Just before Christmas one year, Nathan Walsh’s neighbours went on holiday. Nathan decided to go along with them.
Nathan’s neighbours were a group of mostly, grey-haired, older women; a ladies’ club, from Riverchapel in Co. Wexford. They were going on a week-long Golden Years holiday to Westport, Co.Mayo.
Nathan is a young man with dreadlocks who was studying radio production. He decided to join the women on holidays to record a radio documentary about them and their trip.
In Westport, the Riverchapel Ladies went shopping around the town for that year’s must-have toy for their grandchildren; they bet on horses and watched the races in the pub and they danced to the hotel band - but only if the music was suitable for line-dancing.
The women also went on daytrips. Once to Knock where they talked about religion and took hay from the crib for good luck. Then to Achill where they talked about childhood games and held starfish in the local aquarium.
Throughout the week, Nathan got an insight into the lives of these women - the harsh times their mothers had; how the widows leave the radio on so the house isn't so quiet and how the spirited ones defy old age by staying in touch with their grandchildren.
What emerges from Nathan’s recordings is a picture of a group of women full of charm and vim who throw themselves into the week’s activities with gusto and who really revel in each other’s company.
Produced by Nathan Walsh and Ronan Kelly
Music used:
"Libertango", Sharon Shannon
Soundtrack from the film, "Nebraska"
First broadcast RTÉ Radio 1 Saturday 21st July 2018
Rebroadcast RTÉ Radio 1 Sunday 17th of February 2019
An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One, the home of Irish radio documentaries.