Radio documentary ‘The Power of The People’ examines the significant impact of the ‘Dunnes Strikers’ on Ireland’s relations with South Africa and their contribution to the abolition of apartheid

On 19 July 1984 Mary Manning, a shop worker in Dunnes Stores on Henry Street in Dublin, refused to handle two grapefruit which had been imported from South Africa following an instruction from her union as a protest for the apartheid policies in place in the country. Mary was suspended and thus started what would become one of the longest running strikes in trade union history.

A new radio documentary produced by Kelly Crichton revisits the story, highlighting the tinder box atmosphere in Dunnes which helped lead to the strike, the evolution of the strikers' motivation and understanding as well as the dramatic and dangerous events that took place over the period of the strike.

The documentary follows the journey of the strikers, from the lack of support they received from politicians, the government, the church and other groups to being heralded as heroes. It shares the support they received from key people like their union official Brendan Archbold and Nimrod Sejake, who joined them on the picket line and had been a cellmate and fellow member of the African National Congress(ANC) with Nelson Mandela. Other supporters included Archbishop Desmond Tutu who helped them gain international recognition and the Reverend Jess Jackson.

It’s a story of determination, perseverance, love and triumph through adversity. Dunnes were approached for comment.

The documentary was supported by Coimisiún na Meán with the Television Licence Fee.

In the mid-1980s, young people began leaving an economically devastated Ireland for other countries. By 1986, an estimated 150,000 undocumented Irish men and women were living in the United States. Without proper paperwork they could not access healthcare, report crime or keep bank accounts - and they faced arrest and deportation by INS agents.

A group of young Irish immigrants, many of them in their 20s and undocumented, set out with the lofty goal to reform U.S. immigration law in order to create an amnesty for Irish illegal aliens (and immigrants from other nations who were in the same boat).

But how could these young activists convince politicians in Washington of the merits of their campaign? And how were they going to do it in the two years before Congress ended?

This is the story of the Irish Immigration Reform Movement.

This Land is Your Land is produced and edited by Pavel Barter, narrated by Michael Mellamphy, and funded by Coimisiún na Meán with the Television Licence Fee.

Take a festive journey through A History of Irish Panto, a light-hearted and informative unveiling of the story of pantomime in Ireland.

This two-part documentary series focuses on the seasonal theatrical extravaganzas, from their origins on the streets of Venice in the 1500s, to their first mention in an Irish newspaper in the 1731. From the productions that spread across the country in the 1800s, to the star-studded pantos that we know and love today. From the geamaireacht, the first Irish language pantos at the Abbey Theatre, to 150 years of the tradition at the Gaiety Theatre.

In the local parish halls of today, just as in the grand Victorian theatres of the past, the Irish panto has had people rolling in the aisles for centuries. With contributions from theatre historians, advocates and panto fans and performers, we recount the story of a much-loved artform: a story 500 years in the making.

A History of Irish Panto is presented by Amy O’Dwyer and Donncha O’Dea, the team who brought you the IMRO-nominated documentary Extraordinary Éire.

Episode 1 – Panto of the Past, It’s Behind You!

Episode 2 – Panto is the Future, Oh Yes It Is!

Both episodes will be available as a podcast on GoLoud and all major platforms.

Written, researched and presented by Donncha O’Dea.

Presented, produced and edited by Amy O’Dwyer.

Thanks to our special guests Sinead Burke, Conor Doyle, Choy-Ping Ní Chléirigh-Ng, Annie Ryan and Ian Walsh.

Voice Actors: Aisling Breen and Stephen O’Leary.

A History of Irish Panto is dedicated to the memory of Joe Cleere.

The programme is funded by the Coimisiún na Meán, with the Television Licence Fee.