The Radharc Television Documentaries (1961-1996)
A group of Dublin priests started making documentary films for the new Irish television service in 1961. Over the next 35 years 425 films were made in 75 countries. Religious practices at home and abroad were filmed and discussed. Social injustice, human rights abuse, famine and civil unrest, were recorded either openly or secretly in true documentary filmmaking fashion. The films cover a wide variety of subjects. Many different world cultures were explored and celebrated, and many noted personalities were interviewed.
150 films were made in Ireland. Twenty were filmed in Northern Ireland and covered the period of the civil war there. Over fifty were made in North America and Canada
Civil unrest in South America was a popular theme as it also was in the Far East.
The Radharc archive is a priceless record of life in the second half of the twentieth century. The films carry the basic Christian message, they challenge the moral conscience. They have much to offer present day audiences and richly deserve to be cherished and preserved for future generations.
The Trust continues the work of promoting these values in the media. Awards are given to professional and amateurs of all ages for documentaries that have the same ethos as Radharc. Technical work on the Archive is ongoing and professional Archivists are employed on this important work.
The list of the films can be found and searched country by country on www.radharc.ie
