What to watch on TV this week
With John Crowley’s adaptation of Brooklyn in cinemas now, this is a chance to see one of the Corkman’s earlier films. Colin Farrell and Cillian Murphy star in the 2003 tale of a man whose life goes awry when he makes the mistake of atttempting a trial breakup with his girlfriend.
The second episode of the superb David Attenborough-narrated series looks at battle for survival in the Arctic where hunters must make the most of the limited windows for catching prey. We see a polar bear risking everything to climb 300m up a cliff to get to chicks and eggs; and another using holes in the ice to get closer to basking seals. Arctic foxes have also learned to catch auks in mid-flight.
Documentary on the four O’Neill brothers from Connemara who all played baseball for teams such as the Boston Red Sox a century ago. Apparently, when they were on the same team, they’d exchange signals in Irish.
More tales from social welfare recipients as we see Trinity graduate Llloyd trying to get his food business off the ground; James’s choice about staying on the job hunt or taking up a horticulture course; and 21-year-old widow Kelly as she tries to study and look after her two young children.
Liam McGrath has previously given us enjoyable documentaries on Finbar Furey and John Sheehan, and for this film he turns his cameras on another celebrated Irish musician. Paddy Moloney, 78, reflects on his early days in Donnycarney and the growth of the Chieftains into a group who became known from Shanbally to Shanghai.
A new science show features Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Kathriona Devereux and Jonathan McCrea presenting all sorts of fascinating facts and processes in a light and accessible way. First up we hear about research in Cork that’s looking at the links between our food and our mood, and McCrea also undergoes the ‘waterboarding’ torture technique in an experiment on stress.
Nigella Lawson is inspired by a visit to New York to create succulent pork belly burgers. She also makes a dark chocolate cake.
Although this show primarily focuses on issues for British consumers, plenty of the tips are also applicable to this country. Tonight we see the costs involved in owning a dog, and also hear why printer ink cartridges can be so expensive.
New four-part series that takes us behind the scenes at Mountjoy, the country’s largest prison. We see how drugs are a major reason why so many of the inmates have ended up in the facility, and how heroin use and addiction issues are very much a fact of life on the inside. The documentary also looks at life for the prison staff in what can be a very violent place to work.
This episode of the documentary series is entitled ‘Dreamcatcher — Surviving Chicago’s Streets’, and looks at the work of a former prostitute the American city who is now involved in supporting vulnerable sex workers.
This second episode looks at the development of emotional intelligence as the children become more conscious of their own feelings.
Documentary on unorthodox Dublin garda Jim ‘Lugs’ Brannigan. A former boxer who was born in the Liberties, he had a reputation in the 1950s for being quick to use his fists, but also spoke up for some of the troublesome youths he dealt with.
You know that internet moment. You’re trying to self-diagnose a harmless little rash on your elbow and end up deciding you’ve got bubonic plague. This new series has doctors Pixie McKenna and Phil Kieran trying to convince us we’d be better off visiting a qualified medical practitioner. Each week their pop-up clinic will travel around the country, meeting people with vague niggles and real health concerns.
New six-part series on the local newspaper scene in Ireland.
Samantha Morton and John Hurt are among the stars of this promising new multi-lingual crime drama that’s based on the true exploits of a gang of Balkan jewellery thieves. That familiar voice on the theme tune is David Bowie, who penned a new song, ‘Blackstar’, for the show.
Episode two looks at the influence of Europe on our design history, including the tale of how Dutch graphic designers shaped Ireland’s visual culture in the 1950s and how the Scandinavian Design Report in 1962 led to the setting up of the Kilkenny Design Workshops.
An episode entitled ‘Mexico’s Baby Business’ looks at how the Central American nation has become a destination on the international surrogacy industry. At $45,000, the process costs less than half that of the US, but there are various legal issues that can lead to complications.
Rod is on his way to Ireland next summer, and fans can get a taste of what’s in store with this concert recorded in London in September. That’s followed by a repeat of Imagine (11pm) in which Alan Yentob chats with the 70-year-old rocker about his incredible career.
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