A new documentary will air on BBC 2 NI this Sunday at 10pm exploring the story of Irish language speakers in the First World War.
Gaeilgeoirí an Chogaidh Mhóir, produced by Big Mountain Productions in Northern Ireland, is based on the only known Irish language account of the war, written by Donegal priest, Father Pádraig Mac Giolla Cheara.
Big Mountain Productions: “Filmed on location in Ireland and France, the documentary is based on a first hand testimony of an Ulsterman who wrote about how the war impacted on both soldiers and civilians.
His account of daily life at the front line of war is also a fantastic insight into the mind of a Donegal man at the Front whose first language was Irish.
The documentary also features stories and memories from the relations of those men who joined the army, some who returned to a very different country from the one they left, some who didn’t return at all.”
The documentary is presented by Irish actor and writer, Tony Devlin.
It was made for BBC Northern Ireland with funding from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF) and will air as part of the BBC’s World War One Season.
See a preview of Gaeilgeoirí an Chogaidh Mhóir above.
Watch the full broadcast on Sunday 29th March, on BBC 2 NI at 10pm.
Catch up on BBC iPlayer from Monday.
Image credit: BBC NI
Posted by: Eadaoin Hegarty, Centenary News