Documentary on Newstalk

 

Journalist Sinead Aherne was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of 2017. 

Breast Cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women in Ireland. Most are over 50, but younger women can also get the disease too. Sinead was 32 when she was diagnosed. 

Produced and presented by Sinead Ahern, ‘Breast Cancer and Me’ explores life with cancer and life afterwards.

‘Breast Cancer and Me’ originally aired on WLR and was awarded silver in the documentary category at the 2020 IMRO Radio Awards. And was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the television licence fee.

‘From Boxing to Bingo: The Story Of Dublin’s National Stadium’. Producer Brian Byrne tells the story of how the home of Irish boxing came to be home to so much more.

It's where U2 signed their first record deal.

It's where 16 Irish Olympic medallists got their first licks in.

It's where, for the past 40 years, Bingo has been called 3 nights a week.

It's where, for the past 4 year, sold-out crowds have come to watch OTT wrestling. And it’s where every Sunday you’ll find the All Nations Church gathered to pray.

This 'where', is Dublin's National Stadium.

Featuring voices from families for whom the stadium became more than just a building. ‘From Boxing to Bingo: The Story Of Dublin’s National Stadium’ aims to capture some of the magic moments the stadium has borne witness to over the years.

CREDITS: ‘From Boxing to Bingo: The Story Of Dublin’s National Stadium’ was produced by Brian Byrne. And was funded by the Sound and Vision scheme.

With special thanks to David McCartney, Ann Smith, Sinead Mooney, Gary O'Neill, Aonghus Óg McAnally, John Aherne, Art O'Brien, Francesca Lalor and Cian Hogan. As well as all those at the IABA, Over the Top Wrestling, and the All Nations Church who contributed.

Managed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the Sound and Vision scheme provides funding in support of high quality programmes on Irish culture, heritage and experience.

Written by Niall Murphy The Fabulous Doctor Singer is based on true events from 1950s Ireland & brings to life the main players involved in a scandalous stamp collection scam that lead to one of the lengthiest court cases in the history of the Irish state. It tells the story of the most unlikely pyramid scheme of the 20th century and the flamboyant huckster, who masterminded it Dr. Paul Singer.

Starring Steve Furst, Colin Murphy & Phelim Drew and an ensemble cast featuring Cillian O'Dee, Janet Phillips, Peter Campion, Maurice O'Donoghue, Donagh Deeney, Michelle Read, Marcus Lamb, Liam Heffernan, Gráinne Bleasdale and Sean T Ó Meallaigh this black comedy recounts the tale of an outrageous scam that made fools of the Gardaí, the Attorney General, thousands of investors and the most renowned legal minds of the day.

This is a Macalla Teo production; written & directed by Niall Murphy, produced by Cian Mac Cárthaigh with sound supervision by Steve McGrath and Cúán Mac Conghail as Executive Producer. This radio play was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland under the Sound & Vision funding scheme.

Written by Niall Murphy The Fabulous Doctor Singer is based on true events from 1950s Ireland & brings to life the main players involved in a scandalous stamp collection scam that lead to one of the lengthiest court cases in the history of the Irish state. It tells the story of the most unlikely pyramid scheme of the 20th century and the flamboyant huckster, who masterminded it Dr. Paul Singer.

Starring Steve Furst, Colin Murphy & Phelim Drew and an ensemble cast featuring Cillian O'Dee, Janet Phillips, Peter Campion, Maurice O'Donoghue, Donagh Deeney, Michelle Read, Marcus Lamb, Liam Heffernan, Gráinne Bleasdale and Sean T Ó Meallaigh this black comedy recounts the tale of an outrageous scam that made fools of the Gardaí, the Attorney General, thousands of investors and the most renowned legal minds of the day.

This is a Macalla Teo production; written & directed by Niall Murphy, produced by Cian Mac Cárthaigh with sound supervision by Steve McGrath and Cúán Mac Conghail as Executive Producer. This radio play was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland under the Sound & Vision funding scheme.

From the Amazon to the Emerald Isle looks at climate change through different eyes in various parts of the world yet all with an Irish link. We hear from Irishmen Peter Hughes and Liam Carey, who have spent a lifetime working in Latin America, about the devastation being caused to the Amazon and its indigenous peoples.

This weekend, Documentary on Newstalk airs the premiere of ‘The Bots’, in which IMRO-nominated producer Brian Gallagher looks at the lives of those who live, work, study, and relax in the vicinity of Ireland's National Botanic Gardens.

The Bots will be broadcast on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 30th August at 7am with a repeat broadcast on Saturday 5th September at 9 pm. 

Using a lively mix of interviews, location recordings, sound effects and music, The Bots explores the stories behind one of Ireland’s most popular visitor attractions, The National Botanic Gardens.

Director Matthew Jebb gives an overview of the role of the Botanic Gardens and explains how it hosts six hundred thousand visitors each year.  Matthew also tell of its research role, and how the blight that caused the Potato Famine of the Eighteen Forties was identified by the then director of the Gardens.

Blathnaid Farrell, who grew up nearby, reminisces about the Gardens when she was a child, while librarian Alexandra Caccamo tells of a history going back much further, with some books in the library dating back to the sixteenth century.

Matthew Jebb talks of the joys of living on site, and tells the story of the Director’s Residence, which predates the founding of the Gardens in 1795.

Brendan Sayers gives an insight into the running of the glasshouses, and how tropical heat needs to be generated for some plant species.

Glyn Anderson and Charlotte Salter Townsend talk about the guided tours they give, with Glyn reflecting on the refreshment options available to the modern-day visitor.

Contributors and visitors reminisce lightly about their memories of the first thing they ever grew, while Ciaran Kavanagh and Alfreda O’Brien, who run the nearby Gravediggers pub, talk about the colourful associations between their premises and the Botanic Gardens.

John Mulhern, Principal of the Teagasc College of Horticulture, discusses how hundreds of students study at their Glasnevin site within the Gardens, while Felicity Gaffney, the manager of the Visitor Centre, gives details of the surprising range of cultural and artistic events that are staged each year in the fifty-acre grounds.

Matthew Jebb tell of the wildlife he’s encountered while living on site, and Colin Kelleher talks of his role as a taxonomist and the task of naming the vast numbers of specimens that have been catalogued in the Gardens.

The programme concludes with contributors revealing what the Botanic Gardens means to them, and their hopes for its future.

Quotes from THE BOTS:

“The first place we made for was the glasshouse.  And when you went in the heat would just hit you.  In those days you wouldn’t have central heating at home – so that was super.”  Blathnaid Farrell, childhood visitor to the Botanic Gardens.

“Our back garden is about an acre and it backs onto the Botanic Gardens and the cemetery.  The neighbours are basically the cemetery people and plants.” Ciaran Kavanagh, The Gravedigger Pub.

“One of the real pleasures of the job is that I wake up at work each morning.” Matthew Jebb, Director, Botanic Gardens.

“Our book collection extends back to the Fifteen Thirties.” Alexandra Caccamo, Librarian.

“The pub, the cemetery, the Botanics, it’s like the Bermuda Triangle – you do disappear in that triangle in Glasnevin, and before you know it, four hours have passed.” Alfreda O'Brien, The Gravedigger Pub.

“In the Herbarium there are about six hundred thousand dried specimens”.  Colin Kelleher, Taxonomist.

“The world is changing quite a lot, and I think the big positive is that more and more people are paying attention to the natural world.” Charlotte Salter Townsend, tour guide.

“It took 25 years to put it together.  There are 11 kilometres of glazing bars in this building, and it’s a work of art.”  Matthew Jebb, Director, Botanic Gardens.

“I used to go into the hothouse - when I missed Italy.” Ciaran Kavanagh, The Gravedigger Pub.

CREDITS: The Bots was produced by Brian Gallagher, and funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the Television License Fee.

BROADCAST: The Bots will be broadcast on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 30th August at 7am with a repeat broadcast on Saturday 5th September at 9 pm. Podcast goes live after first broadcast.

LISTEN LIVE ONLINE: 'The Bots can also be listened to online at: www.newstalk.com

PODCAST: The Bots is broadcast as part of the Documentary and Drama On Newstalk Series, which showcases the best of original, homegrown and groundbreaking Irish Radio features. Podcast full series here:

 https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/page/1/filter?filter_selected=show-filter&show=documentary-drama-newstalk&series=all

Listen and subscribe to Documentary on Newstalk on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

 

 

 

 

This weekend, Producer Tony Considine goes back in time to tell the story of Dublin’s first large-scale rock festival, the 1977 Thin Lizzy homecoming show at Dalymount Park. The show was staged to mark Philo's 28th birthday. 43 years on, we celebrate the event in his memory.

The radio premiere of ‘Dancing in the Floodlights’ airs on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 23rd August at 7am, with a repeat broadcast airing on Saturday 29th August at 9pm. 

Image: Tony Considine 2020

‘Dancing in the Floodlights’ Producer Tony Considine says:

Despite their absence this year, attendance at music festivals is a rite of passage for Irish teenagers and twenty-somethings.

Every summer sees stadium gigs at Croke Park and the Aviva on Lansdowne Road, festivals the length and breadth of the country as well as huge outdoor shows at the likes of Malahide Castle, Phoenix Park, Marley Park and St Anne’s.

Yet, it was only a little over forty years ago that Dublin saw its first ever large-scale outdoor rock festival. And the venue was somewhere that has nearly been forgotten in terms of its place in Irish rock history, despite having stories connected to it involving Irish legends such as Phil Lynott and iconic international figures from Bob Marley to Beyoncé.

While the likes of the Lisdoonvarna festival catered for the folk music scene from 1978 to 1983, the Lizzy gig pre-dated this by a year. Between 1977 and 1983, Dalymount was the only show in town for rock music fans looking for the festival experience on the island of Ireland.

Original poster from Dalymount Park gig 1977

'Dancing in the Floodlights' tells the story of how that first concert came about, the impact it had on some of those who made it happen, who attended and who performed.

It combines original interviews with Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham, Radiators from Space singer Steve Averill (aka Steve Rapid), Concert Promoters Pat and Marie Murphy, DJ Pat James and Journalist Frank McNally alongside music and archive footage from the time.

CREDITS: ‘Dancing in the Floodlights’ was written, produced and sound engineered by Tony Considine.

BROADCAST: The radio premiere of ‘Dancing in the Floodlights’ airs on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 23rd August at 7am, with a repeat broadcast airing on Saturday 29th August at 9pm. 

LISTEN LIVE ONLINE: ' Dancing in the Floodlights’ can also be listened to online at: www.newstalk.com

PODCAST: ‘Dancing in the Floodlights’ is broadcast as part of the Documentary and Drama On Newstalk Series, which showcases the best of original, homegrown and groundbreaking Irish Radio features. Podcast full series here:

 https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/page/1/filter?filter_selected=show-filter&show=documentary-drama-newstalk&series=all

Listen and subscribe to Documentary on Newstalk on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

 

 

In 'Against The Wire', Producer Bairbre Flood travels to Lesvos, Greece to talk to volunteers and refugees working in Moria Refugee Camp.

‘There are so many people there with different skills, who have a high educational background, but they are stuck there. They want to help develop their society. No one wants to come here to live here in that kind of situation.’ Abdul, from Ghana, coordinator of the One Happy Family school on the island.

The radio premiere of ‘Against The Wire’ airs on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 2nd August at 7am, with a repeat broadcast airing on Saturday 8th August at 9pm. Podcast goes live after first broadcast.

Photo by Ahmad Rezai.

In her radio documentary feature, ‘Against The Wire’, premiering this weekend on Newstalk 106-108fm as part of the Documentary On Newstalk Series, producer Bairbre Flood visits Moria Refugee Camp to talk to those trying to improve the situation there.

We follow Irish nurse Elena Lydon who took a career break from her nursing job to volunteer with Medical Volunteers International, and who also helps care for over 300 unaccompanied minors in Moria camp.

‘Against The Wire’ meets Mustapha, an interpreter with Medical Volunteers International; Jameela, a mother trying to bring up her children in the camp; Adrianna, a medic with Boat Refugee Foundation; Ahmad, a photographer with ReFocus Media Labs, and Baqir, a teenager seeking a new life of safety.

We also visit a medical clinic in Athens and talk to Catherin McMenamin (coordinator of MVI Athens) and Casandra Espinosa a former legal case worker with Khora (a Greek support organisation), to get an overview of the situation for refugees in Greece. Most of those stuck on the islands are hopeful that eventually they can move on to Athens and continue their journey.

Producer Bairbre Flood notes: ‘I arrived on the island around the time of a spate of fascist attacks on refugees and volunteers - and with the looming presence of Covid-19 - which added to the already considerable pressures of day-to-day life in the camp.

It was incredibly humbling to witness the huge amount of solidarity and support refugees create for each other even under these circumstances.’

CREDITS: 'Against The Wire' was produced by Bairbre Flood and was supported by the Simon Cumbers Media Fund.

BROADCAST: The radio premiere of ‘Against The Wire’ airs on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 2nd August at 7am, with a repeat broadcast airing on Saturday 8th August at 9pm. Podcast goes live after first broadcast.

LISTEN LIVE ONLINE: 'Against The Wire’ can also be listened to online at: www.newstalk.com

PODCAST: ‘Against The Wire’ is broadcast as part of the Documentary and Drama On Newstalk Series, which showcases the best of original, homegrown and groundbreaking Irish Radio features. Podcast full series here:

 https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/page/1/filter?filter_selected=show-filter&show=documentary-drama-newstalk&series=all

Listen and subscribe to Documentary on Newstalk on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

 

 

 

 

The latest radio drama to be broadcast by Newstalk 106 – 108fm as part of its weekly Documentary & Drama On Newstalk series is ‘Belong’.

‘Belong’ is an original radio drama by Fred O’Connor & Daithí McMahon about one man’s experience of homelessness in modern Dublin

The radio premiere of ‘Belong’ airs on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 26th July at 7am, with a repeat broadcast on Saturday 1st August at 9pm. Podcast goes live after first broadcast.   

'Belong’ is a contemporary radio drama set in Dublin, told from the perspective of Christy - a single homeless man in his late fifties. Following the breakup of a long-term relationship he loses his job due to his mental health issues and is evicted from his bedsit when the property owner decides to convert the building into luxury apartments. Unable to find affordable accommodation, Christy is forced to take refuge in emergency hostels but eventually ends up sleeping rough on the streets. Christy's depression makes him extremely anxious, withdrawn, and afraid of connecting with new people or reaching out for help. Despite this, Christy befriends Kevin, a young man who spent much of his youth being abused while in foster care and now living on the streets. A rehabilitation opportunity emerges which can save Christy - but can he help Kevin avoid a life on the streets?

In the radio drama, ‘Belong’ the authors aim to raise awareness for the homeless crisis in Ireland, and give those struggling on the streets a national voice. In highlighting the plethora of challenges facing those struggling to maintain a roof over their head, the issue of spiralling property crisis which is impacting generations of vulnerable people across the country is laid bare. Another key focus of the drama is the cultural stigma around mental health issues, the lack of key support services for those with limited means, and the resulting struggle for those affected to reach out and access help. The drama is also in recognition of the many staff and volunteers who are helping those on the streets of Ireland every day of the year through organisations such as the Simon Community, Focus Ireland and many more. This project was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the Television Licence Fee.

‘Belong’ is brought to you by the multi-award winning team at Henchman Productions that brought the previous audio dramas Home Again, Matches and Yummy Mummy to Newstalk. The team has won six New York Festivals International Radio Awards, competed at the Prix Europa in 2015 and 2016 and won Best Drama at the PPI Radio Awards 2015.

CREDITS: ‘Belong’ is a Henchman production written and directed by Fred O’Connor and Daithí McMahon. The drama was produced by Daithí McMahon and Aisling O’Connor and recorded at Tinpot Productions with sound by Sean Byrne. The role of Christy was played Morgan C. Jones with performances by Karen Scully, Ken Fletcher, Aoibheann McCann, Laura Kelly, Caroline Power and Fiach Kunz. Selected musical pieces by Kevin MacLeod. Funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the Television Licence Fee.

Sound And Vision Funding Scheme: Sound and Vision is a funding scheme for television and radio that provides funding in support of high quality programmes on Irish culture, heritage and experience, and programmes to improve adult literacy. The scheme is managed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

BROADCAST: The radio premiere of ‘Belong’ airs on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 26th July at 7am, with a repeat broadcast on Saturday 1st August at 9pm. Podcast goes live after first broadcast.   

LISTEN LIVE ONLINE: ‘Belong’ can also be listened to online at: www.newstalk.com

PODCAST: ‘Belong’ is broadcast as part of the Documentary and Drama On Newstalk Series, which showcases the best of original, homegrown and groundbreaking Irish Radio features. Podcast full series here:

 https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/page/1/filter?filter_selected=show-filter&show=documentary-drama-newstalk&series=all

Listen and subscribe to Drama on Newstalk on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

 

 

 

Award-winning radio documentary producer Francesca Lalor takes us on the road to celebrate the lost art of hitch-hiking in: ‘Anywhere But Here’

Recorded pre-Covid, and mixed during the lockdown in Dublin, Ireland, Producer Francesca Lalor’s latest radio feature takes the listener on a psychedelic road-trip, with the ultimate mix-tape on the car stereo.

The premiere of Anywhere But Here broadcasts on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 19th July at 7am, podcast goes live at 8am, with a repeat radio broadcast on the following Saturday 25th July at 9pm.

Anywhere But Here, is a sound-rich ride through some of the best-told stories from the golden age of hitchhiking. Featuring tales from the ‘60’s to the ‘90s, in a journey that is often dangerous and hugely fun, we consider safety and security, risk and reward, wanderlust, and the teenage urge to shake off a small town and explore the world.

In Anywhere But Here, we travel back in time to the golden hitchhiking days of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, in an era when young people lined up on the roads outside of Dublin and London and all kinds of cities and towns to hitch a ride.

The tales take us all over Ireland, and further afield, passing through Cornwall and Corsica, Killarney and Casablanca, with stories of hitching in Franco’s Spain, and the perils of hitching on the border during The Troubles.

We hear pro-tips from seasoned hitchers, and consider how motorway systems, globalization and technology changed the landscape for hitchers, as thumbing a lift gradually became a thing of the past.

With the advent of the motorway, and social and cultural changes, the old art of hitching has practically disappeared from our highways and byways. This documentary serves as a tip of the cap to golden times past, and a call to remember and tell our stories, to cherish our freedoms, to explore the world, and to stay close to nature.

Anywhere But Here Producer Francesca Lalor says:

“Hitching was an escape route for small-town girls with big dreams, and young lads from big smoky cities who dreamed of space and silence…

Small fish in big ponds and big fish in small ponds, they all wanted to head on out down the road and put their best face forward, leave all of the stagnation and rules behind, and simply exist, putting themselves to the test, learning to survive away from the nest.

They would encounter and handle all kinds of humans; they would get close to nature, eating from the hedge-grows, sleeping in the hedge-grows; they would dice with death and survive; they would laugh all night and sleep in barns; they would fall in love and have fights, shelter from thunderstorms, survive on bread and cheese and human kindness, and the sheer joy of being out and free, and in touch with the world and everything in it.”

Song Lyrics by Woody Guthrie: “As I went walking, I saw a sign there. And on the sign it said “No Trespassing”. But on the other side, it didn’t say nothing. That side was made for you and me.” from This Land Is Your Land (The forgotten verse)

CREDITS: Anywhere But Here was Produced and edited by Francesca Lalor. Recording by Josh Crosbie. Mastered by Neil Kavanagh. The programme was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the Television License Fee. With thanks to all the contributors.

Sound And Vision Funding Scheme: Sound and Vision is a funding scheme for television and radio that provides funding in support of high quality programmes on Irish culture, heritage and experience, and programmes to improve adult literacy. The scheme is managed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

BROADCAST: The premiere of Anywhere But Here broadcasts on Newstalk 106-108fm on Sunday 19th July at 7am. Podcast goes live at 8am, with a repeat radio broadcast on the following Saturday 25th July at 9pm. 

PODCAST: Anywhere But Here is broadcast as part of the Documentary and Drama On Newstalk Series, which showcases the best of original, homegrown and groundbreaking Irish Radio features. Podcast full series here:

 https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/page/1/filter?filter_selected=show-filter&show=documentary-drama-newstalk&series=all

Listen and subscribe to Documentary on Newstalk on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.