The word ‘unprecedented’ has had many outings in the last three years, and media commentators reached for it again in relation to the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI. Benedict was already a master of the unprecedented thanks to his surprise resignation in 2013. Some early coverage of his death was inclined to be lazy, clichéd…
Looking back over the Christmas programming I was on the lookout for something different, original and creative amidst the huge amount of repeats. Pick of the bunch for me was A Christmas Postcard: The History of the Nativity Story (Lyric FM Christmas week). Each morning there was a reflection with Scripture readings, dramatisation and music…
TV & Radio Review 2022 I can still remember my unprintable language when I woke up on the morning of February 24 to hear that the long-dreaded Russian invasion of Ukraine had started. At the end of Newstalk Breakfast that day Cormac Smith, former advisor to the Ukrainian government, said “the fog of war has…
Pick of the Season Cliff at Christmas BBC Two, Saturday December 17, 9.35pm Cliff Richard is joined by special guests for this festive TV show from Hackney Church in London. The multi-award winning artist performs some of his Christmas classics. A Christmas History of Sacred Music BBC 4, Saturday (night) December 17, 1.50am and Tuesday…
Two items last week captured a telling moment, a sign of the times as we head towards Christmas. Both items were on Morning Ireland (RTÉ Radio One, Tuesday). A report from the Mid-West Simon Community food bank service in Limerick, showed a strong demand. One woman had asked for porridge, with tears in her eyes…
The World Cup has been dominating the media for the last week or so, and even though a sporting event that might lift all spirits it has been dogged by controversies. Most media coverage I came across was critical of the governing body FIFA for not allowing LGBT supportive armbands being worn by players on…
It was another week of disturbing religious controversy, but I’ll start with something different. Philip Nolan was a familiar figure right through Covid times as he was a member of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). Now Director General of Science Foundation Ireland he was promoting Science Week on The Pat Kenny Show (Newstalk,…
I’m conflicted about the Kerry priest controversy. Certainly much of the media coverage was ill-informed and unnecessarily confrontational. The basics of what Fr Seán Sheehy said at those Masses in Listowell was orthodox Catholic teaching, which is by far the main thing, but the message could have been delivered in a more appealing, compassionate, sensitive…
As many programmes were gearing up for the Halloween horrors, it was great to watch a relaxing programme that celebrated the joys of autumn and the beauty of creation in general. It was the last episode of the current series of Gardeners’ World (BBC Two, Friday) and I was a good one. Regular presenter Carol…
The media’s obsession with the ‘far right’ tends to give the far left a free pass, which just might be the whole purpose. I’m three episodes into The Walk-In (UTV, Mondays), a gripping true-life drama about efforts to expose the far right group National Action in the UK. Stephen Graham plays campaigning journalist Matthew Collins,…