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Conor Keane.
A RADIO documentary narrated and produced by a Listowel man Conor Keane will air on RTE Radio 1 this weekend.
‘In Shame, Love, In Shame’ tells the story behind the famous song written by Sean McCarthy.
In 1946, in an act of defiance against the local clergy, a group of local men in Listowel, force open the locked gates into the Parish Church.
This action by the townspeople of Listowel never makes it into the newspapers, nor is it recorded anywhere else at the time.
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In fact, the incident has mostly faded from the town’s memory yet has never been forgotten by some. What was it that drove a normally compliant congregation to challenge local Parish Priest, Canon Patrick Brennan’s dominion?
Behind this act of defiance lies the story of a young woman named Peggy McCarthy, whose tragic death in childbirth resulted in the local clergy refusing to let her body lie in the church overnight before her burial.
Subsequently, an alliance between Church and State has had a devastating impact on three generations of Peggy’s family – including on the daughter she gave birth to, Breda – which persists right up to the present day.
Famed balladeer Séan McCarthy wrote a song, ‘Shame, Love, In Shame’, about the young woman at the centre of these events. Peggy was Séan’s younger sister. Years later, Peggy’s story also inspired local Listowel playwright Tony Guerin to write the play ‘Solo Run’.
‘Documentary On One: In Shame, Love, In Shame’ looks at the events behind this story, of Peggy’s life, of her daughter Breda’s life, of how the people of Listowel rallied round and defended Peggy – and of what happened before and since those Church gates were rammed open in 1946.
Produced by Conor Keane and Liam O’Brien, the documentary airs on RTÉ Radio 1 on Saturday, August 18 at 1pm and on Sunday, August 19 at 7pm. It will be available for podcast/online from this Friday at www.rte.ie/doconone
Bravo!! Mr, Keane and Mr. O’Brien and Listowel!!