Documentary on One Podcast

Why climb Mount Everest? " Because it's there". The words of explorer George Mallory in New York in 1922. But was he the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, 29 years before Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay? Unique diaries from Mallory’s mission, written by Irishman Richard Hingston, may just shed some new light on this question (2023) Narrated by Marc McMenamin. Produced by Marc McMenamin and Donal O'Herlihy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1972, Maura O'Reilly walked up the aisle wearing a wedding-dress her mother had made for her. It was white, lace crochet, with a high neck and bell sleeves. 50 years later, her niece walked up the aisle wearing the same dress – unaltered. In between, 8 other brides of the O’Reilly family have worn the same dress at their weddings in Cavan and Italy. This is the story of an incredible wedding dress and the 10 women who've worn it. (2023) Produced by Ronan Kelly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ten years ago, actor Conor Madden was stabbed in the eye, on stage in front of an audience of hundreds. He was playing the part of Hamlet when a fight scene went badly wrong. When he fell to the ground, the audience thought it was part of the show – but the accident changed Conor’s life completely. (2023) Narrated by Michael-David McKernan. Produced by Michael-David McKernan and Nicoline Greer. Photo credit to Anthony Woods. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Irish Civil War was shrouded in silence for decades. In one of the last atrocities of the war, we tell the story of Maggie Doherty and through her witness testimony explore the rarely discussed aspect of sexual violence in the Irish Civil War. (2023) Contributors incl Edel Doherty, Professor Linda Connolly, Frank Fagan and Tom Doherty. (2023) Produced by Orla Higgins and Sarah Blake. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you bring a third person into your relationship? Polyamorists do. They say having other romances actually strengthens their main relationship. But there are risks…and jealousies. And, practicalities: How to schedule your dates? Who minds the kids? (2023) Credits: Produced by Mary-Elaine Tynan and Ronan Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1984 was a defining year in the history of the Irish Troubles. On the 12th October the IRA bombed the Brighton Hotel narrowly missing the British Prime Minister. Meanwhile a Manchester band called The Smiths were stunning the world with a unique sound. They played community centres around Ireland and a music band became part of a political storm. (2023) Credits: Narrated by David Coughlan. Produced by David Coughlan and Donal O'Herlihy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The cycle of Samantha offending, being jailed, then released and re-offending seems never ending. So as we reach the conclusion of our series, and in an attempt to understand just what exactly is going on for Samantha and how her behaviour might be understood, and treated, we make an application to the courts in search of answers. (Ep 7/7) Credits: Finding Samantha is written, recorded and produced by Sharon Davis in Australia and Tim Desmond and Nicoline Greer in Ireland. Soundtrack composed by Paddy Flynn with title song sung by Amelie Flynn and Mary Claire Woolley. Sound Engineer is Damian Chennells. Executive Producer is Liam O’Brien. If you have any further tips on this story email documentaries@rte.ie For further information on the series visit www.rte.ie/findingsamantha Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Samantha out of prison in 2018, she was now turning 30 years old. She began working as an au pair again and was about to commit her most serious crimes to date. With access to children, she began manipulating them into presenting themselves as victims before she was eventually charged with child stealing... (Ep 6/7) Credits: Finding Samantha is written, recorded and produced by Sharon Davis in Australia and Tim Desmond and Nicoline Greer in Ireland. Soundtrack composed by Paddy Flynn. Sound Engineer is Damian Chennells. Executive Producer is Liam O’Brien. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon receives a strange phone call from a mystery woman with something to give her. Samantha receives her first full jail sentence as we hear from the Appeal Court Judge who decided on her case. And we receive an insight into how Samantha uses other people as she appears tries to play with us. (Ep 5/7) Credits: Finding Samantha is written, recorded and produced by Sharon Davis in Australia and Tim Desmond and Nicoline Greer in Ireland. Soundtrack composed by Paddy Flynn. Sound Engineer is Damian Chennells. Executive Producer is Liam O’Brien. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Samantha Azzopardi continuing to face police and judges, she fails to heed their warnings to change her behaviour. Instead, she continues to target people in Australia, then returns to Ireland before moving to another continent. And all the time, she’s creating new characters, new aliases and leaving new victims in her wake. Where is this all going to end up? (Ep4/7). Credits: Finding Samantha is written, recorded and produced by Sharon Davis in Australia and Tim Desmond and Nicoline Greer in Ireland. Soundtrack composed by Paddy Flynn. Sound Engineer is Damian Chennells. Executive Producer is Liam O’Brien. If you have any information or tips on this story, email us documentaries@rte.ie For further information on the series visit www.rte.ie/findingsamantha Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A 15 yr old Russian gymnast turns up hoping to be adopted by a new family. A Police Prosecutor in Perth is not quite sure what kind of an individual he's dealing with. One Samantha Azzopardi actually reaches out to us - and we get to meet another. This journey is getting deeper and wilder than we could have ever imagined... (Ep3/7) Credits: Finding Samantha is written, recorded and produced by Sharon Davis in Australia and Tim Desmond and Nicoline Greer in Ireland. Soundtrack composed by Paddy Flynn. Sound Engineer is Damian Chennells. Executive Producer is Liam O’Brien. If you have any information or tips on this story, email us documentaries@rte.ie For further information on the series visit www.rte.ie/findingsamantha Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we follow the trail of the Girl at the GPO – who we now know is Australian woman Samantha Azzopardi - we dive into a surreal world where fact and fiction are often blurred. Samantha has connections to Ireland and a seemingly long and troubled back history in Australia. To begin to understand where this all started, we travel to Australia, to the suburbs of Sydney, where journalist Sharon Davis comes on board. Samantha’s trail leads us into the Blue Mountains in New South Wales and to a small Christian community. (Ep 2/7) Credits: Finding Samantha is written, recorded and produced by Sharon Davis in Australia and Tim Desmond and Nicoline Greer in Ireland. Soundtrack composed by Paddy Flynn . Sound Engineer is Damian Chennells. Executive Producer is Liam O’Brien. If you have any information or tips on this story, email us documentaries@rte.ie For further information on the series visit www.rte.ie/findingsamantha Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new 7-part podcast series from RTÉ Documentary On One. To listen to the series in full, subscribe to 'Finding Samantha' from wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes released weekly, on Tuesdays. EP1: 2013 - A distressed teenage girl is found wandering in front of the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin city centre. As suspicions rise that she’s the victim of serious crime, everyone scrambles to help her and to get to the bottom of her story. But a massive month long investigation by the Irish authorities reveal nothing about her. In desperation, the Gardaí (Police) release a photograph of the girl to the public with spectacular results. And the story of who the GPO Girl is takes us far beyond the streets of Dublin. (Ep 1/7) Credits: Finding Samantha is written, recorded and produced by Sharon Davis in Australia and Tim Desmond and Nicoline Greer in Ireland. Soundtrack composed by Paddy Flynn. Sound Engineer is Damian Chennells. Executive Producer is Liam O’Brien. If you have any information or tips on this story, email us documentaries@rte.ie For further information on the series visit www.rte.ie/findingsamantha Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A woman who has created more than 100 fake identities. A young girl found wandering the streets of Dublin. A teenager deported from Canada. Stories of sustained sexual abuse at the hands of many. Kidnapping charges, prison time, lies, fraud and deceit. Could all of these stories go back to just one person? A new 7-part podcast series from RTÉ Documentary On One unravelling the wild world of Samantha Azzopardi... Episode 1 available from April 25th 2023 from wherever you get your podcasts (Search for Finding Samantha) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you do when you're not practising Catholics but your daughter wants to make her First Communion? daughter Mairead is excited about making her First Communion with all her school friends. Mam Anne, is an Australian immigrant to Ireland and wants to understand why the celebration of First Communion is so popular in Ireland. Narrated and produced by Anne Wayne. Production Supervision by Liam O'Brien. (2014) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On April 15th, 1941, German bomber planes began to bomb Belfast City. Ireland had remained neutral throughout the war, but on that night Taoiseach Eamonn De Valera put its neutrality at risk by sending its firemen from the Republic to help fight the blaze. Produced by Paddy O'Flaherty. (2011) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years gangs have been looting the ancient treasures of Ireland. In 1990 Jim O’Connor is accused of being involved in stealing a Sheela Na Gig, a stone carving of a naked woman. Later another Irishman tries to sell ancient Irish stones to a college in the US, leading to an FBI sting operation. But are the two stories connected? Since first broadcast, A Tale of Two Sheelas has won a 2019 New York Festivals Radio Awards Finalist Certificate. Narrated and produced by Tim Desmond. (2018) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 2nd 2023 marks the 45th anniversary of the death of Con Carey, the only man in Kerry to be buried twice. The story itself goes back to April 1978, when Con Carey, a bachelor labourer, was found dead on the outskirts of Brosna village in Co. Kerry. With no family around, Con’s burial was rushed and unusually quick. Having died in the early hours of Sunday morning, April 2nd, he was buried the following day, Monday April 3rd, 1978. The talk was that Con had not even been properly prepared, washed or dressed for burial. 12 of his friends and neighbours were disgusted that Con could be treated in this way - so they set out to right that wrong - and they'd become known as the 12 Apostles in a story that has become a parable for how to treat our dead (First broadcast 2013). Credits: Narrated by Mairead Heffernan and produced by Mairead Heffernan and Liam O’Brien. Additional Recordings by Diarmuid McIntyre and Mairead O'Connor. Readings by students from the Diploma in Radio Production run at Radio Kerry Training Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In October, 2013, a four year old blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl named Maria was discovered peeping out from underneath a blanket on a Roma camp in Greece. Her discovery would prompt a wave of near hysteria around the globe. Within days, two Irish children with similar features would be taken from their Roma parents here in Ireland. Since first broadcast, Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes has won a Silver Award at the 2019 New York Festivals Radio awards and shortlisted in the top five at the Justice Media Awards. Narrated by Donal O'Herlihy. Produced by Donal O'Herlihy and Liam O'Brien. First broadcast in 2018. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane Dunphy goes in search of the truth behind one of Ireland's worst maritime disasters. The Saint Patrick, a Rosslare to Fishguard passenger ferry, was bombed and sunk by the Luftwaffe on 13th of June 1941, resulting in the deaths of 30 people. What puzzled Shane was why: the ship was not a military vessel, and Ireland as a neutral country was not at war. Yet the St Patrick was targeted not once but twice – the year before it was sunk a German plane had opened fire on the ship. (First Broadcast 2012) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.