1
00:00:04,420 --> 00:00:06,700
Hello!
My name is Ardal.

2
00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:09,300
It is a real name,
and I'm a real person.

3
00:00:10,780 --> 00:00:14,820
And this is Ireland, a real place,
as well as an imaginary one.

4
00:00:16,740 --> 00:00:20,220
There are just a few things about
my country I could do without.

5
00:00:23,180 --> 00:00:24,380
But mostly I love it!

6
00:00:28,700 --> 00:00:31,260
To help me separate the myth
from the reality,

7
00:00:31,260 --> 00:00:34,260
I'm going to consult this old
guidebook to Ireland.

8
00:00:34,260 --> 00:00:37,260
It was written by the
formidable Mr and Mrs Hall,

9
00:00:37,260 --> 00:00:41,020
an Anglo-Irish couple who
condescended their way around

10
00:00:41,020 --> 00:00:45,100
the country examining every facet of
Irish life, for better or for worse.

11
00:00:46,940 --> 00:00:49,140
"Idle," "reckless," "unprincipled?"

12
00:00:50,780 --> 00:00:53,980
"It was the drink, James.
It was the drink."

13
00:00:53,980 --> 00:00:56,980
Their observations of Ireland
and the Irish took root

14
00:00:56,980 --> 00:00:59,100
in the minds of their
English readers.

15
00:00:59,100 --> 00:01:01,020
But was there any merit in them?

16
00:01:01,020 --> 00:01:04,340
Are we really a bunch of
superstitious, God-fearing,

17
00:01:04,340 --> 00:01:06,020
whisky-sodden chancers?

18
00:01:06,020 --> 00:01:08,540
Or are we just like everybody else?

19
00:01:08,540 --> 00:01:10,620
Well, there's only
one way to find out.

20
00:01:26,860 --> 00:01:29,820
'Now, before I set off
on my way around the country,

21
00:01:29,820 --> 00:01:34,420
'I should remind you, I was once a
walking, talking stereotype myself.'

22
00:01:34,420 --> 00:01:36,780
There I am, it's me!
Look, I'm on the telly!

23
00:01:36,780 --> 00:01:38,180
So, God.

24
00:01:38,180 --> 00:01:40,220
Does He really exist? I mean...

25
00:01:40,220 --> 00:01:41,940
'Yes, I was in Father Ted.

26
00:01:43,260 --> 00:01:47,260
'I played the differently clever
Father Dougal McGuire.'

27
00:01:47,260 --> 00:01:50,420
And when we die we're all
going to go to heaven.

28
00:01:50,420 --> 00:01:51,780
Yes. What about it?

29
00:01:53,020 --> 00:01:55,180
Well, that's the bit
I've trouble with.

30
00:01:58,940 --> 00:02:02,260
'Having been a pretend priest,
I know as well as anyone that

31
00:02:02,260 --> 00:02:05,340
'Ireland is prone to all manner of
unusual beliefs.

32
00:02:06,580 --> 00:02:10,420
'So this time I'm off to explore
what Ireland believes in and why.'

33
00:02:19,300 --> 00:02:22,140
'Ireland is first and foremost
a Celtic country,

34
00:02:22,140 --> 00:02:25,740
'still partial to pre-Christian
beliefs, which is why we're

35
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'no strangers to the odd
superstition.

36
00:02:29,460 --> 00:02:30,860
'Try this one for size -

37
00:02:30,860 --> 00:02:33,860
'if you kiss a magic stone in
a castle in County Cork,

38
00:02:33,860 --> 00:02:36,860
'you will be blessed for evermore
with the gift of the gab.

39
00:02:38,780 --> 00:02:41,660
'Written to attract the
English visitor to Ireland,

40
00:02:41,660 --> 00:02:44,220
'the Halls' guidebook
loved this sort of thing.'

41
00:02:45,540 --> 00:02:47,380
"Few places in Ireland are more

42
00:02:47,380 --> 00:02:49,740
"familiar to English ears
than Blarney.

43
00:02:49,740 --> 00:02:52,740
"The notoriety is attributable to
the marvellous qualities of its

44
00:02:52,740 --> 00:02:53,940
"famous stone."

45
00:02:55,860 --> 00:02:57,620
Now, Ireland is a small country,

46
00:02:57,620 --> 00:03:00,140
but I've managed to avoid this place
my whole life.

47
00:03:00,140 --> 00:03:04,380
For me, it's always been a shameless
exercise in Paddy-whackery,

48
00:03:04,380 --> 00:03:06,420
pedalled to American tourists
in big pants,

49
00:03:06,420 --> 00:03:09,940
pandering to every hokey notion
they ever had about Ireland.

50
00:03:09,940 --> 00:03:11,140
But I might be wrong.

51
00:03:17,420 --> 00:03:20,580
'The Halls' Victorian guidebooks
helped make Blarney Castle

52
00:03:20,580 --> 00:03:23,060
'one of Ireland's biggest
tourist attractions,

53
00:03:23,060 --> 00:03:26,540
'and it's all down to the magic
power of the Blarney Stone.

54
00:03:28,140 --> 00:03:31,620
'20 million people have kissed
this perilously positioned

55
00:03:31,620 --> 00:03:34,820
'chunk of stone, including
Mick Jagger, Winston Churchill,

56
00:03:34,820 --> 00:03:37,180
'and would you believe it,
Laurel and Hardy!

57
00:03:39,140 --> 00:03:41,180
'And now it's my turn...

58
00:03:41,180 --> 00:03:43,620
'in about an hour,
by the looks of things.'

59
00:03:45,020 --> 00:03:46,940
There's loads of castles in Ireland,

60
00:03:46,940 --> 00:03:50,340
and there's loads of stories
associated with every single castle,

61
00:03:50,340 --> 00:03:52,700
but this one has endured
for hundreds of years.

62
00:03:52,700 --> 00:03:56,300
I don't... Over 600 years, yeah.
People believe in it.

63
00:03:56,300 --> 00:03:58,580
I suppose,
the beliefs that people have,

64
00:03:58,580 --> 00:04:00,700
it does help them, you know?

65
00:04:00,700 --> 00:04:04,780
'And that's the point - people want
to believe in stuff like this.

66
00:04:04,780 --> 00:04:07,060
'But how did the legend begin?

67
00:04:07,060 --> 00:04:10,220
'Well, the lord of the castle
once saved a woman from drowning,

68
00:04:10,220 --> 00:04:11,420
'as you do.'

69
00:04:11,420 --> 00:04:12,500
Who's next?

70
00:04:12,500 --> 00:04:15,700
'Needless to say, she was a witch,
and she told him if he kissed

71
00:04:15,700 --> 00:04:19,980
'the first stone he saw he would be
blessed with great eloquence.

72
00:04:19,980 --> 00:04:22,860
'Because we Irish are reputed
to be a bit chatty,

73
00:04:22,860 --> 00:04:25,900
'the story does have
a ludicrous plausibility about it.'

74
00:04:27,220 --> 00:04:29,820
Do you think it's going to
have some effect?

75
00:04:29,820 --> 00:04:31,580
I'm going to talk a lot today. Yeah?

76
00:04:31,580 --> 00:04:34,100
Yeah, even more than usual. Yeah?

77
00:04:34,100 --> 00:04:37,060
Hold the bars behind and kiss
the bottom of the stone.

78
00:04:37,060 --> 00:04:38,460
Mind your head.

79
00:04:38,460 --> 00:04:41,940
That's good. Well, was it the
experience you were dreaming of?

80
00:04:41,940 --> 00:04:43,780
Changed man. Changed man.

81
00:04:43,780 --> 00:04:46,460
Sit down here, yeah?
Just go back out a little bit.

82
00:04:46,460 --> 00:04:48,900
'So, finally, it's my turn.'

83
00:04:48,900 --> 00:04:51,060
Hold the two bars...
'The metal grill is handy.

84
00:04:51,060 --> 00:04:53,820
'Before it was installed
countless would-be kissers

85
00:04:53,820 --> 00:04:55,340
'slipped to their death.'

86
00:04:55,340 --> 00:04:58,580
Keep going down.
That's it, right in front of you.

87
00:04:58,580 --> 00:05:00,660
Mm...! Perfect.

88
00:05:00,660 --> 00:05:03,660
That was the sound of satisfaction!
Yeah, that was a...

89
00:05:03,660 --> 00:05:05,660
That was a smacker!

90
00:05:09,900 --> 00:05:12,220
'Do you know,
I'm speechless after that.

91
00:05:12,220 --> 00:05:13,660
'I must have done it wrong.

92
00:05:15,260 --> 00:05:18,060
'You could have this down as one of
the world's most brilliant

93
00:05:18,060 --> 00:05:19,020
'con tricks.'

94
00:05:20,220 --> 00:05:22,900
But I think there might be
something in it,

95
00:05:22,900 --> 00:05:25,900
given that they've been doing this
for hundreds of years.

96
00:05:25,900 --> 00:05:28,980
You know, perhaps the stone does
have magical properties,

97
00:05:28,980 --> 00:05:30,660
even though,
according to the Halls,

98
00:05:30,660 --> 00:05:32,900
I can't even be sure
if that's the right stone!

99
00:05:32,900 --> 00:05:35,700
Here it is. "The exact position
among the ruins of the castle

100
00:05:35,700 --> 00:05:37,100
"is also a matter of doubt."

101
00:05:37,100 --> 00:05:39,860
In those days, I think you could
either kiss the stone at the

102
00:05:39,860 --> 00:05:42,460
top of the building or you could
kiss one of these stones.

103
00:05:42,460 --> 00:05:46,100
Hmm, maybe there are some magical
properties associated with it.

104
00:05:49,420 --> 00:05:52,620
'People have been known to pocket
loose chunks of stone

105
00:05:52,620 --> 00:05:55,780
'in the hope they'll be blessed
with perpetual luck - and why not?

106
00:06:00,380 --> 00:06:03,660
'I'm assuming the current lord of
the manor enjoys a chat.

107
00:06:03,660 --> 00:06:06,740
'The same Anglo-Irish family have
owned Blarney since the Halls

108
00:06:06,740 --> 00:06:08,740
'came here nearly 200 years ago.

109
00:06:11,940 --> 00:06:15,260
'For Sir Charles St John Colthurst,
10th Baronet,

110
00:06:15,260 --> 00:06:18,020
'Blarney is the well that
never runs dry.

111
00:06:18,020 --> 00:06:19,340
'Well, so far, anyway.'

112
00:06:20,820 --> 00:06:24,460
And you've had a few experiences
over the last couple of years

113
00:06:24,460 --> 00:06:28,500
where people are taking stones from
the building itself,

114
00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:32,780
or from the grounds? It's, er,
it's mainly from the grounds.

115
00:06:32,780 --> 00:06:36,620
We get, er... Jiffy bags appear in
the post every now and again.

116
00:06:36,620 --> 00:06:40,140
And then you get occasionally
anonymous letters saying,

117
00:06:40,140 --> 00:06:42,060
"Very sorry we took this stone.

118
00:06:42,060 --> 00:06:44,380
"We've had no luck
since we left Blarney.

119
00:06:44,380 --> 00:06:46,860
"Please return this
from whence it came."

120
00:06:46,860 --> 00:06:50,540
The most emotive one was one from
America where I think it was

121
00:06:50,540 --> 00:06:52,620
a priest writing on behalf of, er,

122
00:06:52,620 --> 00:06:55,700
one of his parishioners, where
he said this individual had had

123
00:06:55,700 --> 00:06:57,660
no luck at all for the last
two years,

124
00:06:57,660 --> 00:06:59,940
and the only connection they could
think of was

125
00:06:59,940 --> 00:07:02,140
had he done anything wrong?
"Well," he said,

126
00:07:02,140 --> 00:07:06,420
"I've taken the stone from
the grounds of Blarney Castle."

127
00:07:06,420 --> 00:07:08,780
'The moral of the tale?
Don't push your luck.

128
00:07:10,100 --> 00:07:13,340
'Now, I'm not a superstitious
person. Really, I'm not.

129
00:07:13,340 --> 00:07:14,420
'But why tempt fate?'

130
00:07:22,140 --> 00:07:24,060
'Outside the towns and cities,

131
00:07:24,060 --> 00:07:27,100
'Ireland is a sparsely
populated place.

132
00:07:27,100 --> 00:07:29,860
'You can travel for miles
without meeting anyone -

133
00:07:29,860 --> 00:07:32,740
'which is why it's not unheard of
for country folk to put their

134
00:07:32,740 --> 00:07:35,580
'trust and belief in a matchmaker
to find them a mate.

135
00:07:37,380 --> 00:07:40,100
'One of the last of his kind is
to be found near the town of

136
00:07:40,100 --> 00:07:41,420
'Ennis in County Clare.'

137
00:07:44,380 --> 00:07:46,780
'Immortalised here in the famous
Matchmakers Bar

138
00:07:46,780 --> 00:07:48,700
'in Lisdoonvarna,

139
00:07:48,700 --> 00:07:51,740
'Willie Daly is the most famous
matchmaker in Ireland.

140
00:07:57,020 --> 00:07:59,980
'But Willie himself operates
from a remote farm

141
00:07:59,980 --> 00:08:01,540
'in the middle of nowhere.'

142
00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:05,260
Why do you, Willie...?

143
00:08:05,260 --> 00:08:07,540
What is it about yourself
that can...?

144
00:08:07,540 --> 00:08:09,500
Can you read people's souls?

145
00:08:09,500 --> 00:08:11,140
Er...
MOBILE PHONE CHIMES

146
00:08:11,140 --> 00:08:15,620
I suppose I'd have to say it's
almost not that special, but I...

147
00:08:15,620 --> 00:08:18,580
All my life, I've had
a great interest in people

148
00:08:18,580 --> 00:08:21,220
and I've had a great interest
in everybody being happy,

149
00:08:21,220 --> 00:08:23,540
not just a minority of people.

150
00:08:23,540 --> 00:08:25,180
Excuse me now a second. Hello?

151
00:08:26,660 --> 00:08:29,980
'Willie is on matchmaker duty
day and night.

152
00:08:29,980 --> 00:08:31,780
You wouldn't want to be in a hurry.'

153
00:08:31,780 --> 00:08:35,220
I know, but I text you, and I told
you I'd get a girl for you,

154
00:08:35,220 --> 00:08:37,580
but I told you it would take
a couple of days.

155
00:08:37,580 --> 00:08:41,100
I mean, I'm not a magician.
Sorry for saying that...

156
00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:45,660
'They say that Willie is responsible
for more than 100 marriages.'

157
00:08:45,660 --> 00:08:47,580
Why do people need your services?

158
00:08:47,580 --> 00:08:50,420
Why can't they just go to a pub and,
you know, just mingle?

159
00:08:50,420 --> 00:08:52,260
Yeah, that's a good question, now,

160
00:08:52,260 --> 00:08:57,380
that a certain amount of people,
you know, if they're quite shy when

161
00:08:57,380 --> 00:09:01,860
they're a bit young, they find that
they don't mix as good as others...

162
00:09:01,860 --> 00:09:04,140
What is that book?
It's a matchmaking book.

163
00:09:04,140 --> 00:09:07,300
It has belonged to my father,
my grandfather and myself.

164
00:09:07,300 --> 00:09:08,700
So, it's a lucky book.

165
00:09:08,700 --> 00:09:12,220
If you touch it with both hands
you will be in love and married.

166
00:09:12,220 --> 00:09:14,020
Close your eyes for about
seven seconds,

167
00:09:14,020 --> 00:09:16,860
you'll be in love and
married in, er, six months.

168
00:09:16,860 --> 00:09:18,540
If you only want to be in love,

169
00:09:18,540 --> 00:09:21,380
you touch it with one hand
and you close your eyes.

170
00:09:21,380 --> 00:09:24,500
Now, if you're already married,
you can touch it twice

171
00:09:24,500 --> 00:09:26,860
and you'll recreate
quite an amount of romance -

172
00:09:26,860 --> 00:09:29,660
something similar to your
honeymoon in the earlier period.

173
00:09:29,660 --> 00:09:31,180
Can I have a go at that?

174
00:09:31,180 --> 00:09:33,420
WILLIE LAUGHS
You can! As I often said...

175
00:09:33,420 --> 00:09:34,900
Two hands? Yeah.

176
00:09:36,220 --> 00:09:37,940
Do you have to think of anything?

177
00:09:37,940 --> 00:09:39,940
I suppose I'd better
think of my wife.

178
00:09:39,940 --> 00:09:42,340
Think about love,
and being happy. Yeah?

179
00:09:42,340 --> 00:09:44,500
Sure I couldn't be any happier.

180
00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:47,980
What is it about the
human race as a species?

181
00:09:47,980 --> 00:09:50,380
Like, you know, in the
animal kingdom, you know,

182
00:09:50,380 --> 00:09:53,020
you just go up to another animal
at the watering hole and you

183
00:09:53,020 --> 00:09:55,220
just get down to business
straight away. Yeah.

184
00:09:55,220 --> 00:09:57,900
What is it about us, that it's
such a longwinded process?

185
00:09:57,900 --> 00:09:59,940
To be honest with you, in Ireland,

186
00:09:59,940 --> 00:10:03,220
it's a bit like that
but it's late in the night,

187
00:10:03,220 --> 00:10:05,660
when every woman looks like
Pamela Anderson.

188
00:10:05,660 --> 00:10:07,620
THEY LAUGH

189
00:10:14,300 --> 00:10:16,860
I'm just going to meet
one of Willie's clients.

190
00:10:16,860 --> 00:10:20,020
Her name is Nicky
and she's looking for Willie...

191
00:10:20,020 --> 00:10:21,340
to help her find love!

192
00:10:24,180 --> 00:10:25,860
Hello, Nicky. Hello, Ardal!

193
00:10:25,860 --> 00:10:28,220
Hi, how are you?
I'm very well, thank you.

194
00:10:28,220 --> 00:10:30,140
Oops! Sorry!

195
00:10:30,140 --> 00:10:31,620
Where are we? Who's this?

196
00:10:31,620 --> 00:10:33,220
This is Milo. Hello, Milo!

197
00:10:33,220 --> 00:10:35,260
My fox red Labrador. Ooh!

198
00:10:36,620 --> 00:10:39,300
'Willie's clients come from
all over the world.

199
00:10:39,300 --> 00:10:41,060
'Nicky is from the north of England.

200
00:10:41,060 --> 00:10:44,020
'She's scouring Ireland for a man.'

201
00:10:44,020 --> 00:10:46,700
So, Willie's met me, seen me
face-to-face,

202
00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:49,460
he's talked to me,
so he's got an idea of

203
00:10:49,460 --> 00:10:53,660
what I want, and who I am,
so maybe he might get it right,

204
00:10:53,660 --> 00:10:55,340
cos I haven't so far!

205
00:10:55,340 --> 00:10:57,980
But have you had a date with...?

206
00:10:57,980 --> 00:11:00,700
I've had two dates through Willie.

207
00:11:00,700 --> 00:11:03,300
And, er, it just didn't work out?

208
00:11:03,300 --> 00:11:06,460
No, you kind of know. A girl knows,
she gets a gut instinct.

209
00:11:06,460 --> 00:11:09,820
Well, I do, anyway. I knew straight
away. What are you looking for?

210
00:11:09,820 --> 00:11:13,220
Can you actually even define that?
I can't, that's the thing!

211
00:11:13,220 --> 00:11:16,100
It's like... I think if I knew
what I was looking for,

212
00:11:16,100 --> 00:11:17,620
I'd just go out and find it.

213
00:11:17,620 --> 00:11:19,060
But because I don't know,

214
00:11:19,060 --> 00:11:21,940
I just keep thinking I'll know when
I meet that right person.

215
00:11:21,940 --> 00:11:23,740
What is it that Irish guys
have to offer?

216
00:11:23,740 --> 00:11:26,340
I mean, you're obviously
travelling around Ireland...

217
00:11:26,340 --> 00:11:28,940
Yeah, well, last year I went round
Scotland, I did the whole

218
00:11:28,940 --> 00:11:31,620
West Coast of Scotland.
There's not one bloke in Scotland?

219
00:11:31,620 --> 00:11:32,940
Yeah, I met one.
Oh, you did?

220
00:11:32,940 --> 00:11:36,540
Yeah, I had a little summer
relationship, it was lovely.

221
00:11:36,540 --> 00:11:38,420
And I thought, "Let's try Ireland."

222
00:11:38,420 --> 00:11:41,180
"I've heard that the men have
a twinkle in their eye..."

223
00:11:41,180 --> 00:11:43,180
Milo has just...

224
00:11:43,180 --> 00:11:45,620
..created quite, er, an aroma.

225
00:11:45,620 --> 00:11:47,660
Oh, has he?
Yes. Oh, sorry.

226
00:11:47,660 --> 00:11:50,340
Do you think that might be
a drawback?

227
00:11:50,340 --> 00:11:52,300
THEY LAUGH

228
00:11:53,820 --> 00:11:56,980
'Willie has set Nicky up
for a date later this evening.

229
00:11:58,100 --> 00:12:00,460
'I've suggested
Stinky Milo stay at home.'

230
00:12:06,580 --> 00:12:08,460
I'm touring Ireland,

231
00:12:08,460 --> 00:12:11,940
exploring some of the more
unusual beliefs to be found here.

232
00:12:11,940 --> 00:12:15,060
Some people still believe in
the power of matchmakers

233
00:12:15,060 --> 00:12:16,660
to find them a mate.

234
00:12:19,180 --> 00:12:23,460
This bar in Ennistymon is
matchmaker Willie Daly's HQ,

235
00:12:23,460 --> 00:12:26,620
and tonight, Willie is going
to make an introduction.

236
00:12:26,620 --> 00:12:29,580
INDISTINCT SPEECH

237
00:12:29,580 --> 00:12:33,260
Willie tells me there are something
like 28 men to every woman

238
00:12:33,260 --> 00:12:34,980
in this part of Ireland.

239
00:12:34,980 --> 00:12:36,980
Nicky has come to
the right place...

240
00:12:36,980 --> 00:12:38,660
possibly.

241
00:12:41,740 --> 00:12:44,940
How are you doing though, Kevin,
How are you? Nice to meet you.

242
00:12:44,940 --> 00:12:48,340
'Local man Kevin Corry is
a painter and decorator.'

243
00:12:48,340 --> 00:12:51,340
So Willie has somebody lined up
tonight and, have you met,

244
00:12:51,340 --> 00:12:53,780
you haven't met before?
Haven't met her before.

245
00:12:53,780 --> 00:12:56,180
So would you be
apprehensive about that?

246
00:12:56,180 --> 00:12:58,740
No, I wouldn't be apprehensive,
I'd never be apprehensive

247
00:12:58,740 --> 00:13:01,700
for a woman because I know
how to treat a woman.

248
00:13:01,700 --> 00:13:04,900
Well, I'll be keeping my fingers
crossed. And good luck.

249
00:13:04,900 --> 00:13:06,220
Pleasure meeting you. Yeah.

250
00:13:07,420 --> 00:13:09,260
Willie! Yay!

251
00:13:09,260 --> 00:13:12,660
I've brought you a nice man now,
I've brought you a lovely man.

252
00:13:12,660 --> 00:13:14,220
This is Kevin. Oh!

253
00:13:14,220 --> 00:13:16,900
Hi, Kevin. Nicky. Yes.

254
00:13:16,900 --> 00:13:18,380
Nice to meet you.

255
00:13:18,380 --> 00:13:21,620
I can recommend him as being
a very nice person, you know.

256
00:13:21,620 --> 00:13:24,860
Oh, highly recommended.
Highly recommended.

257
00:13:24,860 --> 00:13:27,620
Well find that out in a while.

258
00:13:27,620 --> 00:13:31,860
I met Nicky, she travels
with a dog.

259
00:13:31,860 --> 00:13:36,820
I think if a woman has a dog it's
always a nice recommendation. Yeah.

260
00:13:36,820 --> 00:13:39,260
In means that they're
capable of love, you know,

261
00:13:39,260 --> 00:13:43,700
I mean, sometimes if a woman loves
her dog she loves people as well.

262
00:13:43,700 --> 00:13:46,180
Do you have a dog yourself?

263
00:13:46,180 --> 00:13:49,660
I don't actually, I'm not allowed
just where I'm living. Right.

264
00:13:49,660 --> 00:13:52,980
But I love animals. Good. Love horse
riding and love anything...

265
00:13:52,980 --> 00:13:56,540
'Willie's lit the blue touchpaper,
but will sparks fly?

266
00:13:56,540 --> 00:13:59,300
My freedom is out on the beach,

267
00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:02,380
I do lots of walking
on the beach. Yeah.

268
00:14:02,380 --> 00:14:05,380
Look at the sunset,
stuff like that. Yeah.

269
00:14:05,380 --> 00:14:07,980
I walk about and I look out.

270
00:14:07,980 --> 00:14:10,500
I'm not so sure it's working out.

271
00:14:10,500 --> 00:14:13,540
I think they are both really
lovely people but, you know,

272
00:14:13,540 --> 00:14:15,020
Willie's the expert.

273
00:14:15,020 --> 00:14:17,820
You've a lovely personality.
Oh, thank you.

274
00:14:17,820 --> 00:14:20,140
I've only known you
a couple of minutes but you have

275
00:14:20,140 --> 00:14:22,220
a lovely personality. Thank you.

276
00:14:22,220 --> 00:14:25,580
Well, fair play to Willie,
he knows his stuff, you know. Yeah.

277
00:14:29,660 --> 00:14:31,260
And now the verdict.

278
00:14:33,020 --> 00:14:34,660
Hello again.

279
00:14:34,660 --> 00:14:36,660
Well. Well.

280
00:14:36,660 --> 00:14:39,460
Well, well, well.
Well, well, well, my word.

281
00:14:39,460 --> 00:14:44,380
Has Willie come up with the goods
this time? Yes and no.

282
00:14:44,380 --> 00:14:47,580
Well, he's a really nice man, Kevin.

283
00:14:47,580 --> 00:14:50,020
Well-mannered, a lovely manner.

284
00:14:50,020 --> 00:14:52,140
But one of my biggest
stipulations is that

285
00:14:52,140 --> 00:14:54,380
I always wanted a man
to be taller than me.

286
00:14:54,380 --> 00:14:57,060
I don't want to look down on a man.

287
00:15:03,740 --> 00:15:06,660
Well, Willie's quite
a charming man,

288
00:15:06,660 --> 00:15:09,380
a touch of the shaman about him,
a touch of the guru.

289
00:15:09,380 --> 00:15:13,500
Many clearly believe in his magic
powers but I'm not sure Nicky did.

290
00:15:15,220 --> 00:15:19,700
It's time to leave Ennistymon's
lonely hearts to their own devices.

291
00:15:19,700 --> 00:15:21,420
I wish them well.

292
00:15:23,700 --> 00:15:27,860
Mr and Mrs Hall married in 1824,

293
00:15:27,860 --> 00:15:29,660
without the help of Willie Daly.

294
00:15:30,980 --> 00:15:34,140
They spent the next 15 years
touring Ireland,

295
00:15:34,140 --> 00:15:36,300
amassing material
for their guidebooks.

296
00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:39,940
During that time Ireland was very
much part of the British Empire.

297
00:15:41,580 --> 00:15:44,820
As upright Protestants,
the Halls were fascinated by the

298
00:15:44,820 --> 00:15:48,900
rituals and religious practices
of a largely Catholic population.

299
00:15:50,900 --> 00:15:54,820
I've come north to Derry, to see
one of these rituals first-hand.

300
00:15:57,500 --> 00:16:00,540
If you spend any time in Ireland,
sooner or later

301
00:16:00,540 --> 00:16:03,740
you're going to end up
popping your head inside a church.

302
00:16:03,740 --> 00:16:05,260
It's unavoidable.

303
00:16:11,260 --> 00:16:13,780
The Halls loved this sort of thing.

304
00:16:13,780 --> 00:16:16,380
Their guidebook goes into raptures.

305
00:16:16,380 --> 00:16:19,500
"The manners and customs of the
Irish afford ample scope

306
00:16:19,500 --> 00:16:22,980
"from which to draw both
entertainment and information.

307
00:16:22,980 --> 00:16:26,820
"The courtships, the weddings,
the christenings, the wakes,

308
00:16:26,820 --> 00:16:31,020
"the pilgrimages to holy wells,
all provide material

309
00:16:31,020 --> 00:16:33,580
"for the pencil of the artist
and the pen of the writer."

310
00:16:34,820 --> 00:16:37,260
Well, there you are,
that's the Halls for you.

311
00:16:38,900 --> 00:16:41,380
I'm here because it's
St Columba's Day.

312
00:16:41,380 --> 00:16:43,380
The Halls would have given
their eyeteeth

313
00:16:43,380 --> 00:16:45,380
to observe what's coming next.

314
00:16:46,940 --> 00:16:52,860
# St Columba, St Columba

315
00:16:52,860 --> 00:16:58,300
# Holy patron of our town... #

316
00:16:58,300 --> 00:17:01,940
I've joined local writer and
churchgoer Madeline McCully

317
00:17:01,940 --> 00:17:04,620
and we're going to process
to St Columba's well

318
00:17:04,620 --> 00:17:06,460
a few hundred yards down the road.

319
00:17:07,620 --> 00:17:10,500
But how did St Columba create
a holy well?

320
00:17:10,500 --> 00:17:13,180
Is it something you can
just do as a saint?

321
00:17:13,180 --> 00:17:17,660
He's struck the ground,
when there wasn't any water,

322
00:17:17,660 --> 00:17:20,660
and he struck the ground
and this well sprung up

323
00:17:20,660 --> 00:17:24,380
and, I mean, it's still there,
the purest of water.

324
00:17:24,380 --> 00:17:27,380
It's covered over now
but it's the purest of water.

325
00:17:29,060 --> 00:17:32,340
This is by the ground was struck
and the spring sprung.

326
00:17:32,340 --> 00:17:36,220
Today is the one day of the year
when the lid is lifted
on the sacred well.

327
00:17:36,220 --> 00:17:39,740
And now it's time
to distribute the holy water.

328
00:17:42,140 --> 00:17:44,900
The people of Derry believe
the water from this well

329
00:17:44,900 --> 00:17:48,500
still carries St Columba's blessing
from 1,500 years ago.

330
00:17:52,860 --> 00:17:56,100
In the Middle Ages holy water
was so highly valued

331
00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:58,780
it had to be locked up overnight
in case it was stolen.

332
00:17:59,940 --> 00:18:02,220
And it's still clearly in demand.

333
00:18:02,220 --> 00:18:06,780
Queues are forming
and empty bottles are being
produced everywhere you look.

334
00:18:06,780 --> 00:18:08,700
No shortage of belief here.

335
00:18:12,980 --> 00:18:16,820
A lot of people would still believe
that it has curative powers,

336
00:18:16,820 --> 00:18:19,940
in the way that you would bring
holy water from Lourdes,

337
00:18:19,940 --> 00:18:25,980
from Doon Well or from other places,
they would take the water home

338
00:18:25,980 --> 00:18:31,100
and it is blessed
and they say this is holy water.

339
00:18:32,260 --> 00:18:35,220
'Who am I to argue
with the wisdom of crowds?

340
00:18:35,220 --> 00:18:37,180
'You never know when
you might need it.'

341
00:18:37,180 --> 00:18:39,900
I'll get a little bottle there.

342
00:18:39,900 --> 00:18:42,220
Fill that up there. Good stuff.

343
00:18:43,500 --> 00:18:45,300
For my mother.

344
00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:47,620
People wouldn't drink it though,
would they?

345
00:18:47,620 --> 00:18:51,140
Well, yeah, it's pure. Thank you
very much. I mean, look at it.

346
00:18:51,140 --> 00:18:53,900
Thank you, thank you.
Look at it as absolutely pure.

347
00:18:53,900 --> 00:18:56,180
No charge.. Yeah. No charge.

348
00:18:56,180 --> 00:18:58,500
There you are, you didn't believe
you could get that.

349
00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:00,540
I didn't expect to get that.
Yeah, yeah.

350
00:19:02,860 --> 00:19:05,860
I was a bit hesitant at first
to take it cos I'm not

351
00:19:05,860 --> 00:19:09,740
a superstitious person really,
not a religious person, but,

352
00:19:09,740 --> 00:19:13,460
you know, I wouldn't look
a gift horse in the mouth either.

353
00:19:14,740 --> 00:19:18,020
No matter how much you try to run
away from the church

354
00:19:18,020 --> 00:19:23,620
and from the dogma and from the
doctrine and from the rituals,

355
00:19:23,620 --> 00:19:28,660
you know, it kind of informs your
every waking thought as well,

356
00:19:28,660 --> 00:19:33,500
so everything you do, everything
you say, every decision you made,

357
00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:38,660
you know, is in some way measured
against what you learned as a child.

358
00:19:41,460 --> 00:19:46,140
Holy water and holy wells connect us
directly to our ancient pagan past.

359
00:19:49,180 --> 00:19:52,300
But there's something else about
us physically that connects us

360
00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:54,460
directly to our Celtic ancestors,

361
00:19:54,460 --> 00:19:58,860
something that is believed to be a
part of our unique genetic make-up,

362
00:19:58,860 --> 00:20:01,220
and that is the colour of our hair.

363
00:20:03,620 --> 00:20:06,540
2% of the world's population
have red hair,

364
00:20:06,540 --> 00:20:09,780
yet 10% of the Irish people
are redheads.

365
00:20:09,780 --> 00:20:12,100
Now, this iconic postcard,

366
00:20:12,100 --> 00:20:14,420
it sums up Ireland
for a lot of people,

367
00:20:14,420 --> 00:20:18,380
stereotyping us as a bunch of
fiery temperamental peasants.

368
00:20:18,380 --> 00:20:21,940
I mean, look at that little girl,
she's clearly about to
kick that donkey.

369
00:20:21,940 --> 00:20:25,380
But are redheads more Irish
than the rest of us?

370
00:20:25,380 --> 00:20:27,420
I think the answer lies over here.

371
00:20:31,820 --> 00:20:36,260
Cronins bar in Crosshaven, just
outside Cork city, is a redhead pub.

372
00:20:36,260 --> 00:20:39,020
You don't have to have the
right hair colour to drink here,

373
00:20:39,020 --> 00:20:41,180
but it helps.

374
00:20:41,180 --> 00:20:43,980
Cronins is a temple
for the folically flushed,

375
00:20:43,980 --> 00:20:45,780
a place where they gather nightly

376
00:20:45,780 --> 00:20:48,460
to share their belief
that you're better off red.

377
00:20:50,860 --> 00:20:54,180
'I've been told to look out for a
redhead lady called Joleen.'

378
00:20:54,180 --> 00:20:56,500
Joleen?
Joleen?

379
00:20:56,500 --> 00:20:58,180
'But where do you start?'

380
00:21:00,020 --> 00:21:01,820
Whose Joleen? Where's Joleen?

381
00:21:01,820 --> 00:21:03,180
Oh, Ardal, how are you? Joleen.

382
00:21:03,180 --> 00:21:05,580
Nice to meet you.
Thanks for coming to Crosshaven.

383
00:21:05,580 --> 00:21:08,220
Hello, how are you? How's it going?
This is Grainne, our queen. Hi.

384
00:21:08,220 --> 00:21:09,860
Guess who you are! The queen.

385
00:21:09,860 --> 00:21:13,940
Joleen Cronin and her brother
Denis started the redhead convention

386
00:21:13,940 --> 00:21:16,500
back in 2010 as a bit of a joke.

387
00:21:16,500 --> 00:21:18,860
But they were amazed to discover

388
00:21:18,860 --> 00:21:21,580
how many redheads actually
wanted to get involved.

389
00:21:21,580 --> 00:21:25,460
They're determined to make red hair
something to believe in,

390
00:21:25,460 --> 00:21:29,100
something that reflects and
celebrates their Irishness.

391
00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:31,620
They even elect
an annual king and queen.

392
00:21:33,340 --> 00:21:37,940
All I can remember seeing was
just a sea of red haired people.

393
00:21:37,940 --> 00:21:41,260
That's the first vivid image
that pops into my head
when I talk about it.

394
00:21:41,260 --> 00:21:43,260
There is comfort in numbers. Yes.

395
00:21:43,260 --> 00:21:45,100
And beyond the craic,

396
00:21:45,100 --> 00:21:50,460
is there anything, like,
important about redheads
getting together?

397
00:21:50,460 --> 00:21:54,140
Absolutely. Well, there's
a huge sense of community and,

398
00:21:54,140 --> 00:21:57,420
I suppose kind of solidarity.
Why, are you different?

399
00:21:57,420 --> 00:21:59,820
Do you consider yourselves
to be different?

400
00:21:59,820 --> 00:22:02,380
I mean, we obviously consider
you to be very different!

401
00:22:02,380 --> 00:22:05,020
Yeah, we are a little bit different,
like, but in a good way.

402
00:22:05,020 --> 00:22:08,180
Do you know? Have you ever
experienced anything negative,

403
00:22:08,180 --> 00:22:12,020
like this thing we hear of
gingerism, have you like...?

404
00:22:12,020 --> 00:22:14,820
Gingerism!
I've heard a lot about gingerism.

405
00:22:14,820 --> 00:22:18,100
I've heard so many stories from
around the world of people

406
00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:21,580
who've been seriously targeted
and bullied for being a redhead

407
00:22:21,580 --> 00:22:24,900
and I think in Ireland
it's not that much of a problem

408
00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:28,340
because we do have a significant
population of redheads like here.

409
00:22:28,340 --> 00:22:31,980
Is it true that some sperm banks
will not accept sperm

410
00:22:31,980 --> 00:22:35,860
from people with red hair?
Correct. That is fact.

411
00:22:35,860 --> 00:22:37,460
That's a fact.

412
00:22:37,460 --> 00:22:40,860
And they actually a few years ago
stopped point blank,

413
00:22:40,860 --> 00:22:44,300
no more redhead sperm.
Not in demand, nobody wanted it.

414
00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:48,700
'Happily the sperm banks in question
have since reversed their decision.'

415
00:22:49,860 --> 00:22:52,860
So the great redheads of history
like Boudicca, Galileo

416
00:22:52,860 --> 00:22:55,060
and General Custer
can all rest easy.

417
00:22:56,660 --> 00:23:00,100
Redheads are so special
they even have their own song.

418
00:23:02,060 --> 00:23:04,220
I'm thinking about dying
my hair later.

419
00:24:13,220 --> 00:24:16,100
It never occurred to me that people
would define themselves

420
00:24:16,100 --> 00:24:17,940
in terms of hair colour,

421
00:24:17,940 --> 00:24:20,740
but these people clearly have
shared experiences

422
00:24:20,740 --> 00:24:24,140
and shared genetic heritage
that compelled them to form a group,

423
00:24:24,140 --> 00:24:25,620
and despite rumours,

424
00:24:25,620 --> 00:24:28,380
they're not going to die out when
they're having this much fun.

425
00:24:28,380 --> 00:24:33,100
# Where the redhead flag is high. #

426
00:24:35,940 --> 00:24:38,020
CHEERING

427
00:24:45,610 --> 00:24:48,290
In the Victorian guidebook
to Ireland,

428
00:24:48,290 --> 00:24:52,090
the Halls boast that few counties
contain finer ruins

429
00:24:52,090 --> 00:24:54,090
than County Clare.

430
00:24:54,090 --> 00:24:59,410
Well, I'm looking for something a
little more conventional than this.

431
00:24:59,410 --> 00:25:03,410
I'm on a modern-day pilgrimage with
my trusty guide, Father John Kenny.

432
00:25:03,410 --> 00:25:07,330
I have been here before,
but I don't remember the way.

433
00:25:07,330 --> 00:25:11,410
OK, well, I hope
somebody knows the way.

434
00:25:11,410 --> 00:25:14,050
We'll let the guardian angels
bring us along.

435
00:25:16,370 --> 00:25:18,250
So, what are we doing today, Ted?

436
00:25:18,250 --> 00:25:20,690
Confessions and Mass
and things like that, I suppose.

437
00:25:20,690 --> 00:25:22,090
Yes, Dougal. Things like that.

438
00:25:24,890 --> 00:25:27,090
It's great being a priest,
isn't it, Ted?

439
00:25:29,210 --> 00:25:31,450
We filmed Father Ted 20 years ago

440
00:25:31,450 --> 00:25:34,090
in an old farmhouse
here in County Clare.

441
00:25:34,090 --> 00:25:37,210
The question is, can I find it again
after all this time?

442
00:25:39,570 --> 00:25:42,890
This road looks interesting,
we'll try it out anyway. Yeah.

443
00:25:44,290 --> 00:25:45,650
Fingers crossed.

444
00:25:45,650 --> 00:25:48,530
I shouldn't do that. No.
Or touch wood...

445
00:25:48,530 --> 00:25:52,050
No, touching wood is good, that's
the wood of the Cross. Oh, is it?

446
00:25:52,050 --> 00:25:54,170
Yes, touching wood goes back
to Good Friday.

447
00:25:54,170 --> 00:25:56,730
But fingers crossed
and walking under ladders

448
00:25:56,730 --> 00:25:58,530
and all that stuff, that's silly.

449
00:26:02,730 --> 00:26:05,890
Father John's wood touching
has paid off.

450
00:26:05,890 --> 00:26:08,290
The house itself has become
a bit of a shrine

451
00:26:08,290 --> 00:26:10,290
to more intrepid fans of the series.

452
00:26:11,410 --> 00:26:13,930
Sadly, Father Ted is
no longer with us.

453
00:26:19,130 --> 00:26:22,130
Have you ever seen Father Ted?
Regularly.

454
00:26:23,690 --> 00:26:27,770
I suppose he's been a friend of mine
since I lived on an island in 1994.

455
00:26:27,770 --> 00:26:30,050
You were in parish priest
on an island?

456
00:26:30,050 --> 00:26:34,450
Well, I was a curate at that time.
Like me? I was on my own.

457
00:26:34,450 --> 00:26:37,050
So you were my buddies
for a while on TV.

458
00:26:37,050 --> 00:26:39,530
Now then, who's for tea?

459
00:26:39,530 --> 00:26:41,770
Me, please, Mrs Doyle.

460
00:26:41,770 --> 00:26:43,050
Tea? Sick!

461
00:26:44,770 --> 00:26:47,730
Milk? Please, Father. Thank you.

462
00:26:47,730 --> 00:26:51,210
'Tea was always on tap
at Father Ted's house.'

463
00:26:51,210 --> 00:26:54,210
And what do you say to a cup of tea?

464
00:26:54,210 --> 00:26:55,930
Feck off, cup!

465
00:26:57,410 --> 00:26:58,610
'Over 25 episodes,

466
00:26:58,610 --> 00:27:01,930
'Father Ted mercilessly lampooned
the priesthood.'

467
00:27:01,930 --> 00:27:03,130
Feck off!

468
00:27:04,490 --> 00:27:07,730
And my experience was
that priests quickly tuned into it

469
00:27:07,730 --> 00:27:08,930
and quite liked it.

470
00:27:08,930 --> 00:27:12,770
Anyone I ever met, right up to
Cardinal Basil Hume, even,

471
00:27:12,770 --> 00:27:15,610
believe it or not,
I believe he was a fan.

472
00:27:15,610 --> 00:27:20,050
I mean, obviously when I was growing
up, the reverence for priests

473
00:27:20,050 --> 00:27:23,770
was so much greater,
and the respect and the deference.

474
00:27:23,770 --> 00:27:25,530
Yes, people would bless themselves

475
00:27:25,530 --> 00:27:28,010
in case the priest was
carrying the sacrament.

476
00:27:28,010 --> 00:27:30,890
And you didn't greet him
unless he greeted you

477
00:27:30,890 --> 00:27:32,930
because he was on a mission.

478
00:27:32,930 --> 00:27:36,370
I'm not...
That's not my way of being a priest.

479
00:27:36,370 --> 00:27:39,090
I can even remember, during
the first series of Father Ted

480
00:27:39,090 --> 00:27:41,730
when we were filming it
down here in County Clare,

481
00:27:41,730 --> 00:27:44,290
and it was before
anyone knew about the show,

482
00:27:44,290 --> 00:27:47,690
I was in a shoe shop and I was just
wandering around in the...

483
00:27:47,690 --> 00:27:49,610
In the gear. In the gear, yeah.

484
00:27:49,610 --> 00:27:51,850
And it was at lunchtime
or something,

485
00:27:51,850 --> 00:27:55,850
I was looking at shoes, and the
shopkeeper came over to me and said,

486
00:27:55,850 --> 00:28:00,010
"Just take them, take them, Father,
whatever you want, they're yours."

487
00:28:00,010 --> 00:28:03,250
I must borrow your collar.
That's never happened to me.

488
00:28:03,250 --> 00:28:07,490
Well... But I get you, yeah.
I suppose there's a degree of that.

489
00:28:07,490 --> 00:28:09,970
Do you get free shoes
is basically what I want to know.

490
00:28:09,970 --> 00:28:12,010
I don't, but I get free coffees
now and again

491
00:28:12,010 --> 00:28:13,770
because they figure it would be nice

492
00:28:13,770 --> 00:28:16,450
if the priest would recommend
this place for a reception.

493
00:28:17,730 --> 00:28:20,850
Free shoes AND free coffee -
you can see the attraction.

494
00:28:26,290 --> 00:28:29,570
Father Ted's rather eccentric
version of Catholicism

495
00:28:29,570 --> 00:28:33,010
is nothing compared to the reality
of people's beliefs.

496
00:28:33,010 --> 00:28:35,850
Here, some people really do
believe in miracles.

497
00:28:39,810 --> 00:28:42,170
Again, we see this is...

498
00:28:42,170 --> 00:28:45,330
I've come to a secret location
to see first hand

499
00:28:45,330 --> 00:28:46,970
some of the most powerful

500
00:28:46,970 --> 00:28:50,170
and sought-after religious objects
in the country.

501
00:28:51,650 --> 00:28:54,530
They are all connected
with one particular saint.

502
00:28:54,530 --> 00:28:58,210
And because they're believed
to have curative powers,

503
00:28:58,210 --> 00:29:01,090
they're lent out
to the sick and dying.

504
00:29:01,090 --> 00:29:04,170
They are known quite simply
as holy relics.

505
00:29:05,530 --> 00:29:08,650
This is the mitten that would
normally go on public display.

506
00:29:13,570 --> 00:29:16,570
And that was to cover... Exactly.

507
00:29:16,570 --> 00:29:20,170
His wounds would be continuously
bleeding, so he got the stigmata

508
00:29:20,170 --> 00:29:23,970
in 1918 and he had that right up to
a couple of days before he died.

509
00:29:25,090 --> 00:29:27,650
These mittens belonged to Padre Pio,

510
00:29:27,650 --> 00:29:31,730
an Italian priest who allegedly
suffered from stigmata -

511
00:29:31,730 --> 00:29:34,450
identical wounds
to those received by Christ

512
00:29:34,450 --> 00:29:37,810
when his hands, wrists and feet
were nailed to the cross.

513
00:29:39,450 --> 00:29:43,050
Many accused Padre Pio
of being a fraud and a fantasist,

514
00:29:43,050 --> 00:29:44,970
faking his own wounds.

515
00:29:44,970 --> 00:29:48,410
But the Vatican made him a saint,
and his blood-soaked mittens

516
00:29:48,410 --> 00:29:51,570
have since achieved currency
as powerful holy relics.

517
00:29:51,570 --> 00:29:54,210
So, this is the man himself.
This is the man himself, indeed.

518
00:29:54,210 --> 00:29:56,330
Wearing the mitten.
Wearing the mittens, yeah.

519
00:29:56,330 --> 00:29:58,730
He'd have had to wear a few
every day, obviously,

520
00:29:58,730 --> 00:30:01,970
with the blood leaking
from the stigmata.

521
00:30:03,210 --> 00:30:04,970
Named after the saint,

522
00:30:04,970 --> 00:30:09,010
Pio Enright is the keeper
of Padre Pio's holy relics.

523
00:30:09,010 --> 00:30:11,650
They were given to him
by his father Donal,

524
00:30:11,650 --> 00:30:15,290
who became friends with Padre Pio
before his death in the '60s.

525
00:30:16,770 --> 00:30:19,810
This is the large heart bandage...

526
00:30:19,810 --> 00:30:22,810
which would have the blood on it.

527
00:30:22,810 --> 00:30:25,570
You can see a lot of the blood
of Padre Pio on it.

528
00:30:25,570 --> 00:30:29,770
From his heart? Yes, on his heart
where he had the stigmata as well.

529
00:30:29,770 --> 00:30:31,810
How can you be sure
these are authentic?

530
00:30:31,810 --> 00:30:35,570
These were given to him directly
by the friars in Italy.

531
00:30:35,570 --> 00:30:38,290
And you've never had
any doubt yourself?

532
00:30:40,210 --> 00:30:43,450
Yes. I would have, of course,
especially when I was young.

533
00:30:43,450 --> 00:30:46,050
When faced with something
that's indescribable

534
00:30:46,050 --> 00:30:48,930
or really there's no solution
at the end of the equation,

535
00:30:48,930 --> 00:30:50,970
you're always going to be sceptical.

536
00:30:50,970 --> 00:30:56,050
But there are some very clear cases
that are actually even authenticated

537
00:30:56,050 --> 00:30:58,730
by professional people,
oncologists, etc,

538
00:30:58,730 --> 00:31:01,130
where there is
no rational explanation.

539
00:31:04,290 --> 00:31:06,530
Pio has taken me
to meet a young woman

540
00:31:06,530 --> 00:31:09,690
who was thought to be fatally
injured some years ago.

541
00:31:10,890 --> 00:31:12,650
'The fact that she survived,

542
00:31:12,650 --> 00:31:15,610
'apparently through the intervention
of holy relics,

543
00:31:15,610 --> 00:31:17,690
'was held by some to be a miracle.'

544
00:31:17,690 --> 00:31:19,890
Good to see you again.
John, Ardal, how are you?

545
00:31:19,890 --> 00:31:24,370
'Sophie Finucane was living
in Manchester at the time.'

546
00:31:24,370 --> 00:31:27,770
I didn't know that he had the gun
inside the house

547
00:31:27,770 --> 00:31:32,010
and he pulled the gun out
and shot me in the side of my head.

548
00:31:32,010 --> 00:31:37,610
And the hospital was telling my dad
and my mum and everybody

549
00:31:37,610 --> 00:31:40,210
that, um...I was going to die.

550
00:31:40,210 --> 00:31:42,890
And they were saying,
"Look, say your goodbyes,"

551
00:31:42,890 --> 00:31:44,250
that's all they kept saying.

552
00:31:44,250 --> 00:31:47,410
"Say your goodbyes, you won't
make it through today or tonight."

553
00:31:47,410 --> 00:31:49,170
That's all they ever said.

554
00:31:49,170 --> 00:31:51,650
They took her for a brain scan

555
00:31:51,650 --> 00:31:54,730
and they told me that she was
clinically brain-dead,

556
00:31:54,730 --> 00:31:57,930
that there was no hope whatsoever.
But that was the same day...

557
00:31:57,930 --> 00:31:59,450
'John was desperate.

558
00:31:59,450 --> 00:32:02,770
'His daughter was in a coma
and unlikely to survive.

559
00:32:04,450 --> 00:32:06,810
'John tracked down Pio's father,
Donal.

560
00:32:06,810 --> 00:32:10,370
'He begged him to bring Padre Pio's
holy relics to Sophie's bedside,

561
00:32:10,370 --> 00:32:12,650
'which Donal was happy to do.'

562
00:32:12,650 --> 00:32:16,290
And he came in and he was praying
with her and of course

563
00:32:16,290 --> 00:32:18,890
he told us all these wonderful
stories about these miracles,

564
00:32:18,890 --> 00:32:20,610
where there's life, there's hope.

565
00:32:20,610 --> 00:32:22,450
And I said,
"Donal, what do you think?"

566
00:32:22,450 --> 00:32:24,810
And he said,
"I don't feel she's a dying child."

567
00:32:24,810 --> 00:32:27,250
I'll never forget those words
as long as I live.

568
00:32:27,250 --> 00:32:31,770
So, how long was Sophie in the coma
before she started to come around?

569
00:32:31,770 --> 00:32:34,530
Sophie was in a coma for ten days.

570
00:32:34,530 --> 00:32:37,170
And they were telling me
that if she didn't die,

571
00:32:37,170 --> 00:32:40,290
then she'd be badly brain-damaged.
I think my sister and my brother...

572
00:32:40,290 --> 00:32:43,370
'It was at this point
that Sophie began to stir.'

573
00:32:43,370 --> 00:32:46,650
..And I was holding her hand
and we were praying away

574
00:32:46,650 --> 00:32:48,570
and she started turning that ring,

575
00:32:48,570 --> 00:32:50,930
this very ring
I've got on my finger,

576
00:32:50,930 --> 00:32:53,250
and she kept turning it
and turning it.

577
00:32:53,250 --> 00:32:56,490
Donal said to me, "I can tell you
one thing for nothing,

578
00:32:56,490 --> 00:32:59,010
"no matter what they tell you
in the hospital,

579
00:32:59,010 --> 00:33:01,010
"I have no fear for her,
she's cured."

580
00:33:01,010 --> 00:33:03,010
He said, "My work is done here."

581
00:33:03,010 --> 00:33:05,410
And he went out the door
and he went home.

582
00:33:05,410 --> 00:33:09,410
And the two of you, you absolutely
credit Donal and Padre Pio...

583
00:33:09,410 --> 00:33:13,010
Absolutely, I wouldn't doubt it
for one minute of my life.

584
00:33:13,010 --> 00:33:15,370
Definitely, it was definitely Donal.

585
00:33:15,370 --> 00:33:18,650
You don't think it's possible it was
the medical professional care?

586
00:33:18,650 --> 00:33:20,730
They don't even think
it was possible.

587
00:33:20,730 --> 00:33:23,010
I have a DVD somewhere
here in the house

588
00:33:23,010 --> 00:33:26,330
of the head neurosurgeon saying
it was nothing they'd done.

589
00:33:26,330 --> 00:33:27,690
They had no hope.

590
00:33:27,690 --> 00:33:30,730
You don't think it was just
the power of your own willpower?

591
00:33:30,730 --> 00:33:35,050
I think a small little bit,
but no... She's very stubborn.

592
00:33:35,050 --> 00:33:36,930
Very, very stubborn.

593
00:33:36,930 --> 00:33:38,610
THEY LAUGH

594
00:33:38,610 --> 00:33:42,770
But, yeah, Donal, like,
if Donal hadn't been there...

595
00:33:42,770 --> 00:33:45,770
So you're absolutely convinced
it's a miracle.

596
00:33:45,770 --> 00:33:47,610
Yeah, definitely. Oh, yeah.

597
00:33:56,570 --> 00:34:00,290
In their guidebook to Ireland,
published in genteel London,

598
00:34:00,290 --> 00:34:03,490
the Halls were constantly harping
on about how poor we were

599
00:34:03,490 --> 00:34:07,730
and how dirty our towns were
as a consequence.

600
00:34:07,730 --> 00:34:10,010
But as you can see,
we've pulled our socks up.

601
00:34:10,010 --> 00:34:11,290
Oh, yes!

602
00:34:11,290 --> 00:34:14,250
And now being tidy has become
a bit of an obsession.

603
00:34:16,130 --> 00:34:19,730
I've come to the Beara Peninsula
in County Cork,

604
00:34:19,730 --> 00:34:22,730
but I could be visiting any town
across Ireland

605
00:34:22,730 --> 00:34:26,810
because over the summer months, a
sort of religious mania takes hold,

606
00:34:26,810 --> 00:34:29,570
expressed in DayGlo paint
and coloured bunting.

607
00:34:31,970 --> 00:34:33,970
Well, it looks pretty,
it looks safe.

608
00:34:35,210 --> 00:34:36,530
But don't get too relaxed.

609
00:34:36,530 --> 00:34:39,570
You'll get in big trouble if you
so much as drop of sweet wrapper

610
00:34:39,570 --> 00:34:42,010
or a piece of chewing gum
because, you say see...

611
00:34:42,010 --> 00:34:44,090
people are fanatical
about their towns.

612
00:34:48,450 --> 00:34:52,330
No matter how old or young you are,
everyone must do their bit to

613
00:34:52,330 --> 00:34:55,450
keep Castletownbere
immaculately tidy.

614
00:34:56,890 --> 00:34:58,410
Should you not be in school?

615
00:34:59,770 --> 00:35:01,490
Do you like doing things
for the town?

616
00:35:01,490 --> 00:35:04,890
ALL: Yeah. Yeah, it's nice to make
it tidy and... Yeah.

617
00:35:04,890 --> 00:35:06,850
Like everyone else
in Castletownbere,

618
00:35:06,850 --> 00:35:11,090
the children are devoted to the
annual Tidy Towns competition.

619
00:35:12,490 --> 00:35:16,170
Started by an image-conscious
government back in 1958,

620
00:35:16,170 --> 00:35:19,890
almost 900 towns and villages
throughout Ireland now

621
00:35:19,890 --> 00:35:24,290
compete for the accolade of
the nation's tidiest town.

622
00:35:25,450 --> 00:35:28,010
Anonymous judges scour the streets,

623
00:35:28,010 --> 00:35:30,930
noting down their observations -
good and bad.

624
00:35:32,210 --> 00:35:33,330
Here we go now, look.

625
00:35:34,450 --> 00:35:35,890
Just one thing,

626
00:35:35,890 --> 00:35:39,170
only one thing the judges were
slightly critical of. Yeah.

627
00:35:39,170 --> 00:35:42,970
"An overabundance of signage
on certain poles." Yeah.

628
00:35:42,970 --> 00:35:45,530
"One pole near the
Silver Dollar Bar, seven brown signs

629
00:35:45,530 --> 00:35:48,330
"pointing in various directions
and could cause confusion."

630
00:35:48,330 --> 00:35:50,330
We have an example everywhere.

631
00:35:50,330 --> 00:35:52,690
So, what do you do with the signs
that are there?

632
00:35:54,050 --> 00:35:57,290
Well, could you not just pull
a few of those signs down?

633
00:35:57,290 --> 00:36:00,010
Well, how are you going to find out
where Kenmare is, then?

634
00:36:00,010 --> 00:36:01,770
Well, do we know where...?

635
00:36:01,770 --> 00:36:03,890
No-one needs to know
where Eyeries is.

636
00:36:03,890 --> 00:36:06,290
Well, they do, actually!
If you're going to Eyeries, you do.

637
00:36:06,290 --> 00:36:08,610
I suppose, yeah. Look,
the tourist information point,

638
00:36:08,610 --> 00:36:10,490
no-one is ever going to see
that sign down there.

639
00:36:10,490 --> 00:36:12,010
No, I agree with you.

640
00:36:12,010 --> 00:36:15,050
Barry, there's too much choice.
13, 14, 15.

641
00:36:15,050 --> 00:36:18,850
There are 16 different signs
on that pole. Yeah. Yeah.

642
00:36:18,850 --> 00:36:20,330
Like, I'm confused now.

643
00:36:20,330 --> 00:36:22,570
Well, I wouldn't blame you.

644
00:36:22,570 --> 00:36:24,810
I would think you would win
the competition this year

645
00:36:24,810 --> 00:36:28,970
if you got rid of seven of
those signs.

646
00:36:28,970 --> 00:36:32,010
'I leave Barry to consider
my excellent suggestion

647
00:36:32,010 --> 00:36:34,250
'and join the children,
who are being rewarded

648
00:36:34,250 --> 00:36:38,130
'for all their hard work in
Issie O'Donovan's ice cream
parlour.'

649
00:36:38,130 --> 00:36:40,650
So, is this your favourite shop
in town? ALL: Yeah.

650
00:36:40,650 --> 00:36:42,890
Yeah, well, it's definitely mine
as well.

651
00:36:42,890 --> 00:36:46,410
So, what makes Castletownbere
so great? So special?

652
00:36:46,410 --> 00:36:50,210
We're on the sea. The scenery is
absolutely stunning.

653
00:36:50,210 --> 00:36:52,370
We've got gorgeous mountains
around us as well

654
00:36:52,370 --> 00:36:54,930
and there's a gorgeous beach
over in Allihes,

655
00:36:54,930 --> 00:36:56,970
a big, lovely, sandy beach.

656
00:36:56,970 --> 00:36:58,610
And what about the people?

657
00:36:58,610 --> 00:37:01,010
The pe... Ah, well,
the people make it, you know?

658
00:37:01,010 --> 00:37:02,330
It's a small town, yeah.

659
00:37:02,330 --> 00:37:05,090
Everyone knows everyone. And you've
got the best ice cream in Cork.

660
00:37:05,090 --> 00:37:07,570
Yeah! Without a doubt.
Which is a bit of a comfort.

661
00:37:07,570 --> 00:37:10,770
Well, it's a bonus having a good
sweet shop in the town. Yeah, yeah.

662
00:37:10,770 --> 00:37:12,490
Nobody's going to argue with that,
are we?

663
00:37:12,490 --> 00:37:14,290
Definitely. Ah, the kids are great.

664
00:37:14,290 --> 00:37:16,250
No-one's ever going to leave
the Beara Peninsula.

665
00:37:16,250 --> 00:37:18,010
They go collecting...

666
00:37:18,010 --> 00:37:19,930
Issie's high-octane evangelism

667
00:37:19,930 --> 00:37:23,210
is typical of the proud tidy
town dweller.

668
00:37:23,210 --> 00:37:25,010
'In last year's Tidy Town's report,

669
00:37:25,010 --> 00:37:29,410
'the people of Castletownbere were
congratulated on their efforts,

670
00:37:29,410 --> 00:37:31,050
'But they didn't win the prize.'

671
00:37:32,650 --> 00:37:37,410
The nearest village and biggest
rival to Castletownbere is Eyeries.

672
00:37:40,050 --> 00:37:43,090
Now, the cocky swagger of this
place may be down to the fact

673
00:37:43,090 --> 00:37:47,210
that last time, it beat
Castletownbere by 35 points!

674
00:37:49,490 --> 00:37:52,570
The village was commended on its
litter control,

675
00:37:52,570 --> 00:37:55,850
but if you look closely, you can see
there are no bins in Eyeries.

676
00:37:55,850 --> 00:37:58,610
You see, bins attract rubbish.

677
00:37:59,810 --> 00:38:02,650
Well, it looks like they don't
have people either.

678
00:38:02,650 --> 00:38:04,810
And that's because the village
stretches all the way

679
00:38:04,810 --> 00:38:06,970
down to the sea.

680
00:38:06,970 --> 00:38:10,450
And today is the day the beach
gets its weekly clean-up,

681
00:38:10,450 --> 00:38:11,850
overseen by Emer O'Neill.

682
00:38:14,970 --> 00:38:18,090
It's a bit tough, Emer, I mean,
having to do the town

683
00:38:18,090 --> 00:38:21,330
and having to do here as well?

684
00:38:21,330 --> 00:38:23,050
Yeah. That's a bit unfair.

685
00:38:23,050 --> 00:38:24,570
Well...
SHE LAUGHS

686
00:38:24,570 --> 00:38:28,610
Not really, no. I mean, this is part
of the village as well, you know?

687
00:38:28,610 --> 00:38:30,570
And a lot of people would
use this place.

688
00:38:30,570 --> 00:38:32,490
You know, there's a lot of work,
not just this.

689
00:38:32,490 --> 00:38:35,050
There's work put into the
whole village, itself.

690
00:38:35,050 --> 00:38:37,450
You don't seem to have any bins
in Eyeries.

691
00:38:37,450 --> 00:38:39,090
No, that's true, yeah.

692
00:38:39,090 --> 00:38:40,650
Is that deliberate?

693
00:38:40,650 --> 00:38:42,730
It is. Well, it has been.
We just found that...

694
00:38:42,730 --> 00:38:45,930
You know, there were bins. I think
it's a problem all over the country,

695
00:38:45,930 --> 00:38:47,890
really, that there's
any public bins.

696
00:38:47,890 --> 00:38:50,730
They just seem to get abused,
you know? People dumping...

697
00:38:50,730 --> 00:38:52,290
So, it works not having bins?

698
00:38:52,290 --> 00:38:55,210
It does, yeah, but there
is a call for it sometimes.

699
00:38:55,210 --> 00:38:58,650
We are going to try out one or two
of them in the public areas.

700
00:38:58,650 --> 00:39:00,170
Just leave them out for
an hour a day.

701
00:39:00,170 --> 00:39:03,170
Yeah, just to see, but they'll
have to be closely monitored

702
00:39:03,170 --> 00:39:04,490
and kind of kept an eye on.

703
00:39:04,490 --> 00:39:06,850
We have one, at the moment,
in the Sensory Garden.

704
00:39:06,850 --> 00:39:09,330
Employ a full-time sentry over the
bin... We'll have to, yeah.

705
00:39:09,330 --> 00:39:11,370
..to make sure the people
don't abuse it.

706
00:39:11,370 --> 00:39:13,210
It'll be a job for somebody. Yeah.

707
00:39:15,210 --> 00:39:17,010
My tour through
this bin-less village

708
00:39:17,010 --> 00:39:20,610
culminates with the sanitary
equivalent of a visit to the Louvre.

709
00:39:24,130 --> 00:39:27,330
'The proud chairman of the toilet
committee is Hugh O'Neill.'

710
00:39:27,330 --> 00:39:29,130
Hello, Hugh. Hello, how are you?

711
00:39:29,130 --> 00:39:32,330
Congratulations. You have the place
spotless.

712
00:39:32,330 --> 00:39:33,650
We do our best.

713
00:39:33,650 --> 00:39:37,010
Well, can we have a look at the
shining jewel of the town?

714
00:39:37,010 --> 00:39:38,530
Well, you can, of course.

715
00:39:38,530 --> 00:39:40,050
I won't charge you. Thanks.

716
00:39:42,130 --> 00:39:45,530
Well, it's the only public toilet in
Ireland that smells beautiful.

717
00:39:45,530 --> 00:39:50,370
Yeah? Yeah, I'd go that far. Right,
OK. Yeah, we're kind of...

718
00:39:50,370 --> 00:39:53,170
I could spend time in here.
HE LAUGHS

719
00:39:53,170 --> 00:39:55,730
Not too much, now. No. Just enough.

720
00:39:55,730 --> 00:39:57,690
Wouldn't smell is beautiful
if I did. Yeah.

721
00:39:57,690 --> 00:39:59,170
But, yeah, no, lovely.

722
00:39:59,170 --> 00:40:01,690
Oh! Yes, I know.
A little spider there.

723
00:40:01,690 --> 00:40:03,210
A cobweb, yeah, yeah.

724
00:40:03,210 --> 00:40:06,130
I'd got rid of all them yesterday
evening, but they are still a few...

725
00:40:06,130 --> 00:40:07,970
They're back again.
They are back again, yeah.

726
00:40:07,970 --> 00:40:10,610
I'd say it was the Castletownbere
people that planted that spider.

727
00:40:10,610 --> 00:40:13,970
HE LAUGHS
To upset us. Yeah.

728
00:40:13,970 --> 00:40:16,250
No, it's...
It's really something. Yeah.

729
00:40:22,170 --> 00:40:23,570
When it comes to belief,

730
00:40:23,570 --> 00:40:27,970
the Halls, like many Victorians,
were obsessed with the supernatural.

731
00:40:27,970 --> 00:40:30,890
Ireland has always had an
abundance of ghost stories.

732
00:40:30,890 --> 00:40:32,970
So, for the Halls,
it was rich pickings.

733
00:40:34,410 --> 00:40:37,970
The tale of the puca caught their
imagination, a malignant fairy,

734
00:40:37,970 --> 00:40:42,450
half horse/half eagle
who tempts innocence onto its back.

735
00:40:42,450 --> 00:40:44,330
OWL HOOTS

736
00:40:44,330 --> 00:40:46,370
Carriganass Castle, in County Cork,

737
00:40:46,370 --> 00:40:49,730
is just the kind of place
you might encounter a puca.

738
00:40:49,730 --> 00:40:52,530
Voices have supposedly been heard
emanating

739
00:40:52,530 --> 00:40:55,170
from this 500-year-old building.

740
00:40:56,770 --> 00:41:00,370
This is what I think,
I either read this or made it up -

741
00:41:00,370 --> 00:41:03,610
we are not the most rational
people in the world.

742
00:41:03,610 --> 00:41:06,410
We don't subscribe to either/or
theories here in this country.

743
00:41:06,410 --> 00:41:08,570
We are both/and people.

744
00:41:08,570 --> 00:41:10,930
We hold competing thoughts in our
head at the same time.

745
00:41:10,930 --> 00:41:14,250
We are quite comfortable with this
idea of contradiction.

746
00:41:14,250 --> 00:41:15,690
It's a Celtic thing.

747
00:41:15,690 --> 00:41:17,410
So, if somebody asked me,
for example,

748
00:41:17,410 --> 00:41:19,090
"Do you believe in ghosts?"
I would say,

749
00:41:19,090 --> 00:41:22,810
"No, of course not, but that
doesn't mean they're not there."

750
00:41:26,850 --> 00:41:30,650
Now, I'm about to join a meeting of
a local group of ghost hunters.

751
00:41:32,810 --> 00:41:36,250
'Matthew, Jackie and Paul are
typical of a rise in the number of

752
00:41:36,250 --> 00:41:40,050
'people worldwide who take the
supernatural seriously.

753
00:41:40,050 --> 00:41:42,250
'They claim to have photographed
a real ghost.'

754
00:41:42,250 --> 00:41:44,290
That would be one of
our most impressive.

755
00:41:44,290 --> 00:41:47,090
It does look like the figure of
a man. Yeah.

756
00:41:47,090 --> 00:41:50,570
Or a human, anyway, of some sort.
He looks fairly modern as well. Hm.

757
00:41:50,570 --> 00:41:52,730
You wouldn't think... He doesn't
look like a monk.

758
00:41:52,730 --> 00:41:56,250
He could be flares...
He could be wearing flares. Yeah.

759
00:41:56,250 --> 00:41:58,810
He could be from the '60s.
LAUGHTER

760
00:41:58,810 --> 00:42:01,890
You are absolutely convinced, by the
sounds of it, that it is a person.

761
00:42:01,890 --> 00:42:04,210
Yeah. Well, that's... That's what it
looks like. I mean...

762
00:42:04,210 --> 00:42:06,730
It would indicate that it would be,
yeah.

763
00:42:06,730 --> 00:42:10,810
'The Cork Supernatural Society,
as they style themselves,

764
00:42:10,810 --> 00:42:13,930
'use a vast array of Ghostbuster
technology to record

765
00:42:13,930 --> 00:42:16,890
'everything from invisible light to
inaudible sounds,

766
00:42:16,890 --> 00:42:21,490
'but to my eyes and ears, this is
about something more fundamental.'

767
00:42:21,490 --> 00:42:23,850
I mean, are you all believers?

768
00:42:23,850 --> 00:42:26,410
I'd be... I'm very sceptical.

769
00:42:26,410 --> 00:42:29,730
We have caught evidence that would
suggest there is something. Mm.

770
00:42:29,730 --> 00:42:30,970
What other kind of evidence?

771
00:42:30,970 --> 00:42:34,010
We're going to play some audio for
you now. Just listen.

772
00:42:34,010 --> 00:42:35,730
RECORDING: 'Yeah, I'm recording
again.'

773
00:42:35,730 --> 00:42:37,410
DISTORTED VOICE ON RECORDING

774
00:42:37,410 --> 00:42:40,210
You hear the voice in the
background? Yeah, but...

775
00:42:40,210 --> 00:42:43,290
Did you hear it? Yeah, I did, but is
that not just someone's, like...?

776
00:42:43,290 --> 00:42:45,730
That's what we're trying
to figure out.

777
00:42:45,730 --> 00:42:47,250
Where were you
when you recorded that?

778
00:42:47,250 --> 00:42:48,730
We were in Ballinacarriga Castle.

779
00:42:48,730 --> 00:42:51,690
But how can you be 100% sure
that it wasn't just someone

780
00:42:51,690 --> 00:42:53,410
hiding behind a door or...?

781
00:42:53,410 --> 00:42:55,690
We had the key for the place.

782
00:42:57,090 --> 00:43:01,450
DISTORTED VOICE ON RECORDING

783
00:43:08,450 --> 00:43:11,370
RECORDED DISTORTED VOICE

784
00:43:11,370 --> 00:43:12,610
The voice we picked up.

785
00:43:13,850 --> 00:43:17,810
RECORDED DISTORTED VOICE

786
00:43:18,930 --> 00:43:21,090
You see, like, I suppose,
the difficulty I have

787
00:43:21,090 --> 00:43:23,330
is that why don't they just speak
clearer?

788
00:43:27,210 --> 00:43:29,890
'Nobody has the answer to that one.

789
00:43:29,890 --> 00:43:32,690
'To prevent me asking more
embarrassing questions,

790
00:43:32,690 --> 00:43:36,010
'someone has thrust an electronic
gizmo into my hand.'

791
00:43:36,010 --> 00:43:40,170
It's reading,
it's detecting something.

792
00:43:40,170 --> 00:43:44,650
Some EMF some electromagnetic waves.

793
00:43:46,490 --> 00:43:48,650
I've been told to put the
hardware down.

794
00:43:48,650 --> 00:43:50,730
It's time for the main event.

795
00:43:50,730 --> 00:43:53,410
We are going to speak directly
to the other world.

796
00:43:56,370 --> 00:43:58,890
OK, is there anyone here tonight
that would like to make

797
00:43:58,890 --> 00:44:00,890
contact with us?

798
00:44:00,890 --> 00:44:03,410
If there is anybody here that would
like to make contact with us,

799
00:44:03,410 --> 00:44:07,170
there's a recorder with a little red
light just there on the window.

800
00:44:07,170 --> 00:44:09,650
You just speak into that,
it won't hurt you.

801
00:44:13,690 --> 00:44:16,410
We've come here as your friends.

802
00:44:16,410 --> 00:44:17,610
We mean you no harm.

803
00:44:18,930 --> 00:44:22,490
Can you come and say hello to us?
Tell us your name?

804
00:44:24,930 --> 00:44:28,250
Can you tell us what year you are
from? When did you live here?

805
00:44:32,010 --> 00:44:33,730
'This could take a little while.'

806
00:44:34,930 --> 00:44:37,850
Can you touch one of the people
here that are present?

807
00:44:40,330 --> 00:44:41,570
Touch them somewhere.

808
00:44:43,530 --> 00:44:45,690
Just so that we know that
you can hear us.

809
00:44:48,570 --> 00:44:52,090
If there's anyone here with
us tonight,

810
00:44:52,090 --> 00:44:54,490
could you make a bang sound for us?

811
00:44:54,490 --> 00:44:56,850
Could we hear your footsteps?

812
00:44:56,850 --> 00:44:59,770
You'll have to do it as loud as
possible, so we know it's you.

813
00:45:01,770 --> 00:45:03,130
Do ghosts exist?

814
00:45:06,890 --> 00:45:07,970
No, I don't think so.

815
00:45:18,450 --> 00:45:21,290
'The Halls wouldn't be surprised
at all by the antics of our

816
00:45:21,290 --> 00:45:22,850
'Ghostbusters.

817
00:45:22,850 --> 00:45:25,610
'Their guidebook was full of
excitedly recounted stories

818
00:45:25,610 --> 00:45:29,610
'of mischievous fairies
and unquiet spirits.

819
00:45:29,610 --> 00:45:33,050
'The difference is some of us
believe we've actually seen them.'

820
00:45:34,730 --> 00:45:36,650
We are a rational people,

821
00:45:36,650 --> 00:45:39,810
but with a healthy respect for
the irrational.

822
00:45:39,810 --> 00:45:42,930
You know, we're still open to belief

823
00:45:42,930 --> 00:45:44,770
in God

824
00:45:44,770 --> 00:45:47,330
and ghosts and even miracles.

825
00:45:47,330 --> 00:45:49,770
And this could be due to our
history,

826
00:45:49,770 --> 00:45:54,210
our deep-rooted Catholicism
or perhaps our Celtic heritage.

827
00:45:54,210 --> 00:45:56,850
Or it might just be our
very vivid imaginations.

828
00:46:01,730 --> 00:46:05,050
'Next time, in my search for our
national identity,

829
00:46:05,050 --> 00:46:06,410
'I meet the Irish Travellers.

830
00:46:08,090 --> 00:46:10,730
'They are Ireland's oldest
nomadic community.'

831
00:46:10,730 --> 00:46:14,330
Do you consider yourself different
from settled people?

832
00:46:14,330 --> 00:46:17,970
Yeah, we do things different
than the settled people.

833
00:46:17,970 --> 00:46:19,650
We talk different.

834
00:46:19,650 --> 00:46:22,730
We call a girl a lackeen. Lackeen.

835
00:46:24,690 --> 00:46:27,370
'I'll discover how the potato is
still playing

836
00:46:27,370 --> 00:46:29,930
'a part in modern Ireland.'

837
00:46:29,930 --> 00:46:32,930
Gee! I actually think my tongue
melted.

838
00:46:32,930 --> 00:46:35,610
I seriously... Have a look.
LAUGHTER

839
00:46:35,610 --> 00:46:37,130
SQUEAKING

840
00:46:37,130 --> 00:46:41,610
'And unexpected incarceration makes
me assess my own Irish identity.'

841
00:46:43,210 --> 00:46:44,930
You're not going to leave me
here are my own?

842
00:46:44,930 --> 00:46:47,570
DOOR SQUEAKS CLOSED

843
00:46:47,570 --> 00:46:49,490
This a trick?

844
00:47:11,850 --> 00:47:13,810
Subtitles by Ericsson