UN, RCN Team for Irish Film

Irish Voice
May 5, 2004

Un Secretary General Kofi Annan, Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, RCN Corporation chairman David McCourt, Congressman Ed Markey, actor Levar Burton and yes, the ubiquitous Malachy McCourt were all on hand last week at the United Nations at the premiere of the new Showtime television documentary What’s Going On?

The documentary, hosted by Meg Ryan, will air on Showtime this Sunday, May9 at 11:20 a.m. and May 17 at 7 p.m. The show is a power look inside the lives of young children in Northern Ireland.

Its is part of a series of reports that the UN and RCN have co-sponsored in order to help understanding among differing groups in some of the most troubled areas of the world.

David McCourt, who is also executive producer of the show, stated that he hoped the program would bring home to many Americans just how inspiring young people on both sides of the divide in Northern Ireland can be, and how much we can all learn through the eyes of our children.

Annan officially launched the film at the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the UN, and stated that the series has shone a spotlight on areas of the world that were most in need of UN intervention and international help.

The documentary itself features several songs by the incomparable Tynan, including a wonderful rendition of “The Town I Love So Well.”

What’s going on? is mainly a heat-rending look at two boys from either side of the divide, both of whom have witnessed enormous tragedy. The Catholic youth saw his father shot dead in front of him, and the Protestant boy was near by when the infamous Shankill bombing occurred on his street.

The battle of both young people to put the past behind them is the centerpiece of the 45-minute documentary, and it is moving indeed to see how they struggle, despite the enormous risks, to reach out to the other side and find a middle ground with their neighbor.

Meg Ryan does a beautiful job of narration, and the film is scrupulously fair to both sides. It is encouraging indeed to see the UN and leading Irish American businessman like David McCourt join forces for such worthy project.

Back to McCourt Entertainment