Irish Civil War Documentary Series Premiering on RTE in December 2022

20 Oct 2022

The multi-awarding winning team that brought you the The War of Independence and Great Hunger documentary series on RTE is pleased to announce a major new documentary series entitled 'The Irish Civil War' which will debut on RTE in December 2022. 

Based on the UCC’s Atlas of the Irish Revolution edited by John Crowley, Donal O’Drisceoil, Mike Murphy, and John Borgonovo, and narrated by Brendan Gleeson, ‘The Irish Civil War’ documentary is a UCC and RTÉ Cork collaboration which will tell the story of the Irish Civil War over three one-hour episodes.

An preview of Episode 2 was screened to a full house in Cork Opera House in September when the original soundtrack, composed by Natasa Paulberg, was performed live by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. The screening was followed by panel discussion with historians Dr John Borgonovo, Dr Caoimhe Nic Dháibhéid, Professor Lindsey Earner Byrne, Professor Gary Murphy and series director, Ruán Magan.

With support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, as part of the Decade of Centenaries programme, The Irish Civil War series examines the critical years of the Irish State’s foundation from the Truce period to the highly charged Treaty Debates and split, to the outbreak of the Civil War, the conduct of that war and its legacy.

Dr John Borgonovo, one of the editors of The Atlas of the Irish Revolution, said: “The series integrates the expertise of a number of Irish Civil War specialists here at UCC, as well as academic contributors from other institutions. We are particularly pleased to see the scholarship from The Atlas of the Irish Revolution publication brought to an Irish television audience. Our book took a ‘bottom-up’ rather than ‘great-man’ approach to the Irish Civil war.

The series is directed by Ruán Magan and produced by Patricia Carroll for Tyrone Productions and Create One Productions. Executive producers are John FitzgGerald for UCC, and Head of RTÉ Cork, Colm Crowley.

The three-part Irish Revolution documentary Series is still available to view on the RTE player