Capitol Man: New documentary about Kerry reporter Donie O’Sullivan’s rise to fame
Donie O'Sullivan is the subject of a new documentary from RTÉ
Emmy-nominated CNN correspondent Donie O’Sullivan has built a reputation as an investigative journalist in the US and a new documentary will follow the Caherciveen native’s rise to fame, particularly after the storming of the US Capitol building in January.
The young Irish investigative journalist’s calm and informative commentary in the face of violence and insurrection drew much praise from around the world, not least from his home country, and he has since become an international household name.
Now, O’Sullivan is the subject of a home-grown documentary, and Capitol Man will air on RTÉ this autumn.
O’Sullivan, who is from Cahersiveen, is now a US citizen and has been with CNN since 2016. Previously he worked as a journalist for Storyful in New York and Dublin.
He works closely with CNN's investigative unit tracking and identifying online disinformation campaigns targeting the American electorate and he was part of a team that uncovered Russian interference in the 2016 American presidential election. He also covers how social media platforms, Congress, and the American intelligence community are responding to the threat of disinformation and troll campaigns.
Last month, O’Sullivan was nominated for an Emmy award for his April 2020 story of how US military reservist Maatje Benassi ended up at the centre of a patient-zero conspiracy theory.
Capitol Man is one of a range of new documentaries coming to RTÉ in the coming months across subjects including crime, social issues, history, politics, religion, science and climate change.
“‘This may be our most exciting Factual line-up to date. Despite an incredibly challenging year for production, the teams internally in RTÉ and at the many independent companies we work with, have truly excelled and delivered a wonderful selection of documentaries and factual programming for the new season,” says Seán Mac Giolla Phádraig, RTÉ’s group head of Factual.
“There are so many highlights for viewers: from Conor Ferguson’s beautiful tribute to his much-missed wife Keelin Shanley, to Nuala Cunningham and Gerry Gregg’s landmark documentary series on the Magdalene Laundries, Ireland’s Dirty Laundry.
"Our documentary lineup is also full of one-off gems: from the charm of Alex Fegan’s The Irish Wedding to Ken Wardrop’s Cocooned, which charts the experiences of Ireland’s over-70s as they navigate their way through the pandemic.”
Highlights in the schedule include Keelin Shanley: Faraway, Still Close, an intimate, poignant but ultimately uplifting look back at Keelin Shanley’s life, career and battle with cancer, told through video clips, personal archive, and the words of Keelin herself and her husband Conor Ferguson.
Ireland’s Dirty Laundry focuses on the testimony of those who worked in Ireland’s notorious Magdalene Laundries. The documentary series tells the shocking story of a shameful system, created by the Irish State and supported by all levels of Irish society. This landmark series bears witness to the women’s experiences in their own words.
