Funded by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Radharc documentary film series was broadcast by Ireland’s public broadcaster RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) between 1962 and 1996. It includes over 400 films dealing with issues of human rights, injustice, faith, religion, persecution, famine, Christian heritage, and struggles against oppressive regimes.

In August 1980, Aidan O’Hara returned to Newfoundland in the company of a Radharc film crew. Together the created three documentaries about the historical, religious, and cultural links between Ireland and Newfoundland. The first two documentaries, Westward Ho from Waterford and In the Wake of St Brendan, focused mainly on the fisheries, emigration, and sectarian tensions in Newfoundland.

The third documentary, though, took Aidan O’Hara back to the Cape Shore and provided viewers in Ireland with a chance to witness first-hand how shared traditions and repertoires have been preserved, but also adapted into a unique Newfoundland-Irish heritage. The Forgotten Irish television documentary first broadcast on 17 March 1981 and was RTÉ’s nomination for the 1981 Golden Harp Festival.

With the generous support of RTÉ and the Radharc Trust, this gallery features video clips and still images from the Forgotten Irish. To view the entire documentary, visit the RTÉ Archives Radharc Exhibition.

On 29 November 2017, ITMA visited Aidan O’Hara at his home in Longford. During an interview that lasted more than an hour, Aidan described his time in Newfoundland and the people he met on the Cape Shore.

Highlights from the interview include:

• His motivations for going to Newfoundland
• His introduction to the people and places of the Cape Shore
• His recording equipment and technical challenges
• The songs, music, and oral traditions that were the focus of his recording
• And, his ongoing relationship with the people of the area

Watch excerpts from ITMA’s interview with Aidan O’Hara and learn about his motivations as a collector.