Don Bluth’s Invasion Of Ireland: A New Podcast Reveals The Untold Story

The American interviewees reminisce about the mass exodus of artists and technicians — 87 in all — from California to Dublin, where they discovered, to their dismay, that it rained a lot. There, they set about training local artists in classical animation, adapting the animation course of Canada’s Sheridan College for the nearby Ballyfermot College. The locals were delighted at the new career opportunities — like a “Willy Wonka ticket straight into animation,” as one puts it.

The Irish interviewees reflect on the workplace culture there, the meticulousness of their American teachers, and the “swaggering” behavior of Bluth himself. They also discuss the reverse exodus that happened after the studio collapsed and Bluth and Goldman set up Fox Animation Studios in Phoenix, Arizona, prompting many colleagues from Dublin to move with them. Now the Irish found themselves in a land of perpetual sun and air-conditioning. According to one artist, they spent a lot of time getting drunk and longing for rain.

The perspectives of below-the-line staff make this podcast a valuable resource. The episode also provides nuggets of insight into Sullivan Bluth’s importance to Ireland and vice versa. Pomeroy argues that the exodus to Ireland informed the themes of immigration and tolerance in Bluth’s films. Meanwhile, Gerry Shirren says that the studio laid the foundations for the booming animation industry in Ireland today. He’s an embodiment of that fact: having started out as a production manager at Sullivan Bluth, he is now managing director at Cartoon Saloon.

Previous episodes in the Ireland mini-series cover subjects including Walt Disney’s connections to the country and the career of pioneering animator Aidan Hickey. The podcast, which explores the theme of creativity in general, has previously interviewed artists like cartoonist Chris Ware and Muppet performer Louise Gold.