Quest to remember the 1300 people buried at St Loman’s
TV WEEK (Wednesday 11th to Tuesday 17th)
TOP SPECIALS
A Woman Of Substance (CH4, Wednesday 11th, 9pm)
Epic drama series based on Barbara Taylor Bradford’s bestselling novel and starring Brenda Blethyn and Jessica Reynolds, charting the rags-to-riches rise of Emma Harte from impoverished maid in early 1900s Yorkshire to 1970s business mogul ruling the New York skyline – a woman fuelled with a burning vengeance against her former employers, the Fairleys.
Iron Ladies (RTÉ 1, Thursday 12th, 10.15pm)
Multi award-winning filmmaker, Aoife Kelleher, reveals the previously untold story of ‘The 35s’, a network of young Jewish housewives in London, Dublin and other Western cities, who, at the peak of the Cold War, took on the might of the USSR in defence of the rights and freedoms of Soviet Jews, and won. What began with protests and petitions evolved into clandestine missions behind the Iron Curtain, worthy of a John Le Carré novel.
The Affair (ITV, Friday 13th, 9pm)
Young waitress Alison and her husband are struggling, personally and financially, when she meets novelist Noah, who is summering at his in-laws’ estate with his wife, Helen. When Noah meets Alison, they begin an affair. For her, he’s an escape; for him, she’s a pretty distraction. In the end, the tryst ends two marriages. Domnic West and Ruth Wilson star.
Enya At The BBC (BBC 4, Friday 13th, 11.05pm)
Sail away into the calm with this celebration of Enya, Ireland’s most successful solo artist, as a prelude St Patrick’s Day. She took the world by storm with her first single, Orinoco Flow, and since then has released nine albums that have made the top 10, won multiple awards and has even had a fish named after her. Enya brought New Age music to the masses, all while maintaining her privacy, rarely giving interviews and never touring.
Turbulence: The Story Of Ryanair (RTÉ 1, Monday 16th, 9.35pm)
This two-part series tells the 40-year climb of Ryanair’s ascension from a single route airline to a giant of European aviation. Insiders, commentators and former staff lift the lid on the extraordinary story of the airline brand we all love to hate. We see how Ryanair went from a single-turbo prop plane to cracking the low-cost code and changing European travel forever.
98th Oscars Highlights (RTÉ 2, Monday 16th, 9.30pm)
Can Killarney and Ireland’s treasure, Jessie Buckley, win the Best Actress Oscar for her stunning performance in Hamnet? If the heavens align and the voters have any sense, this could be the biggest ever Hollywood night for Ireland. Cross your fingers and tune in as Conan O’Brien brings us the action from Tinseltown’s Dolby Theatre.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
All That Remains With Niall Breslin (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 11th, 935pm)
Former rugby player, musician and mental health advocate Niall ‘Bressie’ Breslin is on an emotional quest, with the families of the forgotten, to remember more than 1300 Irish people buried in unmarked graves in the grounds of what was ‘St Loman’s Lunatic Asylum’ in his native Mullingar, and to restore the graveyard as a sacred place and to uncover stories of adults and children who were committed, died and were buried under numbered metal crosses without names.
BEST FILMS
Steel Magnolias (Film4, Thursday 12th, 6.40pm)
Perfect girls night in flick starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts and Daryl Hannah that starts with a wedding and tracks the lives of some very different women as time passes and they each encounter tragedy and good fortune, growing stronger and closer in the process.
Materialists (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Friday)
A young, ambitious matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. A mature deconstruction of the conventional rom-com, it gives director Celine Song a Manhattan backdrop to play out this twisty love tale starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal
The Goodbye Girl (RTÉ 1, Friday 13th, 11.15pm)
Broadway dancer Marsha Mason and her young daughter are shocked to discover her former lover has subleased their apartment to hyper Chicago actor Richard Dreyfuss. Eventually they reluctantly agree to share the Manhattan pad – where, despite their constant bickering, cupid’s arrow falls. Ideal romantic comedy for the night that’s in it.
CLASSIC MOVIE
Platoon (BBC 4, Thursday 12th, 9pm)
Director Oliver Stone announced his arrival with this multiple Oscar winning 1986 war film starring Charlie Sheen as a fresh volunteer to the war in Vietnam. Caught between a ruthless Sergeant (Tom Berenger), and an officer (Willem Dafoe) with more sympathy for the locals, the young soldier quickly learns the hard reality of conflict.
KIDS STUFF
Tusker: Brotherhood of Elephants (Sky Nature, Sunday 15th, 5pm)
Become immersed in the intricate lives of tuskers with Craig, Pascal, and Esau, three male African elephants in all stages of life. Get a rare glimpse into the subtle language, complex interactions, and deep bonds of the world’s largest land mammal.
Sketch (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Saturday)
When a young girl’s sketchbook falls into a strange pond, her drawings come to life – unpredictable, chaotic, and dangerously real. As the town unravels, she and her brother track down the creatures before they leave permanent damage.
ON DEMAND
That Night (Netflix)
During a family vacation in the Dominican Republic, Elena accidentally hits a man with her car. Desperate and frightened, she calls her sisters, Paula and Cris, for help. They must decide how to handle the accident, to save their younger sister going to jail – but how far will they be willing to go to help protect their family?
Imperfect Women (Apple TV)
Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, and Kate Mara play three friends who’ve been besties for decades, only to find their lives are totally wrenched apart when one is murdered. In the wake of her death, the other two learn that their friend’s life may not have been as perfect as they thought, forcing them to reevaluate their own relationships.
Dynasty: The Murdochs (Netflix)
An unprecedented look at one the world’s most powerful families at a crossroads, as Rupert Murdoch makes one last play to ensure his legacy at all costs. Drawing on thousands of never before seen documents, emails, and text messages, it exposes the private machinations of a family torn apart by power, politics, and a desperate desire for their father’s love.
SPORTS CENTRE
Racing From Cheltenham (Virgin Media One, Wednesday 11th – Friday 13th, 12.45pm)
The Blue Riband event of the racing year, all eyes will be on the Cotswolds as the finest athletes on four legs line up for the Cheltenham Festival. There’s full days of equine action to look forward to, culminating in the Gold Cup on Friday; the likes of Presenting Percy and the Willie Mullins pair Kemboy and Bellshil will fly the flag for Ireland, attempting to upset home hopes Clan Des Obeaux, Might Bite and last year’s winner, Native River.