Documentary award for ‘Frank Stagg’s Three Funerals’

AWARD WINNER Michael O’Keeffe, CEO Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, making the presentation to Ronan Kelly, RTÉ Doc on One, and Liamy Mac Nally.

Áine Ryan

BROADCASTER and Mayo News columnist Liamy MacNally has won a prestigious award for his documentary ‘Frank Stagg’s Three Funerals’ at the IMRO Radio Awards, held in  Kilkenny over the weekend. The Westport native received a Gold Award in the Documentary-Feature category for his programme, which was broadcast last November on RTÉ radio as part of the Documentary on One series, whose producer is Ronan Kelly.
It tells the dramatic story of the controversial burial of Republican Frank Stagg, a Hollymount native, who died in February 1976 after going on hunger-strike for 62 days in Wakefield prison.   
Frank Stagg’s burial was mired in controversy after Republicans and some members of his family wanted him to be buried in the Republican plot in Ballina’s Leigue cemetery while his widow and brother, former Labour TD Emmet Stagg, as well as the Irish government, wanted him to be buried in the family plot and thus avoid political ramifications at a time when the Northern Ireland Troubles continued.
The programme was first broadcast on RTÉ radio on November 4, 2017, the 40th anniversary of his dramatic re-interment in the Republican plot. It was carried out in the dark of night after his brother George purchased a grave next to Frank’s and a group of men dug down and removed Frank’s coffin, which was covered by a concrete slab, and re-interred it.      
Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday, Liamy MacNally explained that he had originally made a series of three programmes for Midwest Radio about Mayo hunger strikers entitled ‘Dying for the Cause’ and after Ronan Kelly listened to them he suggested that he develop a new angle focussing on the Frank Stagg burial story.  
“Ronan was also fascinated by the hunger strike notion. The Frank Stagg story is especially interesting as the Irish State commandeered his body and carried out the funeral, against the wishes of many family members and against the dying wish of Frank himself,” MacNally said.
This culminated in three headstones in Leigue cemetery and the three funerals.
Praising Ronan Kelly for his ‘master craftsmanship’ in documentary making, Liamy MacNally also thanked the many contributors, including George Stagg, SeΡn Stagg, Gerry Ginty, Paddy Cooney, Brendan Cafferty, Joe McHale, Declan Maguire, Mildrid Byrne and the late SeΡn Calleary.
Continuing, he said: “We won the Documentary Feature category. For the record, RTÉ Doc on One programmes swept the boards, winning in all categories. Personally, I’m delighted with the award. It is the goal of any documentary maker.”

MORE ‘Frank Stagg’s Three Funerals’ is available on the Doc on One slot on RTÉ’s website. There are plans to broadcast it again over Christmas.