Nationwide film

Nationwide to film in Achill

Anton McNulty

THE popular RTÉ television show, Nationwide, will be filming on Achill Island this week with the whole programme focusing on the island scheduled to be aired on RTÉ One on September 3.

Presenters Michael Ryan and Mary Kennedy will be arriving tomorrow (Wednesday) and will be talking to people about tourism as well as focusing on the launch of a new book on Achill, called ‘Achill Voices’.

The book, which was written by Kildare man Robert Redmond, will be on the shelves of bookshops next week and has a foreword by Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, TD. Much of the show was filmed last month when producers interviewed people who were mentioned in the book and filmed sites on the island.

Robert Redmond told The Mayo News that he could not believe it when Nationwide researchers phoned him and asked him if he could help organise a show from Achill. He said that he sent a copy of the book to RTÉ, but did not expect to get that sort of publicity.

“I am delighted and thrilled with the national publicity the book will get but it will also be great for Achill. The entire show will come from Achill and will cover the history of the shark fishing in the 1950s and will also cover the current employment on the island. They filmed for three days and got to interview some great characters like Michael and Marty McNamara who both went to Scotland when they were only 13 years old. They also got some good weather, which will be great for Achill,” he said.

Robert, a professional photographer based in Athy, spent two years researching his book, during which he talked to Achill people and got their stories and captured photographs of the island. The book was to be launched months ago but problems with the publishers meant part of the copy went missing and delayed the launch date.

Stephen Corrigan, Manager of Achill Tourism, said it was a great publicity coup to have the entire Nationwide programme about Achill. He hopes the publicity will give a boost to tourism at the end of the season.

“We are delighted to get the publicity and for Nationwide to film in Achill. Michael Ryan will be coming on Wednesday and he will be filming a piece on tourism and surfing on the island as well as looking at emigration. If the weather stays good and they get good shots of the island, we will hopefully get an end of season boost,” he said.