Latest news with #HellforLeather:TheStoryofGaelicFootball
Irish Independent
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming choices: Nationwide, The Story of Gaelic Football and Inglourious Basterds
Nationwide RTÉ One, 7pm The first edition of the show's Summer Holiday series explores Co Waterford's stunning Copper Coast, named after the mines that operated in the area during the 19th century. Presenter Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh meets some intriguing locals while travelling along the 25km coastal route, including an environmental artist and a seaweed forager. An Ghig Mhór RTÉ One, 8pm Hip hop duo Tebi Rex help rising band Na hEasógaí — who perform a fusion of rock, traditional Irish and world music — organise a gig in Conamara. Hell for Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football RTÉ One, 9.35pm Cora Staunton, Jim McGuinness and Jack McCaffrey reveal how important the support of their local communities was in helping to drive forward their sporting careers. There's also a trip to Northern Ireland, where players past and present discuss how the game managed to survive during a century of strife. Inglourious Basterds TG4, 9.30pm Quentin Tarantino's wartime adventure stars Brad Pitt as the leader of a group of Jewish soldiers on a mission to kill as many Nazis as possible. Christoph Waltz co-stars in an Oscar-winning role. All The Sharks Netflix, streaming now If you're wondering, 'Why all the shark-related viewing of late?' Well, the simple answer is that we're currently in the run-up to July 14, which is Shark Awareness Day. This summer also happens to be the 50th anniversary of Jaws, so one should expect an inordinate level of shark-themed programming over the coming weeks. A lot of it, however, does seem somewhat at odds with itself. For instance, last week saw the release of Shark Whisperer, which featured a herd of conservationists expressing concern about people, like Instagrammer Ocean Ramsey, interfering with endangered sharks. Now, Netflix is proffering an almost oxymoronic competition show, where conservationists infiltrate the oceans to tick all the sharks off their assigned apex predator bingo cards. If you favour more traditional shark viewing — ie. without a nigh-dystopic gameshow element — Sharks Up Close With Bertie Gregory has landed on Disney+. Heads of State Prime Video, streaming now Have you ever considered a parallel universe where Idris Elba is the UK prime minister and John Cena is the US president? Well, now's your chance! For context, their 'special relationship' is under threat on account of their huge egos, but — once confronted with a common adversary — the pair must learn to rely on each other.
Irish Independent
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming choices: Death in the Desert, The Bourne Identity and The Buccaneers
An Ghig Mhór RTÉ One, 8pm Songwriter and musician Rónán Ó Snodaigh steps up to help five-piece band Leevy from the Múscraí Gaeltacht organise a major gig. In 1979, British nurse Helen Smith was found dead in suspicious circumstances after falling from a balcony in Saudi Arabia. Here, director Keely Winstone uses previously classified government documents to explore whether the truth was covered up at the time. Hell for Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football RTÉ One, 9.35pm The legendary Mick O'Connell takes centre stage this week, expounding his own legacy as well as the future of Gaelic football. Also profiled is Sister Pauline Gibbons, whose pioneering spirit in the 1970s helped pave the way for female stars such as Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh, Juliet Murphy and Noelle Healy. The Bourne Identity TG4, 9.30pm Smash-hit adaptation of Robert Ludlum's novel, the first in a blockbusting franchise. Matt Damon stars as a mysterious assassin who is suffering from amnesia. Murderer Behind The Mask Prime Video, streaming now True crime isn't just the purview of Netflix, you know, and this Prime Video offering about Elaine O'Hara and Graham Dwyer hits particularly close to home. It highlights how An Garda Síochana meticulously pieced together the truth, turning an overlooked case into one of Ireland's most haunting murder trials. Back in September 2013, the remains of childcare worker O'Hara were discovered in the Dublin mountains. Initially believed to be a suicide, her case took a twisted tangent when fishermen stumbled upon crucial evidence leading to Dwyer, a respected architect who lived in Foxrock with his wife and kids. Beneath his carefully crafted facade lurked a secret life fuelled by a dark stabbing obsession, revealed through his disturbing text exchanges with O'Hara. Over the course of two 45-minute instalments, this Wag Entertainment-produced series purports to uncover how the investigation unfolded and the tragic story behind Elaine's murder. The Waterfront Netflix, streaming now From the makers of Dawson's Creek and Scream, we have this deliciously ridiculous number inspired by true events. It centres on the Buckley family, who have ruled Havenport, North Carolina, for decades. Now, with their patriarch, Harlan (Holt McCallany), recovering from multiple heart attacks (not helped by his predilection for impromptu punching sessions with his son), they resort to drug smuggling courtesy of a surprising face (belonging to Topher Grace). For more glossy, far-fetched US drama, season three of Manifest is now streaming. The Buccaneers AppleTV+, streaming now Apple's answer to Bridgerton (but with bonus Americans) is here with its second season. Exploring the events leading up to the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, this heart-rendering documentary reveals decisions by businesses and government that contributed to the tragedy. Somebody Feed Phil Netflix, streaming now This time, Phil visits Amsterdam, Tbilisi, Sydney, Adelaide, Manila, Vegas, Guatemala, San Sebastián and Boston, while enjoying a spot of bone gnawing with Ray Romano and Brad Garrett along the way. The Many Deaths of Nora Dalmasso Netflix, streaming now
Irish Independent
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Hell for Leather' review: This stylish history of Gaelic football is marred by the usual pretentious, self-mythologising GAA nonsense
Hell for Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football is a new a five-part history of the sport showing on RTÉ1 Pat Stacey Today at 17:35 My late, great friend and fellow Independent/Herald scribbler George Byrne mischievously coined the terms 'bogball and stick fighting' to describe Gaelic football and hurling. I can easily guess what George would have thought of Hell for Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football (RTÉ One, Monday, June 9 and RTÉ Player), a five-part history of the sport from Crossing the Line Productions, which did a similarly epic job on hurling in the 2018 series The Game.
Irish Independent
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming choices: An Ghig Mhór, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Survivors
An Ghig Mhór RTÉ One, 8pm New series in which a seasoned music scene veteran mentors an up-and-coming band or artist. First up, singer-songwriter John Spillane takes Kilkenny-based rockers The Donnys under his wing as they organise a gig in their hometown. Hell for Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football RTÉ One, 9.35pm A five-part documentary focusing on the important part that the sport plays in the nation's cultural and social history begins with Brian Fenton offering his emotional response to the game, before we get a glimpse of David Clifford's magical feet in slow motion. BETH Channel 4, 10pm Nicholas Pinnock and Abbey Lee star in a one-off sci-fi drama focusing on a couple who think all their dreams have come true when they have a longed-for baby — but the birth reveals a shocking secret. Forgetting Sarah Marshall TG4, 9.30pm Hit romantic comedy starring Jason Segel as a puppeteer who heads to Hawaii to mend a broken heart, only to find his ex-girlfriend there with her new rock star lover. Kristen Bell, Russell Brand and Mila Kunis co-star. The Survivors Netflix, streaming now We're mostly used to two types of Australian viewing: soaps and super-dry (to the point of cringe) comedy. This is different. The drama follows Kieran Elliott's life after two people drown in his hometown of Evelyn Bay, Australia. To top it off, a young girl also went missing. Returning with his family 15 years later, the simmering guilt resurfaces, especially when the body of a young woman is found on the beach… K.O. Netflix, streaming now No one does visceral city grit like the French. Bastien has lived as a recluse since accidentally killing his opponent Enzo in an MMA fight three years ago. Now, Enzo's widow tracks him down as, essentially, he owes her one. Her request? Find her missing teenage son. Tyler Perry's Straw Netflix, streaming now Between this and last month's release of She the People, Mr Tyler Perry is getting himself around. This offering, however, is far more stark than May's fare. Here, one mum's day unfurls as it goes from tricky to catastrophic. Pushed to the precipice by a world that seems indifferent to her plight (until they can livestream it), she soon gets attention when she unwittingly holds up a bank. The Orkney Assassin Prime Video, streaming now The Orkney Isles lie 130 miles north of Aberdeen. It's a peaceful place with a strong sense of community. In June 1994, however, Bangladeshi waiter Shamsuddin Mahmood was working at the lone curry house when a masked man fatally shot him. This documentary revisits one of Scotland's most extraordinary murder cases, examining racism, loyalty, and the impact of trauma decades later.
Irish Independent
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Students from Wexford and Kilkenny schools to feature in new RTÉ documentary
Over five years in the making, the series is a landmark documentary production, exploring the evolution of Gaelic football from its inception to the modern day, and the invaluable contribution which the sport has made to Irish life. Filmed in cinema-quality 4K, the series also features the final television interviews conducted with GAA stalwarts Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Kerry's Seán Murphy and Mick O'Dwyer, Dublin's Jimmy Gray and Mayo's John O'Mahony and Dr. Mick Loftus. Chronicling how the game has changed through more than a century of rebellion and revolution, bitter rivalries, triumphs, upsets and comebacks, the series is both a celebration and exploration of a unique arm of Irish life. Its unique story is told through the testimonies of players, managers and expert commentators, captivating archive and stunning visuals. Hell for Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football tells the story of a game born out of necessity, dreamt up by a nation in search of a social identity and something that could challenge the pre-eminence of foreign games. Gaelic football later took root in the northern counties and became a truly all-island sport - a game of and for the Irish people. A sport with a presence in just about every village in Ireland, Gaelic football has a hugely important legacy, and this is the story of that legacy. The entire series consists of over 80 interviews conducted with, among others, Michael Murphy, David Clifford, Jack McCaffery, Juliet Murphy, Shane Walsh, Brian Fenton, Mick O'Connell, Cora Staunton, Joe Brolly, Tony Hanahoe, Colm Cooper and Briege Corkery. It also features contributions from managers past and present - Jim McGuinness, Padraic Joyce, Seán Boylan and Kevin McStay. Meanwhile, school children from Catherine McAuley Junior School, New Ross Educate Together and Marymount NS The Rower feature in the series, with players from Rathgarogue Cushinstown GAA also included. Produced by Crossing the Line Productions, one of the producers, Siobhán Ward is a native of The Rower in south Kilkenny, and is proud to have worked on the series from her hometown, and to see the local areas and participants also included in the production. The first episode, The Renaissance, will see Brian Fenton fighting back tears as he details his love of the game, while David Clifford's magical feet are revealed in slow motion and Shane Walsh kicks the paint off the gable wall at his family home. The series debut takes the viewers from these modern magicians on a journey back in time, to the rough and tumble origins of Gaelic Football. Through rebellion and civil war, it exploded like a prairie fire to become the most played game in Ireland.
