Latest news with #PhoneBoxBabies
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Phone Box Babies TV review: Revelations galore in shocking story of abandoned siblings
It was the common sense and gentleness of the three babies concerned – now in their 50s and 60s – that managed to pull the audience through. Also, Phone Box Babies is an RTÉ programme built on other programmes. First of all, the British programme Long Lost Family, hosted by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell. We have all sobbed our way through Long Lost Family at one time or another, but never, probably, was the long-lost family so large. Here were three siblings who ended up looking for each other as well as looking for their parents. Long Lost Family has an off-shoot, Born Without Trace – surely the saddest title of all time – which concerns itself with babies who were physically abandoned by their parents. In a previous episode of Born Without Trace, it seemed that a significant proportion of the babies abandoned in the UK in the 1960s had been born to Irish parents. But David, John and Helen were not abandoned in Britain, they were abandoned in Belfast, Drogheda and Dundalk. In tartan shopping bags. On cold nights. They were carefully dressed and in good health and only a couple of days old. And all three were found by decent people. In January 1962, David had been found by a doctor's wife on the outskirts of Belfast after he had been left in her car outside her house. She discovered him when she went out to the car to bring in her shopping. In March 1968, Helen was found by a lorry driver, Donal Boyle, in a phone box in Dundalk. Donal was coming down from Belfast and he stopped in Dundalk on a very cold night for something to eat, and then remembered that he had to phone his landlady to ask her to leave a key out for him. As he went into the phone box, someone was leaving it, and that person got into a waiting car. It was John's daughter Donna who saw David and Helen on Long Lost Family and saw that 'David's hands were identical to my father's. I thought John's the middle child here. And he was' It was fascinating to see how emotional the finders of these babies – random strangers, after all – were about the children they had stumbled upon. Helen was reunited with Donal Boyle through Joe Duffy's Liveline, and in 2013 they met. Donal described it as one of the highlights, if not the highlight, of his life. In May 1965, Paul Murphy, a young reporter with the Evening Press, had found John in a phone box in Drogheda. Paul went to visit the baby in hospital – and also to write a piece about it for the Evening Press, which was accompanied by a great photograph. After that, Paul said sadly, the baby disappeared. He never knew what had happened to him. 'Then, in 2013, the baby turned up,' he said. Paul had been thinking about John over the years: 'Like a father, like a brother.' When they met they embraced. All three babies were adopted into loving families and each one was told that they had been adopted. 'I actually think that she made the right decision,' says David of his mother. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'They would have called me a bastard,' says John in a separate interview; and who can say that he's mistaken in that? It was quite chilling to see the siblings' adult relief at having escaped the Magdalene homes. It was David and Helen who were united by the Long Lost Family team – John was a later addition, only joining them when his daughter Donna, who had emigrated to Australia, saw David and Helen on Long Lost Family and saw that 'David's hands were identical to my father's…. I thought, 'John is the middle child here. And he was'.' Meanwhile, Davina McCall was telling David and Helen who their biological parents were. Billy Watson, a Protestant living in Dublin. And Marcella Somers, a Catholic from Kerry, who worked then in Dublin. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Billy was married – and had 14 children. Talk about a bombshell. One of Billy's nine surviving children from his marriage, William Watson, was happy to meet them. What a lovely man William turned out to be. His wife Breege looked supportive without saying a word – I sometimes think that wives and husbands aren't given enough credit as these explosive family stories detonate into their lives. Anyway, William explained that their father, Billy, had a band that played in Clerys, as well as around the country. He left the domestic duties to his wife. Marcella emerged as a dynamic woman, who was a great friend of the much more conservative Rosie Doherty, the mother of the snooker champion Ken Doherty. Ken remembered Marcella well, from the time she had lived in retirement accommodation in his home place of Ranelagh, Dublin. Marcella was musical, and played the accordion. In old age, Marcella had a doll, which she kept in her room and which she dressed carefully. Marcella died in Kerry in 2017, before her newly discovered children could reach her. David, John and Helen laid flowers on her grave. They don't think that they are the only children of Billy and Marcella to have been abandoned. There is talk of a fourth child, found in a phone box in Newry in 1963.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
The Phone Box Babies review: Hugely moving account from Ireland's Handmaid's Tale era
Much of the story told in The Phone Box Babies ( RTÉ One, Thursday, 9.35pm) was previously covered by Channel 4's Long Lost Families. But this fascinating account of three siblings abandoned as infants in the 1960s is nonetheless hugely moving – and, unlike the C4 take, the RTÉ documentary captures both the tragedy and joy of their experiences without yanking enthusiastically at the heartstrings. The Phone Box Babies is also a grim portrait of Ireland during its Handmaid's Tale years when women were punished for their sexual activity while the men were allowed carry on regardless. In this case, the woman was Marcella Byrnes, who had a decades-long relationship with William Watson. He was married and had 14 children with his wife – and at least three with Marcella, newborns she left in phone boxes and, in one case, a car. While aware they were adopted, the three grew up with no idea that they were 'foundlings' – babies abandoned by their parents and discovered and cared for by others. They discovered the truth by various means. 'On my birth cert, it said baby exposed on Ladywell Terrace, March, 1968,' recalls Helen Ward, who was discovered in a phone box in Drogheda, Co Louth. 'Father unknown, mother unknown. I was just so saddened.' Eager to know more about her origins she went on Joe Duffy 's Liveline, which is how she came into contact with the truck driver who had found her wrapped tightly and with a still warm baby bottle. READ MORE In Belfast, meanwhile, her older sibling David McBride learned when he went looking for his birth certificate that he had been found in a car in Newry, Co Down. As with Helen, the bombshell raised more questions than answers – which led him to appear on Davina McCall 's Long Lost Families. One DNA test later, Helen and David were meeting in Carlingford, Co Louth. 'Shock is right,' says David. 'All I knew was that people from the south of Ireland didn't like us because we were from the north. It was like the bottom had fallen out of your world.' Siblings David McBride, Helen Ward and John Dowling. Photograph: RTÉ There is then a further twist when the daughter of third sibling, John Dowling, is watching Long Last Families from Australia and immediately recognises that Helena and David are dead ringers for her dad. The three meet for the first time and are surprised to discover an instant connection. But there is sadness, too, as they learn both their parents have passed on. Phone Box Babies is a well-executed tear-jerker, but also contains lots of tragedy. They discover their father, William, was a band leader who was often on the road, where he appears to have got up to more than just entertaining the public. Yet while he had a 'cake and eat it' existence, his secret paramour, Marcella, had a far less happy life. She lived in Dublin for many decades and it turns out that she worked in a store future snooker champion Ken Doherty would frequent as a child with his mother. He recalls her being full of life and mischief. Marcella was obviously haunted by having to give up her children – in her final years at a nursing home in Co Kerry she carried with her a doll, though she refused to say what it represented. Her kids feel it was her way of holding on to some connection with them. The documentary concludes with another surprise: the siblings believe there may have been a fourth child still out there – and potentially unaware of their origins. The bleakest fact of all, however, is that, by David's reckoning, being abandoned was perhaps the best they could have hoped for. Had Marcella handed the children over to the care of the church – as was the custom – they could have been illegally exported for adoption to United States or worse. 'I think she made the right choice,' he says. 'If she had gone into one of these Magdalene laundries, life would have been so much different for her, so much different for us. We would have been treated appallingly.' "It was still a very conservative Catholic society and that bore down most severely upon women" The Phone Box Babies reveals new insights into the lives and identities of three newborn babies abandoned in the 1960s in different parts of Ireland. The babies were discovered by… — RTÉ One (@RTEOne) Phone Box Babies can be viewed on RTÉ Player
Extra.ie
6 days ago
- General
- Extra.ie
Irish phone box siblings search for long-lost brother
Three babies, who were all abandoned in different parts of Ireland, have revealed their hidden connection and why they believe there may be one more person just like them. Each of the babies was discovered in the 1960s by random passersby – two in phone boxes and one in a car – without any identifying information or clue to their origins. A new documentary airing next week on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player has uncovered details about the babies' parents and why they were given up. A newspaper clipping from the 1960s. Pic: RTÉ Fifty years later, as adults, they have discovered their connection to each other and are embarking on an emotional journey to uncover their identities. David McBride, born in 1962, was left in a car in a Belfast driveway. John Dowling, born in 1965, was found in a Drogheda phone box. Helen Ward, born in 1968, was discovered by a lorry driver in a Dundalk phone box. Driver Donal Boyle, who was 26 at the time, recalled: 'I opened the door of the phone box and there was a tartan shopping bag. I saw the bag moving and I said to myself, it's either someone dumped their pups or their kittens. David McBride. Pic: RTÉ 'And I opened the bag and there was the baby girl inside. The bottle was warm and she was well-wrapped up… but I don't know if she would have survived the night or not, it was so cold.' Each baby was adopted and raised in different parts of Ireland. In 2020, David McBride and Helen Ward discovered they were brother and sister through DNA technology and were reunited on the ITV series Long Lost Family. Helen Ward. Pic: RTÉ They were saddened to learn their parents had since died, but to their shock and joy, they subsequently found John Dowling, a third full sibling. They now believe there is a fourth sibling and are hoping this documentary will encourage that person to get in touch. Ms Ward said there were reports of a baby boy found in Newry in 1963, in a phonebox. John Dowling. Pic: RTÉ 'There's that strong possibility that this person could be part of our journey too,' she said. The Phone Box Babies airs on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player next Wednesday, July 2, at 9.35pm.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
RTÉ's Summer Slate of Documentaries Unveiled
Showcasing Unique Irish Stories and Exploring Irish Life Natasha O'Brien, the young Limerick woman featured in the documentary Natasha, now streaming on RTÉ Player RTÉ has today announced details of its summer line-up of home-grown documentaries airing across RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, showcasing both modern and historical stories which are uniquely Irish. From the harrowing journey of assault survivor Natasha O'Brien, to exploring the fate of Ireland's dwindling missionaries, to a deep dive into NORAID, and an in-depth look at the lives of Buddhists in Beara, a broad range of intriguing one-off documentaries and documentary series will air on RTÉ across the summer months. Natasha Wednesday 25 June 9.35pm Having survived a violent assault by a serving soldier—who was convicted but walked free with a suspended sentence—Natasha O'Brien, a young Limerick woman, refuses to stay silent. Her public outcry against the lenient ruling ignites national protests and forces a reckoning with how the Irish justice system treats survivors of gender-based violence. This powerful, intimate documentary follows Natasha and is a portrayal of how the aftermath of a violent attack and the subsequent strain of the flawed justice system affects a young woman's life and how she attempts to transform her trauma into activism. The Phone Box Babies Wednesday 2 July, 9.35 pm The Phone Box Babies reveals new insights into the lives and identities of three newborn babies abandoned in the 1960s in different parts of Ireland. The babies were discovered by random passersby in phone boxes, and in a car, without any identifying information or clue to their origins. David McBride, born in 1962, was left in a car in a Belfast driveway. John Dowling, born in 1965, was found in a Drogheda phone box. Helen Ward, born in 1968, was discovered in a Dundalk phone box. Each was adopted and raised in different parts of Ireland. This new documentary uncovers details about the babies' parents, where they came from, and why they were given up. Fifty years later, as adults, they discover their connection to each other and embark on an emotional journey to uncover their identities. NORAID: Irish America & The IRA Begins on Wednesday 9 July, 9.35 pm A gripping new two-part documentary that tells the astonishing story of the role played by Irish Americans during the conflict in Northern Ireland: fundraising, propagandising and gun-running. NORAID: Irish America & the IRA, tells of a body of Irish Americans who acted as the Republican movement's voice in the United States of America throughout that period. Told through first-hand accounts and using exclusive archive sources, the series looks at how Irish-America went from collecting money in bars in the Bronx to pressing the Presidential Candidate, Bill Clinton, during the 1992 primaries - lobbying which led to a key turning point in the nascent Peace Process: a US Visa for the then President of Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams. Listen to the Land Speak Listen to the Land Speak sees Manchán Magan reveal the profound knowledge and wisdom contained in our landscape and myths and explore how they have shaped the way we look at the world. Filmed over four seasons, the film unfolds from Winter Solstice to Bealtaine through Reek Sunday to Samhain. Along his journey, he meets respected archaeologists, mythologists, writers and shamans that offer different perspectives on how our ancestors related to the land and landscape around them. It also becomes an unexpectedly personal story - as he seeks to help heal society's relationship with nature - Manchán also realises that there is a serious illness within himself that makes him see these ancient sites and beliefs in a whole new light. Don't Forget to Remember This unconventional documentary from Ross Killeen (Love Yourself Today) is an emotive human story featuring the artist Asbestos and his journey through the slow decay of his mother's memories as they disintegrate due to her advancing Alzheimer's disease. His work represents the fragility of memory in images, which are themselves fragile and transient. Together Killeen and Asbestos consider the brittleness of memory and find that even though Alzheimer's brings elements of disintegration and destruction, the memories we have of our loved ones will endure and last, even if they've disintegrated in the mind of the sufferer. The work is at once a moving portrait of one woman's memory loss, but also a celebration of a loving family coming together in the face of this condition. The Last Irish Missionaries Bryan Dobson and Dearbhail McDonald chart the unique evolution of the Irish missionary movement, from religious colonialism to heroic acts of self-sacrifice and philanthropy; from a flourishing of Irish 'soft power', to tawdry scandals of abuse and cover-up. Today, the Irish missionary chapter is drawing to a close. Ireland's last missionaries are nearly all elderly - what will be their legacy? And who, if anyone, will take their place? Dearbhail and Bryan explore why so many Irish priests, nuns, lay people and other religious felt called to spread the Gospel to the farthest reaches of the world. They also hear firsthand about their experiences and the impact of those individuals worldwide. The Last Irish Missionaries is produced with funding from Coimisiún na Meán's Sound & Vision Fund. The Breaking Wave - The Buddhists of Beara This feature-length film tells the remarkable story of Dzogchen Beara, a spiritual haven perched amidst the stunning landscape of West Cork's Beara peninsula. Founded by Peter and Harriet Cornish in 1973, the Centre appointed an internationally renowned Buddhist teacher, Sogyal Rinpoche, as its spiritual director, in 1994. Over 20 years later, the community was rocked by revelations that Rinpoche was a serial sexual predator. With unique access over five years, Maurice O'Brien's film captures the community's efforts to come to terms with this scandal and with the death of Peter Cornish, while constructing Ireland's first Tibetan Buddhist Temple. Produced with funding from Coimisiún na Meán's Sound & Vision Fund and Screen Ireland. Home: The Story of Zak Moradi Home: The Story of Zak Moradi tells the story of Zak, born in a camp in war-torn Iraq on the day the Gulf War began. Zak and his family share their experiences from fleeing their home to building a new life in Ireland, where he finds a community and his passion through the local GAA and playing hurling. 20 years since leaving Iraq, Zak returns to reconnect with his past on an emotional journey, in what is a poignant and inspiring story of resilience and hope, that explores the importance, meaning and feeling of a home. The documentary premiered at last year's Galway Film Fleadh. Mrs Robinson Mrs Robinson tells the story of Mary Robinson - in her own words, for the very first time - illuminating battles for justice and equality over half a century; on the streets, in the courts, at the ballot box, and in backroom corridors of power. A reforming constitutional lawyer and Senator in her early career, Mary Robinson detonated an electoral earthquake by winning the Irish Presidential vote in 1990. Later, as a crusading UN High Commissioner, she built a lasting legacy; fearlessly challenging perpetrators of human rights abuses all over the world. To this day, she exerts leadership as the Chair of The Elders; the independent group of global leaders (founded by Nelson Mandela) who work for peace, justice and human rights. Pray for our Sinners Pray for Our Sinners documents Sinéad O'Shea's return to her hometown, Navan, to explore the impact of the Catholic Church on the community in decades past. Through first hand testimonies, the film reveals the plight of unmarried mothers; the horrors of mother and baby homes and the prevalence of violence against children in Catholic schools. A handful of extraordinary figures chose to resist the pervasive power of the church: a woman who refused to give her baby up for adoption, a 9-year-old boy who dared to speak out against his teachers' physical abuse; and a couple who established a family planning service and campaigned for the abolition of corporal punishment Football Families Football Families is a high-action entertaining three-part series featuring some of Ireland's best young soccer talent as they chase the dream of making it in the dog-eat-dog world of professional football, filmed behind-the-scenes with the rising stars of league of Ireland champions Shelbourne F.C's soccer academy. The series was filmed as the 2024 league reached its climax with Shelbourne being crowned champions under manager Damien Duff. Delving behind the scenes, the series highlights how this sport for the masses is a profession for the few. Hard-working and determined, these teenagers from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities train together and bond as teams who want to win. Their stories reveal the pressure and scrutiny they're under as they cope with the brutal reality of elite level football. North Circular North Circular is a multiple award-winning documentary which travels the length of Dublin's fabled North Circular Road. This is a place where local characters share their powerful and emotive stories, accompanied by traditional ballads and folk music, all adding to the narrative. Conjuring the ghosts of the past, while engaging with the conflicts and celebrations of today, North Circular also features some Dublin humour thrown in. The film includes musical performances from local artists including John Francis Flynn, Séan Ó Túama, Eoghan O'Ceannabháin, Ian Lynch & Gemma Dunleavy. Breaking Out Fergus O'Farrell was the charismatic voice of Interference, one of the most compelling and influential bands to emerge from the Irish music scene in the 1990s, best-known for his timeless song Gold which featured in the soundtrack to Once. Despite being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at a young age, through it all, Fergus had to keep singing. His unique talent and love for life inspired a generation of songwriters. Oscar-winner Glen Hansard was one, and in one of the many incredible moments in Breaking Out, he performs the ultimate duet as Fergus' greatest gift was failing. Winner of Best Irish Documentary at the Galway Film Fleadh 2019 , this intimate journey into the heart and soul of Fergus O'Farrell was filmed over ten years by director Michael McCormack. Sightless Cinema A year in the life of the Sightless Cinema audio drama network, as they embark on their biggest show to date. The Sightless Cinema network is a group of blind and visually impaired people who create audio dramas for performance in theatres and cinemas. Founded in 2015 by theatre director Ciarán Taylor, and sound artist Rachel Ní Chuinn, Sightless Cinema has grown from a tiny group to a nationwide community. Director Gareth Stack followed Sightless Cinema as they rehearsed and performed their new show across Ireland. Members of the group candidly discuss their sight loss and how their lives have been shaped by blindness. We watch their creative process in action. As Sightless Cinema turn their lived experiences of blindness into compelling audio theatre. The Graceless Age - The Ballad of John Murry Feature documentary on American singer songwriter John Murry who was on the cusp of greatness after the release of his album Graceless Age (2013) when his world fell apart. He found solace in Ireland where he had washed up creatively exhausted and depressed and where, he said, the landscape and the people revived him. This haunting film sees John retrace his steps back to Mississippi to a neglected childhood, explore his family links to the Nobel Prize winning author William Faulkner, and ultimately find understanding and redemption through his love for music. Further documentary and scheduling details will be announced in due course. The TX dates for upcoming RTÉ documentaries will be finalised across the summer and will be available on RTÉ Presspack. For Further Information: Jennifer O'Brien, RTÉ Communications
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- RTÉ News
RTÉ presents new documentary on the origin stories of three abandoned babies in 1960s Ireland
This July, RTÉ presents The Phone Box Babies, a documentary revealing new insights into the lives and identities of three newborn babies abandoned in the 1960s in different parts of Ireland. The babies were discovered by random passersby in phone boxes, and in a car, without any identifying information or clue to their origins. This new documentary airing on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player uncovers details about the babies' parents, where they came from, and why they were given up. Fifty years later, as adults, they discover their connection to each other and embark on an emotional journey to uncover their identities. David McBride, born in 1962, was left in a car in a Belfast driveway. John Dowling, born in 1965, was found in a Drogheda phone box. Helen Ward, born in 1968, was discovered in a Dundalk phone box. Each was adopted and raised in different parts of Ireland. In 2020, David and Helen discovered they were brother and sister through DNA technology and were reunited on the ITV series Long Lost Family. To their shock and joy, they subsequently found John, a third full sibling. They believe there is a fourth sibling out there and are hoping this documentary will encourage that person to get in touch. United in their desire to uncover more of the truth about their family and the circumstances surrounding their parents' decision to abandon them, the documentary follows the siblings as they uncover untold stories that reflect the Ireland of the past. Their mother was a young Catholic woman from the Republic of Ireland who, in the 1940s, began a affair with a married Protestant man from Northern Ireland, who was 17 years her senior and had 14 children of his own. This affair endured for decades and, in that time, David, John, and Helen were born – and given up. Speaking about the documentary, Helen Ward said: 'This documentary has opened up the lines of communication about our biological parents, with people willing to share their stories. I hope the documentary fosters understanding and empathy, especially about what it's like to have to question your roots. I hope it encourages people to be open and receptive to helping others with similar experiences. The longing for connection with family is valid and deeply human.' With both biological parents now deceased, the siblings confront painful truths about their parents' complex relationship and the impact of this abandonment on their own lives. They face a challenging journey in their quest for answers, but with the support of newly discovered half-siblings and family friends (including snooker legend Ken Doherty), they remain determined to unearth the buried secrets of their family's past, in the hope that it will bring them closer together. The Phone Box Babies airs on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Wednesday 2 July at 9:35pm -Ends- Date: 26 June 2025
