Prison officers pull out of Croke Park match over Rory’s Stories

Comedian Rory O’Connor, of Rory’s Stories fame, portrayed an officer in sketches filmed by an RTÉ crew making a documentary in the prison.

Prison officers in Mountjoy have pulled out of a unique football match in which they were to play against prisoners in Croke Park because of anger over how they were portrayed in a series of sketches.

The sketches, which were filmed by the RTÉ crew making a documentary in the prison, had comedian Rory O’Connor, of Rory’s Stories fame, portraying an officer in a manner that the actual officers found offensive. Mr O’Connor was involved in the project, along with former Dublin footballer Philly McMahon, who has worked with prisoners for a number of years. The sketches were part of a “wrap-up” of filming ahead of the scheduled match in Croke Park. 

'Never intended to offend'

Mr O’Connor has assured Mountjoy governor Eddie Mullins that he “never intended to offend or portray prison staff in a negative or unprofessional manner” in the incident which occurred last Tuesday.

The sketches were to be shown to prisoners but were not due to be broadcast on RTÉ. One portrayed Mr O’Connor, dressed in an officer’s jumper, walking down a landing swinging keys and coming to a cell door. He looks in and the prisoner is dancing under a disco ball. After hesitating, Mr O’Connor then enters the cell and joins in the dancing. Another skit had Mr O’Connor portraying an officer attempting to use a desktop computer but he didn’t know what he was doing. There were other skits, one of which was scrapped immediately because it was deemed “offensive”.

Some of the prison officers who were present during the filming for security reasons expressed anger at the portrayals. Following discussions, the Mountjoy branch of the Prison Officers Association (POA) issued a directive to members to “not engage with the RTÉ documentary currently underway, this includes all volunteering to take part in said documentary and the scheduled football match”.

Mr Mullins wrote to staff saying he had spoken to the executive producer of the project and the sketches had been handed over to him. 

“I have instructed the producers to delete all material relating to this event and they have assured me they will do so,” he said.

He also said that he had spoken to Mr O’Connor who told him that he never intended offence and he “always found our staff to be most courteous and professional at all times”.

Mr Mullins wrote that it is “disappointing that staff will now miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play football at Croke Park and the opportunity to explain to the general public the vital service we provide”.

A spokesperson for RTÉ said they had no comment to make on the issue. Mr O’Connor also said he had no comment to make. A spokesperson for the POA said that a meeting has been sought with the director general of the Irish Prison Service over the matter.