Dick Warner takes on a discovery of ?Our Island? in a new series on TV3.

TV3 GROUP RELEASE

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday 6thOctober, 2014

 

Dick Warner takes on a discovery of ‘Our Island’ in a new series on TV3.

 

‘Our Island’ is a specific look at Ireland’s shoreline, its people, industries, history and wildlife.

 

We’ll hear stories of triumph and tragedy, endurance and endeavour, life and death; but ultimately, these are stories about people who have evolved to cope with the unique challenges presented by the Irish coast.

 

The coast is a quickly evolving place, sea level rises and erosion are constantly reshaping the very face of the map; geologists, historians, archaeologists and geographers explore the unique character of the coast and its communities.

 

Interviews with Dick Warner available on request.

 

‘Our Island’ airs Wednesday 8thOctober at 10.05pm on TV3.

 

Video Link to view the first episode is available on request

 

Presented by Irish environmentalist, writer and broadcaster, Dick Warner, this brand new four-part series delivers an insight into the people, places and beautiful surroundings of Our Island.

 

‘Our Island’, as the name suggests, is a specific look at Ireland’s shoreline, its people, industries, history and wildlife. Her coastline is a long and complex fringe where the land and sea embrace one another.  Indeed, Ireland is so inextricably bound up with the coast and the sea that no place on this small island is divorced from the marine influence. The programme discovers the great relationships people have with our shores as they reveal how their lives are dominated by the sea and ocean that surrounds our 7,500km perimeter.

 

This observational documentary series will be looking at the wildlife that lives off the coast, with a focus on the businesses and townspeople that thrive from it. It’s a compendium of human stories culled from Ireland’s maritime folk-lore. The sea has provided these people with a living, often more dependable than that found from the land. The Irish coastline has supported small and hardy communities that had to be self-sufficient for most of their needs. We’ll hear stories of triumph and tragedy, endurance and endeavour, life and death; but ultimately, these are stories about people who have evolved to cope with the unique challenges presented by the Irish coast.

 

The provincial structure lends the series an historical, social and political dynamic. By focusing on one province at a time, these episodes have a charm and a character that’s both distinctive and consistent. The approach, both visually and editorially, will be consistent across the series; yet will reflect the essence of Munster, Connaught, Ulster and Leinster.

 

This series covers a range of tales spanning thousands of years and of a very diverse nature. There are priests and pirates, word wars and wild westerlies, valleys and virgins but often, however, it is the coast itself that is the star of the show. Acting as a backdrop to every story there is a wonder range of scenery, wide mudflats, sand dunes, wild storm ravaged cliffs and the every present expanse of sea that makes us an island in the first place. The coast is a quickly evolving place, sea level rises and erosion are constantly reshaping the very face of the map and with issues such as pollution, wildlife conservation and alternative power sources being important considerations for the future, and along the journey there’ll also be a look into an unpredictable future.

 

The voyage is undertaken by several experts; the principal presenter Dick Warner is supported by a team of experts that he meets along the journey. His voyage around the Irish coastline shows not only the present day, but flips into the history of the country - whether taking up specific historical stories, alluding to the climate changes that formed this isle, or exploring the natural phenomena and wild-life. Geologists, historians, archaeologists and geographers explore the unique character of the coast and its communities, revealing the forgotten history, culture and wildlife of the coastline, explore the surprising and inspiring stories that affect the coastline and its communities.

 

Truly stunning aerial views of our landscape and unique stories from remarkable people make Our Island a real journey through proud and panoramic beauty.

 

‘Our Island’ airs Wednesday 8th October at 10.05pm on TV3.

 

Images have been sent to your picture desks and are available on request.

 

See Notes to Editor for contributor biogs.

 

ENDS

 

 

For further information
Ciara Byrne – Press Officer – 01 419 3329/087 319 9732

Jean O’Donovan – Press & Publicity Assistant – 01 419 3428

Sharon McHugh – Head of Press & Publicity – 087 922 4143

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NOTES TO EDITOR:

About Dick Warner

Dick Warner has over 90 broadcast television documentaries to his credit.As well as writing and presenting the original 24 programmes of Waterways (which won the Jacob’s Award) and the 2011 sequel (which won two IFTAs) he wrote and presented 18 Voyage programmes about Ireland’s coastal waters. He did the same for the 8 programmes of the RTE/Channel 4 co-production Spirit of Trees and wrote Wood from the Trees for Time Horizon/RTE. He presented Ironing the Land, 8 documentaries about Irish railway history, as well as numerous one-off documentaries for Agtel/Independent Pictures and Tile Films. He has also written and voiced a number of David Shaw-Smith’s documentaries, including his recent Cots and Cotsmen.

 

In addition he has a huge portfolio of non-broadcast work, much of it about water of one kind or another, for clients such as the Central Fisheries Board, The Loughs Agency, The Office of Public Works, the National Botanic Gardens and Tourism Ireland. He also writes for print media and has published several books, the latest (2008) being The Liffey - Portrait of a River. He writes a weekly wildlife column for the Irish Examiner and features for a number of magazines.

 

Episode 1 - Ulster

From Bundoran to Warren Point, Dick Warner talks fish, island survival, Nazi warships, smuggling and shipwrecked Spaniards - all along the extraordinary coastline of Ulster.

 

Episode 2 - Leinster

From Carlingford Lough to Hook Head; hobblers, dockers, protesters and natterjacks accompany Dick Warner along the rocky tombstones, accidental islands, spits and stones that form the coast of Leinster.

 

Episode 3 - Munster

From Passage East to Doolin, in the hottest summer in living memory Dick Warner explores ancient volcanoes, digs for long-dead prisoners, recreates the golden-age of aviation, and spots the biggest dolphin pod in decades. It's a mid-summer odyssey in Munster.

 

Episode 4 - Connacht

From Inverin to Tullaghan, an epic journey around our Island ends as Dick Warner discovers the wave chasers, seaweed harvesters and whale cullers of the Connacht coast.