing person case.
Second Episode (S1, E2) | February 11, 2024
Fia suspects Detective Furlong of having a part to play in Róisín Hurley’s death.
Third Episode (S1, E3) | February 18, 2024
With the murder victim’s daughter missing, Fia is in a race against time.
Fourth Episode (S1, E4) | February 25, 2024
The past and present begin to merge for DI Fia Lucey.
Fifth Episode (S1, E5) | March 3, 2024
The Blackwater Whiskey Festival has arrived. Fia takes the law into her own hands to get to the truth.
Sixth Episode (S1, E6) | March 10, 2024
With Bill McGuire now firmly in her sights, Fia is struggling to find the evidence she needs to bring the case to a close.
Ending Explained of the First Season
DI Fia was transferred back to Blackshore
It seems that her tragic past compelled Fia to leave her hometown and relocate to Dublin. So, Fia left behind the hostile looks and negative rumours from her neighbours in Blackwater when she decided to join An Garda Síochána in Dublin. Unfortunately, her disciplinary history has resulted in her being sent back to her hometown. And her nightmarish past catches up with the present-day crime.
A new police case of Róisín needs DI Fia’s energetic investigations
When Fia’s acquaintance Róisín Hurley goes missing (and later murdered), Police Superintendent Shanahan, Fia’s boss, is eager to have the case resolved and removed from his workload. Was it due to his incompetence and lack of motivation? Or maybe, he wanted to to let sleeping dogs lie. But, DI Fia had other ideas, as she started to dig for the truth.
There are a couple of shady characters in her home town, let us meet them
The first one is Bill McGuire (Stanley Townsend). He is a cunning and astute businessman, who effectively rejuvenated Blackwater by transforming his whiskey distillery and hotel into the vibrant centre of a thriving community. With an upcoming grand festival, he was determined to swiftly address the (Róisín Hurley) situation, fully aware that the murder case involving Róisín could potentially harm his business.
The second one is Charlie Reid (Aidan McArdle). Initially, he was depicted as a harmless and upright person. However, it was later revealed that he was a detestable person who had been surreptitiously administering ketamine to women without their consent, subjecting them to sexual assault. One of his victims happened to be Niamh Furlong (Amy De Bhrún), who was the wife of police officer Cian Furlong (Rory Keenan). But, it seems that he was not alone, while he committed those crimes.
So, what happened with DI Fia’s family and Chole, decades ago?
Almost two decades ago, Bill McGuire hired Charlie and Róisín to murder Fia’s father, Jack. However, the situation spiralled out of control, resulting in the unintended deaths of Jack’s wife and their other child. Jack had to be killed as well, as he had witnessed Bill McGuire deliberately driving his vehicle into the water. During this incident, McGuire had a passenger named Chloe Whelan, with whom he was engaged in an extramarital affair. Tragically, Chloe’s body remained undiscovered for two decades and her case remained unsolved for that period.
Why Róisín was killed and by whom?
Considering Róisín‘s partial ownership of the hotel, it is reasonable to assert that Bill McGuire should have been the primary individual under suspicion concerning her unfortunate missing/killing case. But then, in the small community of the said town, almost everyone (except DI Fia) was indebted to Bill, so no one wanted to point a finger at him.
Meanwhile, Róisín tragically met her demise at McGuire’s behest due to her threat of revealing his dark secrets that we have discussed above. Unexpectedly, the culprit was revealed to be Fia’s compassionate ex-police officer uncle – Donal (Andrew Bennett). Donal, who felt indebted to McGuire for financing his daughter’s crucial cancer treatment, carried out the tragic act.
What could be the future mystery of this show?
Following a period of stagnation in the middle episodes, the revelations began to unfold rapidly in the first season. It was revealed that her hometown was hiding multiple murderers. However, DI Fia is still missing concrete evidence to incriminate Bill McGuire, setting the stage for the upcoming second season.
Poster and Featured Image of the Blackshore (S1/2024) Show courtesy of RTÉ.