.
Ardal O’Hanlon sips a Vermouth on Valentia Island.
A THREE part TV show to be broadcast in January is to feature Valentia and the Blasket Islands.
In Inis na nIontas, actor and comedian Ardal O’Hanlon takes viewers on a fascinating journey, unearthing the history, observing the wildlife and meeting the islanders trying to live sustainably within their extraordinary environment.
Inis na nIontas is Ardal O’Hanlon’s first Irish-language show. His mother, Teresa, is a native Irish-speaker and, in this series, Ardal fulfils a longstanding ambition to practise and improve his Irish and promote its use to a wider public.
Continued below…
.
The first episode will be broadcast on TG4 on 10th January at 9.30pm focussing on the north, beginning on Rathlin Island, Tory Island off Donegal, and then to Arranmore.
In the second episode, Ardal continues down the west coast to the Aran islands, before heading south, to the abandoned Great Blasket Island, former home to Irish author Peig Sayers, now home to a thriving seal colony and two young caretakers.
On nearby Valentia, Ardal is shown fossilised evidence of early life emerging from the sea. Along the island’s coast, Ireland’s only vermouth producers forage for ingredients, while in the surrounding waters oyster conservationists are hard at work.
The episode ends with a visit to spectacular Skellig Michael, a UNESCO world heritage site made internationally famous in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. With Luke Skywalker long gone, the island is home to numerous puffins and the world’s most dramatic ancient monastery.
In the final episode, Ardal is in the far south, where he discovers beautiful Garnish Island, before heading further south to Sherkin Island. A short hop takes Ardal to Cape Clear, Ireland’s southernmost island, where he’s taken on a tour in one of the island’s electric buses – the only in Ireland.
“It was remarkable for me to witness the extraordinary diversity of our islands and to meet such a range of astonishing people,” said Ardal. “As an Irishman, I’d obviously heard of a lot of these places, but I was quite taken aback by visiting and seeing for myself. I was genuinely moved. We have some of the most breathtaking scenery and wonderful nature.”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
