Tag: Myles Na gCopaleen

Back on the Beeb

Cleverality

This week, I was invited by producer Steven Rajam to contribute to his BBC Radio 4 show on Flann O’Brien’s The Third Policeman. Steven had heard my RTE show on Brian O’Nolan, Bones of Contention, and thought I might give my dhá phingin on this posthumous masterpiece. Never backward about coming forward on Myles na gCopaleen, I eagerly obliged.

Flann on the radio



As part of the Exploding Library series, which takes a fresh look at classic novels, this episode had Comedian Mark Watson examine the under-valued gem by the man from county Tyrone. A couple of the same voices that featured in Bones of Contention were there, including the always engaging Julian Gough. My own contribution was modest enough but I was delighted to be involved nonetheless. I do love radio.

My previous flirtation with the BBC was also on Radio 4, when Steve Punt travelled to Ireland on the trail of murdered Hollywood director, William Desmond Taylor. The Punt PI team came to Taylor’s home town of Carlow and interviewed me on the man and land of his birth. All great craic.

Anyway, here’s my latest contribution to auntie Beeb: Link

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“Bones of Contention” Gets Another Airing

Cleverality

Delighted that the show I wrote and directed gets another airing this week on Lyric FM.

BONES OF CONTENTION, the radio docudrama on the life and work of Irish writer Brian O’Nolan (aka Flann O’Brien or Myles Na gCopaleen) as told by his various writing avatars is described by The Irish Times as ‘an enjoyably inventive docudrama’ using ‘sharp humour,’ a ‘vivid reimagining,’ and ‘an absorbing portrait.’

It was a wonderful experience interviewing novelists like Julian Gough and Pat McCabe; comedians, BlindBoy Boatclub, Ardal O’Hanlon, Tommy Tiernan, and David McSavage; actor Eamon Morrissey, literary experts Dr. Keith Hopper and Dr. Carol Taaffe, poet Louis De Paor and dramaturge Jocelyn Clarke.

And perhaps, even more fun was directing fantastic acting talents of Jack Lowe, Kevin Marron, and Rachel Rath. Here is some of the behind-the-scenes footage of the production as recorded by sound engineer, Brian Wallace, in his studio at Burbank, California