The first tv programme I produced after leaving HTV Wales in 1989 was ‘Cyrchfan Cyfiawnder’ (Destination Justice), an hour-long drama doc for S4C. It was made by tv production co-operative, Teliesyn. I had just become a member. I had spent 8 years working for the ITV station in Wales but the shift to an independent company meant learning how to operate without the bureaucracy and the safety net of a national broadcaster.
Continue reading Cyrchfan Cyfiawnder – documentary screening
Finlay James performs my poem
And my article for The Honest Ulsterman on what I learned from watching an actor perform my work.
Northern Visions’ Talk Like That profiles an artist every episode in a 30-minute interview format with Ciarán Ó Brolcháin. It was a great pleasure to reflect on the genesis and contents of ‘STAR: poems for the Christmas Season’. Watch the episode via the link above.
It was a great pleasure to be interviewed by writer, Anne McMaster for DoubleBand Films’ hour-long documentary ‘Out Of The Silence’, directed by Jane Magowan and produced by Jonathan Golden. It explores women writing today, and in the past, in Ulster-Scots.
Anne and the crew came recorded me at home in Ballycastle where I delivered my poem, ‘A Heerd Tha Sodjer On Tha Radio’. This poem originated in my kitchen and is set there so what better place to do it?
Wendy Erskine, Dawn Watson and Jan Carson also feature in the documentary. The work of the late Frances Molloy was a discovery for me, prompted by the recording. Her novel, ‘No Mate For The Magpie’ (1985) and short story collection, ‘Women Are The Scourge Of The Earth’ (1989) are memorable, visceral and inventive. As was that of the acerbic, eighteenth-century writer, Olivia Elder.
Anne McMaster’s latest book, ‘Martha And The Vardo’ is out recently. Available from [email protected].
Featuring some of the best contemporary Ulster-Scots poets, including Charlie Gillen, Anne McMaster, Angeline King, Angela Graham and Liam Logan, Negative Waves and Sub-Culture Productions have curated a large collection of Ulster-Scots audio and video recordings highlighting and preserving their important work. The digital project has been made with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund.
The link above gives access to video and audio recordings.
It was a great pleasure to be awarded an Honorary Life Fellowship by the Institute of Welsh Affairs. The citation reads:
For supporting our shared objective of a strong, confident democracy in Wales by chairing and leading our media policy work to foster robust debate in Welsh society, laying the groundwork for our current citizen-centred media and democracy work.
I had never been to Sentry Hill, near Larne, before going there to be interviewed by Liam Logan for his series on Ulster-Scots writing for Belfast cable channel Northern Visions (NVTV).
The house was built in 1835 , improved in the 1880s, and owned by the McKinney family until 1996. William Fee McKinney (born 1832) collected farm implements and objects from rural life. The house’s interior and contents survive remarkably intact and give a good impression of a farm interior from the earlier twentieth century. It is run by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Liam interviewed me in a small room where many guns and weapons (are those assegais on the ceiling?) are on display, alongside stuffed birds andmaybe an armadillo!
Liam asked me how I came to write in Ulster-Scots. Both my grandparents on my father’s side came from communities with this speech and it has remained in my inner ear, as it were. I have had a lot of help in foregrounding it from people such as Liam and from the indispensable Ulster-Scots Grammar by Philip Robinson; The Hamely Tongue by the late James Fenton (both Ullans Press) and Ulster-Scots Writers’ Guide (Ulster-Scots Academy Press) and comments from the Ulster-Scots Language Society.
I read some of my poems for the camera. I find it a great pleasure to work in Ulster-Scots and would like to do more.
Other contemporary writers featured in the series are Alan Millar, Angeline King and Gary Morgan. All four of us are featured in the booklet produced as a follow-up to the Linen Hall LIbrary’s inaugural Ulster-Scots Writing Competition 2021 (supported by the Ulster-Scots Agency) in which we were all prize-winners.
Dr Pauline Holland, co-author of a biogrpahy of early eighteenth century poet, Sarah Leech, will also appear and Barbara Gray, singer and lyricist. Academics Dr Ivan Herbison and Dr Frank Ferguson are on the roster too.
The programmes will be screened in the autumn.
The Story of Wales is back on BBC iPlayer.
This landmark BBC history series won a BAFTA Cymru Award for Huw Edwards as Best Presenter.
and a BAFTA Cymru Award – the Gwyn A. WIlliams Award – for Outstanding Countribution to History on Television.
I was the Development Producer on the series.
Welsh Government subsequently commissioned additional material and a re-versioning for use in schools (7 – 16 years) with an interactive timeline of Welsh history and Teachers’ Notes. I was Producer on this.
In the midst of the general election hurly burly an important consultation is proceeding in Wales: an inquiry into whether Wales should acquire greater powers over broadcasting. The deadline for submitting evidence has been extended from today, 9th December to Monday, 20th December. Whatever its outcome, this inquiry marks a key developmental stage in the process of devolution in Wales. Continue reading Devolution of Broadcasting, Wales
At the BAFTA Cymru Awards in Cardiff on 13th October, Velindre, Hospital of Hope, a series following patients through treatment for cancer, won the Award for Best Factual Series.
Commissioned by ITV Wales, the series was made by Green Bay Media and was the company’s final production prior to joining forces with Wildflame Productions Continue reading BAFTA Cymru win for Green Bay Media
