From presenting Bosco to presenting and producing Playback on RTÉ Radio 1, Marian Richardson has been involved in every nook and cranny of RTÉ during a varied and successful broadcasting career.
This month, she's hosting Finest Mind, an In Conversation with comedian and actress Deirdre O'Kane, as part of this year's St. Patrick's Festival - find out more here.
We asked Marian for her choice cultural picks...
FILM
I was very moved by Arracht, Tom Sullivan’s first feature film in Irish, set in Connemara in 1845, during the Great Famine. It stars Donal O’Healai, Michael McIlhatton and Saise Ni Chuinn, and opens in cinemas on April 3rd.
It set me thinking about my time working on Poitin, the first Irish language film shot in Connemara forty-two years ago. Made by Bob Quinn’s company Cinegael in An Cheathrú Rua. The film budget was 18 thousand punts and starred Cyril Cusack, Donal McCann, Niall Toibin and Mick Lally and a host of local actors including Maggie Kettle and Tom Saili. Exciting times, there were other emerging film-makers - Carlo Gebler, Thaddeus O’Sullivan, Pat Murphy, Cathal Black, Neil Jordan - and an indigenous film industry was born.
Cinegael was the forerunner to Telefis na Gaeilge and produced writers like my sister Helen Quinn who when she wasn’t writing scripts, could be found hefting pots of stew across the bog to feed the actors and film crews. It was all hands on deck and it’s a source of great pride to see the next generation carrying on the family tradition - my son, cameraman Fionn Comerford (Eternals, Men in Black, Harry Potter, Black Hawk Down), my niece Hannah Quinn, director (Blood, The Stranger), my nephew Robert Quinn, director of The Bay, Endeavour and Rasai na Gaillimhe which starred Tom Sullivan, director of Arracht, and introducing the youngest of the Quinn dynasty to the big screen - Saise Ni Chuinn, daughter of Liz and Toner Quinn.
GIG
I was at the launch of St. Patrick’s Festival in the stunning Museum of Literature Ireland building recently and ended up sharing a lift with music producer Aoife Woodlock and singer songwriter Lisa Hannigan who was serenading her baby boy, Arlo, with the most gorgeous nursery rhymes. What a treat, a private gig in a lift with Lisa singing to us all. I can’t wait for her to release that album of nursery rhymes, my grandson Charlie Comerford is already a big Lisa fan-boy.
And speaking of St. Patrick’s Festival, there will be laughs and tunes at The Pepper Canister Church in Dublin on Friday the 13th of March, when I will be in conversation with the brilliant Deirdre O’Kane and singer songwriter Loah.
BOOK
Anne Enright’s latest novel Actress is just dazzling, beyond extraordinary. As ever, she is screamingly funny, so thoughtful and just so clever. I read the book first and then listened to her glorious reading of her own work on Audible, lucky me. I’ll be in conversation with Anne as part of the Mountains to Sea Festival in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday March 28th - don’t miss her.
PLAY
I saw Michael Keegan Dolan’s latest dance-theatre work, MÁM, during the Dublin Theatre Festival last October and like his previous piece, Loch na hEala/Swan Lake, the images and the wildness of this spellbinding piece have stayed with me. Cormac Begley’s concertina playing is from another world.
RADIO/PODCAST
I’m an RTE radio junkie - politics, the arts, music, comedy - especially Oliver Callan - but I’m also addicted to the Catch and Kill podcast from Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow. It tells the background story of his investigative work, exposing the sex crimes of former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. It features the voices of those who bravely spoke out... chilling stuff.
MUSIC
Joni Mitchell… Lisa Hannigan… Loah… Angie Mc Mahon… Radie Peat... Farah Elle… Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh… Siobhra Quinlan… Maighread and Triona Ni Dhomhnaill… Lucinda Williams… Caitlin Nic Gabhann… Iarla O’lionaird… all day, every day, sometimes the same track over and over.
TV
Philip King’s Other Voices music series on RTE - always a great showcase for emerging talent.
ART
I love the work of glass maker Roisin de Buitlear. Check out her public artwork. She’s also part of a new exhibition called Generations which opens in Kilkenny on the 12th of March. The Jackie Clarke collection in Ballina, County Mayo is also well worth a visit, as is MoLI, the Museum of Literature Ireland.
TECH
I battle with Duolingo to polish up my French, it’s a life’s work. I also love Whatsapp for keeping up with family.
THE NEXT BIG THING
Hannah Quinn, film-maker and pilot - full disclosure, she’s my niece. And singer-songwriter Sorcha Richardson - no relation!
Marian Richardson hosts Finest Mind at St. Patrick’s Festival 2020 on Friday March 13th, delving into the thoughts, life and career of award-winning comedian and actress Deirdre O’Kane with musical interludes from the Sierra Leonean-Irish, singer songwriter Loah. Find out more here.
