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Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
TV Review: Aistear an Amhráin sifts through Spandau Ballet's syrupy ballad Through the Barricades
Thomas 'Kidso' Reilly was murdered by a British soldier in West Belfast in 1983 as he ran away from an army foot patrol. Aistear an Amhráin (RTE One and RTE Player) tells the story, explaining how it inspired Spandau Ballet's power ballad Through the Barricades. This is a shame. Reilly's story is interesting. His brother Jim was the drummer in Belfast band Stiff Little Fingers; Thomas escaped the Troubles and ended up on the London pop scene ( the three members of Bananarama carried wreaths at his funeral ); you get a glimpse of the culture shock that would be familiar to anyone who left 1980s Ireland for a taste of Thatcher's London. The shame is that we have to listen to a lot of Spandau Ballet songs. Reilly worked with them for a while – when the song-writer Gary Kemp visited his grave in Belfast he saw the so-called Peace Wall dividing the two communities, giving him a title and theme for a Romeo and Juliet style ballad set in Belfast called Through The Barricades. Kemp tells the story himself. He's obviously a decent bloke with a good eye for a pop tune, clearly upset by both Reilly's death and a big wall in Belfast. He also tried to elevate the song, borrowing phrases from W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot. Y ou can decide for yourself if it works. I think Through the Barricades is a syrupy and formulaic ballad that could be set anywhere, but then I never heard a Spandau Ballet song I didn't hate. The song feels wedged in to the story here. Thomas Reilly's death wasn't syrupy, he was shot dead at 4pm after a minor altercation. The 18 year-old soldier who pulled the trigger served 26 months in jail before quietly returning to his regiment. Meanwhile Reilly's family were left to grapple with the grief and injustice. We see his parents being interviewed in archive footage, heartbroken that ( as they put it ) they have to visit the graveyard to see their son while his killer is re-integrated into regular life and effectively exonerated. The real star is the brother Jim Reilly, talking about his time in Stiff Little Fingers and recounting how his brother Thomas was a brilliant dancer. His band, Stiff Little Fingers, were famously non-sectarian. When asked how he feels towards Ian Thain, the man who shot his brother, Jim Reilly says he forgives him, without missing a beat. H e had been taught it's better to forgive than to let bitterness consume the rest of your life. There's a very good song to be written about the life and death of Thomas 'Kidso' Reilly. It isn't Through the Barricades. Read More
Extra.ie
7 days ago
- Extra.ie
Mother of Cork drowning victim looking for answers following sons death
The devastated mother of a young man who drowned in Cork last month has said it was her son's time to go, but people 'could have tried' to save him. 34-year-old Luke Hyde died after he got into difficulty while swimming in the north channel of the River Lee at Pope's Quay in early May. A major search and recovery operation was carried out, with emergency responders eventually recovering the body of Luke. 34-year-old Luke Hyde died after he got into difficulty while swimming in the north channel of the River Lee at Pope's Quay in early May. Pic: Shockingly, Luke's final moments were recorded and shared via social media, with emergency responders telling his friend that they had to push people out of the way in order to rescue the Cork man. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Luke's mum Elizabeth said it was 'complete out of character' for her son to get into the water, and hoped the upcoming inquest would answer questions she had. 'His time was up; that's the way I have to look at it,' she said, 'God wanted him; his time was up. I would never say, 'Why did you do this to me, why not someone else?' never. Last month, Elizabeth appeared on RTE One's Upfront with Katie Hannon alongside her son's childhood friend KellyAnn. Pic: RTÉ One 'I accept God's will. Nobody could have saved him that day, but at least someone could have tried,' the 76-year-old said, 'He wasn't to be saved, but they could have tried.' Last month, Elizabeth appeared on RTE One's Upfront with Katie Hannon alongside her son's childhood friend KellyAnn. The women are now calling on legislation to be introduced which would make videoing tragic events illegal. @rteone "Not one person offered their help." Kelly Ann describes the day her childhood friend Luke died from drowning. She is campaigning for 'Luke's Law' to prohibit recording the scene of an accident. #RTEUpfront ♬ original sound – RTÉ One KellyAnn explained on the show that it was a law in Germany. 'Basically you could face one year imprisonment or a massive fine if you're on the scene of an accident recording and using it to be sending through social media channels and not offering help of whatever.' KellyAnn added that following the death of her friend she walked down to Pope's Quay where she noticed there was a life buoy 'within ten feet' of where he had entered the water. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Elizabeth hit out at the mention of addiction on Upfront which alluded to a drug addiction. 'I had said that Luke had a little problem with alcohol,' she clarified, 'I never even said he was an alcoholic, and the way it came out made it sound like he was addicted to drugs, which isn't true at all.'
The Irish Sun
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘Heartbreaking to watch' – RTE viewers left stunned by ‘powerful' Housewife of the Year documentary
RTE viewers were left stunned after watching the "powerful" and "heartbreaking" Housewife of the Year documentary. The documentary, directed by award-winning filmmaker Ciaran Cassidy, had its Irish TV premiere on 2 Housewife of the Year had its Irish TV premiere on RTE One last night Credit: Instagram 2 The documentary sparked a strong reaction from RTE viewers Credit: Instagram It looked back at the "shocking" Housewife of the Year competition, which ran from 1968 to 1995. The annual contest saw women from across the country compete for the title live on national television. The competition celebrated "cookery, nurturing, and basic household management skills" - but what was shown on screens didn't always reflect the reality of life for Irish women at the time. The read more on RTE Former contestants told the story of a resilient generation of women and how they changed a country. Many recalled their direct experiences of marriage bars, lack of contraception, Magdalene laundries, financial vulnerability, boredom and shame, all while being contestants in the competition. From 1982 onwards, the competition aired on RTE and featured not just the contest itself but also footage of the women at home. The documentary has sparked a strong reaction from RTE viewers as many took to READ MORE ON THE IRISH SUN Sylvia said: "It's sad and frustrating, upsetting, limiting, suppressive for a generation who had to stay at home and look after the family." Keith wrote: "What an awful country we lived in back then, shocking." 'That's when panic set in' - Watch Camogie ace & gold medallist's scary cliff moment on Death Road in RTE's Uncharted Marc commented: "Watching Housewife of the Year. Incredibly well put together Irish documentary. Is it shocking? I'd say infuriating." 'INCREDIBLE WOMEN' Grace said: "Housewife of the Year was a masterpiece of contextualisation - such a clever way to present Ireland of the time. "These diverse women's stories a microcosm of Irish society. So glad they got the opportunity to share their lived experiences since." Joanne wrote: "Had the privilege of seeing this at the Toronto Irish Film Festival this winter. "Such a powerful, sobering, film. More power to these incredible women. To all women." Another added: "Heartbreaking to watch these stories being told. What some of these women have been put through."
Irish Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
RTE sends Irish stars to conquer 'Death Road' in Bolivia
Camogie star Ashling Thompson and Paralympic gold medallist Ellen Keane are set to take on some of the world's 'worst and most dangerous terrain' in this week's Uncharted with Ray Goggins. On this Wednesday night's RTE One show, the athletic pair travel to Bolivia to the start of the fabled 'Death Road' to meet Ray Goggins. This hair-raising descent of the world's most dangerous road is just the start of an incredible seven-day challenge, trekking close to 100km through the dense cloud forest of Bolivia. The trio will have to negotiate raging rivers, punishing terrain and wild jungle as they climb ever higher into the Andean mountains. As the trio climb higher into the mountains, the altitude starts to affect them all. On meeting Ashling and Ellen in Bolivia, Ray warns: "We are going to negotiate some of the worst and most dangerous terrain on the planet - it's going to be hardcore, you are going to be at altitude so it's not going to be for the faint hearted. It will be hellish at times.' Crossing a makeshift wire bridge over a fast flowing river, Ellen says: "I had to figure out how to get across a little differently to everyone else. 'Ray was not offering help too soon which was really reassuring to me because it meant that he believed I could do it. "When you are a person with a disability, everyone always expects you not to be able to do something or to always need help, and I don't like that narrative. 'I can do anything that Ashling does, I just have to do it a little differently. I think that's a really important lesson for people to learn that it doesn't matter how something is done, as long as it is done at the end of the day, that's the most important thing." Opening up around the campfire three nights into the trip, Ray questions Ashling about her anxiety. She said: "I was constantly tipping away with the camogie but I had a fairly bad car accident and camogie was the thing that always kept my feet on the that was taken away, I completely lost control of my life." Ashling added that camogie later saved her. "Something clicked in my I got called back up to the Cork squad and all of a sudden, my life completely changed." The pair form a strong bond throughout the trip, with Ellen telling Ashling: "I actually don't know what I would do without you, I'm glad that we are here together" Ashling on Ellen as the expedition intensifies: "The resilience she shows, nothing can stop her, anything is possible when it comes to Ellen Keane and I love it" On the fifth day the majestic peak of Huayna Potosi is revealed. This is the final, most brutal of challenge of them all. In two days, the group will need to traverse sheer ice walls, snow fields and mountain glaciers as they to attempt to summit the 6088 metre peak. It will be the toughest test of their lives. Uncharted with Ray Goggins: RTÉ One | RTÉ Player Wednesday, May 28th 9.35pm.
Dublin Live
22-05-2025
- Dublin Live
Charleen Murphy told 'you're not a real victim' after brutal restaurant attack
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Social media star Charleen Murphy has admitted she is "scared for the younger generation" as she opens up about being whacked in the head in a horror restaurant attack. The influencer was attacked in a Dublin restaurant two years ago by a man who had been repeatedly contacting her online. "I just felt this blow to the back of my head, my head basically went so full force forward into my glass that the glass completely shattered," she said. "I looked to my left and I could see him standing there. Straight away, I knew who it was. "He had been messaging me in the past online." In November 2023, Craig O'Brien (28) of Thomond Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was sentenced to two years and three months for assault causing harm, with the final nine months suspended. Charleen recalls the horrific attack in tonight's Prime Time on RTE One where the show will be focussing on the impact on young Irish people of online influencers who promote a negative form of masculinity. The programme will reveal research carried out over the last number of months by RTÉ journalists Kate McDonald and Jack McCarron, as well as current insights from teachers, experts, and individuals who have been personally affected. Charleen said the experience is part of a larger pattern of online abuse she has encountered over years. "When I came out with the story that time, people said, 'You're not a real victim.' They downplay your pain or trauma," Charleen said. "You don't have to have something worse than someone else to still have gone through something bad." The programme explores how online narratives are increasingly shaping young people's views on gender roles in society, something Charleen has also noticed. "It's happening much younger," she says. "People have these words and this information so young. Their brains are being shaped by it all. It's scary. I'm scared for the younger generation." Charleen will also give a personal account of how online misogyny is not just digital and has a larger impact. "People think it's just a comment. But kids are reading that. That's saying to them, 'It's okay for me to post this too.' All the little things turn into the big things." Tune into Prime Time tonight May 22, at 9.35pm RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
