Documentary on Newstalk

The beauty, power and wonder of the sea as told by ex-fishermen, marine ecologists and environmental activists.

Producer Bairbre Flood takes to the sea with Colin Barnes, Cork Whale Watch, on an ethical whale and wildlife tour, and meets with volunteers with the Bantry Bay Protect Our Native Kelp Forest campaign, lobster fisherman Kieran O’Shea, and marine biologist Shazia Waheed.

Niall MacAllistar of Sea Kayaking With The Seals brings us out to explore Adrigole Harbour and Padraic Fogarty (Whittled Away: Ireland’s Vanishing Nature) of the Irish Wildlife Trust explains what can be done to help protect the seas.

Produced by Bairbre Flood with funding from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Sound and Vision Scheme from the television license fee.

In ‘The Southern Cross – The Irish Argentine Connection’, radio producer Ciarán Ryan travels to Buenos Aires, Argentina to find out more about The Southern Cross, a newspaper that was launched in 1875 by an Irish priest.

The Southern Cross has had a lively and fascinating existence since, and this is unpacked in this one-off documentary. A newspaper with a Catholic ethos at its core, The Southern Cross has been a significant part of the Argentine-Irish community for almost 150 years. In a pre-internet era, we will hear that it was very much a part of every Irish household in Buenos Aires and beyond.

The project was supported by a grant from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, as part of the Sound and Vision Scheme.

‘A Man From Cork’ tells the fascinating true story of Dermot Fenton who made national headlines in 1998 following a rare heart and lung transplant operation which involved a race against the clock and a ‘mercy dash’ to London on the Irish Government Jet.

Narrated by his brother Pio, this documentary details the medical challenges Dermot faced with Cystic Fibrosis, his enduring spirit and sense of humour in the face of challenges, and the life altering impact his transplant would have for two other families that fateful night in 1998.

Narrated by Pio Fenton. Produced by Daniel Cahill. Archive News clips courtesy of Virgin Media Television.

This is a story about transformative nature of organ donation and the importance of living life to fullest.

In ‘Black and Irish, Navigating Racism In Ireland’, Producer Caroline Mudingo Dipanda examines institutional racism in Ireland within the Irish industrial care system and the education system.

We talk to Bukky Adebowale, born in Ireland, President of the student life at Maynooth University, Sandrine Ndahiro, PhD student in African Literature originally from Kenya and Cameroon-born artist Alicia Raye who spent her teenage years in Direct Provision centers. They share personal stories to explain how racism and discrimination is prevalent in their daily interactions in colleges and universities. We meet Black Irish teacher Alex Mbowua, activist Myriam Poizat (YARI), Adult learner advocate and Africa-Ireland Network's founder Joy-Tendai Kangere and Patricia Munatsi, the Policy Officer for the Irish Network Against Racism: overview of the education system and the national policies.

Assistant Professor of Black Studies Dr Philomena will give an in-depth look at her childhood in the Irish industrial school system to depict race relations in the 1960's and 1970s and how they affected the construction of Mixed- race women's identity. We also discuss the recent introduction of Black Studies in the curriculum. We delve into the impact of encounters with racism.

Aisling O'Neill shares a searing testimony about the trauma inherent to racism and its impact on her daughter, Mia O'Neill, who took her own life in 2019. She reflects on the role of the education system to foster a better understanding of race and racism."

'Black and Irish, Navigating Racism In Ireland’ was supported by a grant from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, as part of the Sound And Vision Scheme.

“Eoin Hand, A Life in Football and More”. Former Republic of Ireland Senior Soccer Manager, Eoin Hand, reflects on a career at the top of Irish soccer, as a player and as a manager in the international limelight. Produced by by Peter Grogan and supported by a grant from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, as part of the Sound And Vision Scheme.

From quiet full-moon swims to high energy races, cups of tea on the beach to glasses of prosecco by the Liffey, The Sea Is My Sky captures the community, competition, and joy of sea swimming on Ireland’s east coast. The Sea Is My Sky – was produced by Maurice Kelliher and Shaun O’Boyle, and was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, as part of the Sound and Vision Scheme.

Producer Alan Meaney explores the disparity between male and female and female identifying musicians in Ireland in ‘Equalization’.

The programme features music and interviews with Karan Casey, Pauline Scanlon, Ellll, LOLZ, Renn, Ódú and Aoife from Alien She. It is narrated by the singer and actor Tracy Bruen.

The contributors are Karan Casey and Pauline Scanlon (Fair Plé), Karen Miano (DIAXDEM Collective), Sally Ó Dúnlaing and Aoife Nic Dhonnacha (Girls Rock Dublin), Ellen King and Laura O’Connell (Gash Collective).

The programme was supported by a grant from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, as part of the Sound And Vision Scheme

Producer Jonathan Farrelly talks to some famous sporting sisters about what it's like to play on the same teams in football and camogie.

In episode two, we meet with Mary and Mena Sheridan, who lined out for both club and country in Ladies Football in Meath. We look at the family connections in ladies football and how they’ve played an important part in growing the sport.

Producer Jonathan Farrelly talks to some famous sporting sisters about what it's like to play on the same teams in football and camogie.

In episode one we meet camogie greats, past and present; Kate, Niamh and Joanne O’Gorman in Clare and the infamous Downey Twins, Ann and Angela in Kilkenny.

As part of Documentary on Newstalk producer J.J. O`Shea looks at the ways in which the Irish in America were able to assist the flood of Jewish immigrants escaping the pogroms of Eastern Europe and Russia in the nineteenth century and were in a position to help them overcome problems of prejudice, poverty and outsider status in “The Shamrock and the Star.”

The Shamrock and the Star features excerpts from an interview with the late Mick Moloney. Doctor Moloney was a leading authority on the role of the Irish in nineteenth century American Music and Song and we are very grateful for his contribution here.