Forgotten Irish drama series.

Hangdogroad · 05-06-2021 3:45pm #1

Following on from forgotten Irish sitcoms, any Irish produced or set drama series that wasnt a comedy that's been forgotten. When Reason Sleeps, a four part anthology from 1987 of supernatural tinged stories, co production with Channel 4. Never repeated or received a home media release as far as I know. Two of the episodes are on YouTube, Fear Of The Dark and the Scar. A very rare foray for RTE into horror, makes you wish theyd done more stuff like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qBr768uYFw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUCrZh3PD4Y

Hangdogroad · 05-06-2021 7:45pm

On Home Ground. RTEs short lived replacement for Glenroe on the Sunday night slot, lasted one series.

Church on Tuesday · 05-06-2021 7:51pm

The Big Bow Wow.

odyssey06 · 05-06-2021 7:51pm

Hangdogroad wrote: »

On Home Ground. RTEs short lived replacement for Glenroe on the Sunday night slot, lasted one series.

Dominique McElligott played the tomboy daughter footballer in that... now starring in major US series The Boys.

EmmetSpiceland · 05-06-2021 7:51pm

‘Love Is The Drug’ and ‘Pure Mule’.

Hangdogroad · 05-06-2021 8:11pm

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

The Big Bow Wow.

To RTE drama what Extra Extra was to comedy. The bould Eoghan Harris was one of the script writers.

NewbridgeIR · 05-06-2021 8:32pm

Inside (1985)
Set in a prison. Obnoxiously bad with future Fair City actors.

Hangdogroad · 05-06-2021 8:44pm

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

Inside (1985)
Set in a prison. Obnoxiously bad with future Fair City actors.

I vaguely remember that, got very negative reviews.

odyssey06 · 05-06-2021 8:45pm

Rebel Heart, 2001 series set around 1916 to war of independence.
First episode I remember doing a great job of showing the 1916 Battle of Mount Street Bridge.
(Miles ahead of the recent Rebellion series)

Quirke... detective series starring Gabriel Byrne set in the 1950s. Thought there was potential for a great series there but they threw in way too many anachronistic characters and behaviour. Should have had the confidence to be of the time instead of viewing everything through a modern prism.

Fr Tod Umptious · 05-06-2021 8:46pm

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

‘Love Is The Drug’ and ‘Pure Mule’.

Pure Mule is hardly forgotten.

Coillte_Bhoy · 05-06-2021 9:14pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

Rebel Heart, 2001 series set around 1916 to war of independence.
First episode I remember doing a great job of showing the 1916 Battle of Mount Street Bridge.
(Miles ahead of the recent Rebellion series)

Quirke... detective series starring Gabriel Byrne set in the 1950s. Thought there was potential for a great series there but they threw in way too many anachronistic characters and behaviour. Should have had the confidence to be of the time instead of viewing everything through a modern prism.

I dont remember Rebel Heart, is it available anywhere i wonder?

05-06-2021 9:15pm

Hangdogroad wrote: »

On Home Ground. RTEs short lived replacement for Glenroe on the Sunday night slot, lasted one series.

Definately got a second series if I recall. Was woeful stuff.

05-06-2021 9:17pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

Dominique McElligott played the tomboy daughter footballer in that... now starring in major US series The Boys.

She was in another series with Colm Meaney a few years back set in the time of the building of the railways in the US. Can't remember the name but it was decent.

odyssey06 · 05-06-2021 9:24pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

She was in another series with Colm Meaney a few years back set in the time of the building of the railways in the US. Can't remember the name but it was decent.

Hell on Wheels.
There were a couple of Irish brothers iirc trying their hands at any angle they could.
Started well then thought it went a bit 'off track' in middle... round about the time she exited the seried

The lead Anson Mount also popped up as Captain Pike in latest Star Trek series

Pat_bottom · 05-06-2021 9:26pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

She was in another series with Colm Meaney a few years back set in the time of the building of the railways in the US. Can't remember the name but it was decent.

Hell on wheels.

Hangdogroad · 05-06-2021 9:55pm

Making The Cut and its followup DDU, Sean McGinley in a detective series set in Waterford, late 90s.

NewbridgeIR · 05-06-2021 10:17pm

RTE did plenty one-off dramas in the 1970s & early 1980s.

The Greening Of America was written by Eoghan Harris. US satire with blackface, 1976

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NewbridgeIR · 05-06-2021 10:22pm

This has been posted before but is a good documentary on RTE's drama over the years. Broadcast as part of the RTE 40 celebrations in 2002. Includes a clip from The Burke Enigma (I barely remember a few scenes), a production that languishes in the archives and will probably never come out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CDjLFq3Lc8

Hangdogroad · 05-06-2021 10:26pm

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

RTE did plenty one-off dramas in the 1970s & early 1980s.

The Greening Of America was written by Eoghan Harris. US satire with blackface, 1976

Was that anything to do with the book of the same name by Charles A Reich? Was the blackface done in a knowing, ironic way or was it a case of these were literally depicting black characters and there were no real black actors in Ireland of the 70s?

Thepillowman · 05-06-2021 10:27pm

Remember one from when I was very young called The Price think John Kavanagh was in it. Older brother used to watch it.

NewbridgeIR · 05-06-2021 10:44pm

Thepillowman wrote: »

Remember one from when I was very young called The Price think John Kavanagh was in it. Older brother used to watch it.

That was excellent and came out on DVD a while ago

NewbridgeIR · 05-06-2021 10:48pm

Hangdogroad wrote: »

Was that anything to do with the book of the same name by Charles A Reich? Was the blackface done in a knowing, ironic way or was it a case of these were literally depicting black characters and there were no real black actors in Ireland of the 70s?

I think it was loosely based on it but Harris wrote / adapted the script. Someone I know had an off-air VHS copy years ago and I caught some of it - as far as I remember it was quite OTT and obviously satirical. Hard to tell on the blackface - back then the BBC were still running The Black & White Minstrel Show without any trace of irony.

NewbridgeIR · 05-06-2021 10:51pm

Eugene McCabe's trilogy on The Troubles - Cancer, Heritage & Siege. We saw one of them in school. He died last year, wonder if RTE repeated any of them?

EDIT - Cancer is on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flu4crL-usQ

Mike Guide 69 · 05-06-2021 11:35pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

I dont remember Rebel Heart, is it available anywhere i wonder?

Rebel Heart was made by the BBC,only available on VHS now on Amazon for a ridiculous price.

06-06-2021 12:18am

Picture of 'On Home Ground' cast. Unfortunately Amy's career didn't go the same way of this show

RandomViewer · 06-06-2021 12:47am

Thepillowman wrote: »

Remember one from when I was very young called The Price think John Kavanagh was in it. Older brother used to watch it.

Mid 80s, Charlie from Casualty as an IRA kidnapper

RandomViewer · 06-06-2021 12:48am

The Hanging Gale, McGann brothers fighting off English landlord in Ramelton in the 1800s

Hangdogroad · 06-06-2021 9:53am

Two on TV3 around 2009/10.

The Guards, not sure if this was made into a full series, there was a pilot episode. From the clips I saw of it online it looked pretty riseable.

Jack Taylor, starring Ian Glenn. This was supposed to be set in Galway but from what I saw of it the setting was very vague. Dont think it lasted long.

Phoebas · 06-06-2021 10:00am

Not really a series, but watching the Barrytown thing RTE have been showing recently reminded me of 'Family'.
I remember it being powerful stuff at the time, I'd definitely give it a watch if they ever played it again.

Hangdogroad · 06-06-2021 10:03am

Phoebas wrote: »

Not really a series, but watching the Barrytown thing RTE have been showing recently reminded me of 'Family'.
I remember it being powerful stuff at the time, I'd definitely give it a watch if they ever played it again.

The episodes are all on Youtube. Sean McGinley was superb as Charlo, a right evil bastard.

Sgt Hartman · 06-06-2021 10:34am

Proof and Proof 2 from approximately 20 years ago on RTE. I believe it was about a journalist investigating corruption.

The Clinic, which was set in a posh Southside private hospital.

The Treaty, which starred a young Brendan Gleeson as Michael Collins

Forgotten Irish drama series.

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