Multi award winning documentaries from Ireland and beyond telling real life stories. With over 1,800 documentaries on offer, the Documentary On One Podcast has the largest archive of documentaries available in the world, dating as far back as 1954, right up to the present day. Winner of over 400 national and international awards. Producer of podcast series 'Where is Jón?', ‘The Real Carrie Jade’, 'Runaway Joe', 'Finding Samantha', 'Tiger Roll', 'GunPlot' and 'The Nobody Zone'. Immerse yourself in a world of sound, story and character.
When an 81 year old woman, in good health, pitched an idea into us about death and dying, we had to find out more. So in early 2019, we began following Gray Cahill as she put a plan in place for when she dies. In planning ahead, she's also looking back over her life. As Gray says, “Dying is part of living, and living is part of dying.” (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Brendan Behan is one of Ireland's greatest writers. Some of his most important work was influenced by time he spent in Paris just after World War II where he mixed with some of the most important writers of the 20th century. In an interview never previously broadcast, Behan reveals the influence Paris had on him as a writer. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Set in South Galway against the backdrop of one of the bloodiest months of the Irish War of Independence, th dramatic story the short life and tragic death of 24-year-old Eileen Quinn who was shot by uniformed men outside her home in 1920. Almost 100 years later Eileen’s grand-niece pieces together events from that fateful day (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The story of how a little bull from the west of Ireland made national & international headlines which soon became an online viral sensation. In 2014 Joe Kelly, a farmer in county Mayo bought Benjy the bull to breed with his herd of cows but Benjy had no interest with the cows and soon found himself in danger of life at the slaughterhouse. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Amy Herron’s grandad was one of the most famous people in Ireland. He was Elephant-keeper at Dublin Zoo and entertained crowds with Sarah the elephant. Amy Herron finds out about the fun side of her grandad’s work but also learns about the treatment of elephants then that would not be tolerated now. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tess Murray never forgot her first love. She was a young teacher, engaged to Thomas McEver, a chemist who had moved to Dunmore Co. Galway as the Irish War of Independence was drawing to a close in the spring of 1921. But fate took a tragic turn one night when Thomas was abducted, brutally murdered and accused of being a spy. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In August 1979, a massive Atlantic storm turned the Fastnet Yacht Race into the greatest yacht-racing disaster ever witnessed. In spite of the biggest peacetime rescue effort at sea, 21 people died, boats were dismasted, abandoned or sunk as the race became a fight to stay alive. On one of those boats was teenager John O'Donnell. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Nan Delaney, from Co. Laois, died, her six children came across a small wooden box that she had kept private all her life. When they opened it, they discovered evidence of a time, in their family, when things were extremely stressful and frightening. In this documentary, the children recall that period with tears and laughter. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is the near-unbelievable story of a man who, in the 1950s, tried to purchase the six counties of Northern Ireland and gift them to the Republic of Ireland. In 1914, West Limerick man John J Hanley left for New York to gentrify his persona into the 'Baron of Broadway'. He became hugely rich and focused on Irish reunification (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Irish soccer team’s 1982 tour of South America during the Falklands War was a farcical episode in Irish sport. 4 games, 3 defeats, 2 cancellations. But how did half the squad end up being detained by armed police? And how did a carpet salesman from Limerick end up sitting in the cigarette smoke and samba of Brazil’s 1982 World Cup Squad? (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 1976 the Cork to Dublin mail train was robbed of £200,000. Cormac Breatnach’s brother Osgur was arrested for it, confessed and was jailed for 12 years. But there was a catch. He didn’t do it. The devastation of the injustice was enormous as Osgur’s family tried to come to terms with what had happened. Cormac turned to music. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ed Randolph came to Ireland to play Basketball in the 1980s. While most of his fellow American players went back home, Ed met Ann, settled down and had a family in Bray. He made a sporting life coaching and playing the game he loves well into middle age. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Author Carlo Gébler, son of award-winning Irish writer Edna O’Brien, spent three decades teaching creative writing within the Northern Ireland prison system. Carlo was told that his job was not to teach, but to be a human being. Returning to Magilligan Prison, Carlo asks if he made any real difference to the prisoners he taught (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 1985, an unnamed female Garda was threatened with dismissal from An Garda Síochána. Following an internal Garda investigation, she was charged with having pre-marital sex with another Recruit Garda, and for having given birth to a baby outside of marraige. Majella Moynihan has remained silent for the past 34 years - until now. (2019) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the mid 1990s, Singer and Songwriter Jeff Buckley was set to become as big as Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen. But he died tragically aged just 30. With over 4 million record sales to his name, Jeff remains a huge musical figure across the world. In 2016, Journalist Steve Cummins explored Jeff Buckley’s connections to Ireland. (2016) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When a group of people arrived on Achill Island in May, 1951 nobody foresaw that only two of them would leave alive. The film they had arrived to make – “Shark Island” - would end in tragedy. Actor Claire Mullen was in that film and returns to Achill to finally try to achieve closure on what was one of the worst film accidents in history. (2017) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the 1980's, Kildare man Michael Row was amongst the quickest drivers in the world. Destined to become a global household name, the biggest teams in Formula 1 scrambled for his signature. However, a critical decision sent Michael down a different road. But now he's back, helping his newphew James Roe Jr follow in his footsteps. (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A radio documentary about how Dubliner John Curran's fascination with best selling novelist Agatha Christie has changed his life and brought a new Hercule Poirot story to the world for the first time in 30 years. (2010) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Over the past decade Ireland has endured some extreme weather cycles from heavy snow to summer heat waves. There is an argument that these events are influenced by what's happening with the Greenland Ice Sheet. Each year the ice sheet is covered in new snow but recently more ice is melting than snow falling. Liam O'Brien visits to learn more.(2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Young girls throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East are subject to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) each year. A procedure where the genitals of young girls are deliberately cut for religious and social reasons. Journalist MIchael O'Kane meets women trying to end this practice which is seen as normal tradition within some cultures. (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the 1980's, Kildare man Michael Roe was amongst the quickest drivers in the world. Destined to become a global household name, the biggest teams in Formula 1 scrambled for his signature. However, a critical decision sent Michael down a different road. But now he's back, helping his nephew James Roe Jr follw in his footsteps. (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we recall the story of two Irish women who were born into upper-class Anglo Ireland in the 17th century. Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby's relationship scandalised Ireland long before Ireland passed the same-sex marriage referendum, but were these two women the first openly Irish lesbian couple? (2011). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Just before the Papal Visit to Ireland in 2018, we look back at the first-ever visit of a Pope to Ireland in 1979. We've come across two intriguing stories which have largely been forgotten. One about a Papal amnesty, where the government released 76 prisoners and the other about the hopes of people in Dublin's Sean McDermott Street. (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Patsy Dan Rodgers is the last King of Ireland. He's ruled his fiefdom of Tory Island for more than 20 years and can trace an unbroken lineage back to the 5th century. Over time, Led by their Kinds and in at least one case a Queen. The Islanders have seen off Vikings, marauding Pirates and invaders from the mainland (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Riverchapel Ladies Group go on a Golden Years holiday to Westport, County Mayo. They dance, pray, sing, give out about each other and the hotel, post stuff or Facebook, hold starfish, keep each other company and chase the latest toy craze. Nathan is a young man with dreadlocks who joins them on the bus for this week long holiday (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A Documentary On One listener shares a recording he had for safe keeping. It brings listeners closer than ever to Johnny Cash on his first tour of Ireland, twelve gigs in ten days. Few people remember the very first Irish performances by the country music legend who would come to love Ireland and be loved by the Irish. (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Beginning in 1888, hundreds of Irish teenagers were sent to a convent in Texas that was dedicated to educating emancipated salves after the American Civil War. A lifetime later, the grand niece of two of these nuns uncovers their stories, which chronicle a century of change in the Catholic Church, race relations and women's rights (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On a summer morning in 2011, a group of production staff arrived at Malahide Castle, County Dublin to work on a concert for American musician Prince. That morning, Prince had fired his own crew and an Irish team had been hurriedly drafted in. What would the next 15 hours bring? Would the "difficult genius" have any more surprises? (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
David Atkinson, a cocky, 22-year old from Wexford goes to New York to find work after college. Which sounds great except that David’s going on a visa which gives him just 90 days to find work. The clock starts when the wheels of his suitcase hit American soil. Will he find a job before his money, his visa or his luck runs out? (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Young girls throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East are subject to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) each year. A procedure where the genitals of young girls are deliberately cut for religious and social reasons. Journalist Michael O’Kane meets women trying to end this practice which is seen as normal tradition within some cultures (2018) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
