Nationwide on RTÉ One delves into the world of the arts to see where they find themselves in this pandemic, including interviews with Eoin Colfer, Phelim Drew, Sue Collins, Norma Sheehan, Mairéad Ni Mhaonaigh and Colm Mac Con Iomaire - watch now via RTÉ Player.
Chaos and devastation in the arts industry have left many artists hanging by a thread. With cancelled gigs and uncertainty around planning, many artists suddenly find themselves in limbo. Despite these challenges, Nationwide features actors, comedians and writers who are still creating new work, and remain remarkably resilient in the face of a pandemic...
On Monday 5th October, Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh visits showbiz couple Sue Collins and Phelim Drew at their home in the Liberties in Dublin.
We meet comedian Sue Collins & her husband actor & musician Phelim Drew who remain upbeat & resilient in the face of this Pandemic on #RTENationwide Monday 5th October @RTEOne 7pm & RTE+1 8pm @rte @phelimdrewmusic @DirtBirds_Irl @DublinImprov @BlathnaidRua @rte_co @mermaidarts RT pic.twitter.com/vybLHsykCU
— RTÉ Nationwide (@RTENationwide) October 5, 2020
Sue Collins is former founding member of The Nualas and currently one half of the YouTube comedy sensation The Dirtbirds. Live gigs may have disappeared, but Sue uses everything around her as inspiration for her online sketches. From homeschooling to coping with teenage children, she has the art of finding comedy in the mundane.
Phelim Drew has worked in theatre, TV and film for over three decades, but it’s only in recent years he’s been following in his father Ronnie’s footstep with Phelim and the Drew House Band.
On Wednesday 7th October, Bláthnaid visits a musicians Mairéad Ni Mhaonaigh in Donegal and Colm Mac Con Iomaire in Wexford.
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh co-founded Altan in the 1980s with her late husband Frankie Kennedy, performing local Donegal tunes to a wider audience. Shortly after Frankie’s death in 1994, the band was signed to the Virgin label and stepped up to the international stage. Mairéad launched her solo career in 2009, and also plays with the family band Na Mooneys, which includes her daughter Nia, her sister Anna, brother Garóid and nephew Ciarán. Since the lockdown, she has also found time to do online lessons.
Colm Mac Con Iomaire joined a school band in Coláiste Eoin in South County Dublin - that band became Kila. In the early 90s, he joined The Frames, with whom he toured the world till 2013 when he ‘stepped off the bus’ opting for a solo career as a composer and performer. Since then he has released three critically acclaimed albums and is in high demand as a solo performer and as composer for TV and film scores.
On Friday 9th October, Bláthnaid meets Wexford writer Eoin Colfer and Cork actress and comedian Norma Sheahan at their homes in South County Dublin.
Eoin Colfer began writing books when he worked as a primary school teacher in Co Wexford, but it was the 12-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl who changed everything. With Artemis came an agent, a new book deal, a movie deal, book tours and a series of bestselling books chronicling his adventures. Since then, Colfer has written 43 books which have been translated into 44 languages – and has sold over 25 million copies!
Norma Sheahan cut a swathe through the theatre world when she appeared in Enda Walsh’s Bedbound in 2002. Since then, she has landed many roles in film and TV including The Clinic, Moone Boy, Damo and Ivor, Bridget and Eamon and the upcoming series Dead Still. Her theatre show Heal Your Hole came to an abrupt halt with Covid 19, and now Norma puts her energy into her regular podcasts which she records from the boot of her car!
RTÉ Nationwide, RTÉ One Mon, Wed & Fri at 7 pm - watch back here via RTE Player.
