John Colleary

In 1843, despite the fact that Dickens is a successful writer, the failure of his latest book puts his career at a crossroads, until the moment when, struggling with inspiration and confronting reality with his childhood memories, a new character is born in the depths of his troubled mind; an old, lonely, embittered man, so vivid, so human, that a whole world grows around him, a story so inspiring that changed the meaning of Christmas forever.

In Depression-era Ireland, Jimmy Gralton returns home after a decade's exile in America. Witnessing the levels of poverty and oppression, his inner activist reawakens and he seeks to reopen the dance hall that led to his deportation.

Hector has been living on the motorways for years. His once comfortable family life has been replaced by a never-ending tour of service stations that offer him shelter, anonymity, washing facilities and food. The story follows his journey south from Scotland on his annual pilgrimage to a temporary Christmas shelter in London where he finds comfort, friendship and warmth. Over the course of his Homeric journey, Hector decides to reconnect with his long estranged past. As his previous life catches up with him, the story of how he came to be leading a marginal life begins to emerge.

Stand-up comedian Kate thinks her life has no meaning and is not worth continuing. When she’s diagnosed with breast cancer, even the universe seems to agree with her. However, a close encounter with death – and four other women on the chemo ward – might just change her mind and even her life.

The pen is mightier than the ruler.

Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, the story follows sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March on their journey from childhood to adulthood. With the help of their mother, Marmee, and while their father is away at war, the girls navigate what it means to be a young woman: from sibling rivalry and first love, to loss and marriage.

The show is a satirical and often surreal examination of subjects close to the hearts of the Irish people. It takes the form of a fake anthropological documentary as if made by British television. Each show explores one subject from it's history through to the present covering 6 or 7 topics (or subheadings) using voxpops and informed opinion to inspire comedy sketches and unflinching rants from numerous created characters. The third series is performed by comedians David McSavage, John Colleary, Pat McDonnell and Dermot McMorrow among others. The topics we are covering this year range from Media and Politics to Christmas and Family.

Meet the native wild animals of Ireland as you've never seen them before - at home, with their feet up, watching nature documentaries on the telly!