1 October 1998 Edition
No room for Ming
By Robert Allen
Section 31 may no longer be with us but that doesn't mean that censorship in the 26 counties has gone away.
Last year Galway film maker Mike Casey and two colleagues, James Finlan and Rory Gavin, made a short film about the Galway electoral campaign of Luke Flanagan, aka Ming the Merciless.
It is a poignant social documentary, a snapshot of real Ireland, or as the film makers describe it, ``the very true story of fun lovin' criminal Ming the Merciless''. They called it Dole Eireann.
But, fourteen months after it was completed, this award winning, critically acclaimed documentry has yet to be given a TV screening. Casey wonders why.
``We have still been unable to persuade any of the three television networks now operating in the state to commit themselves to broadcasting the thing,'' says Casey, adding that there are a number of possible explanations for this.
``The film is crap and who wants to see that madman rattle on about drugs and life on the dole and all that nonsense anyway. He should get a job!
``They don't have the budget.
``I am crap at my job and couldn't possibly produce my way out of a paper bag.
``RTE have lost the tape and our address and phone number and all memory of ever being contacted by us.
``The film is brilliant but it scares them (RTE in particular).''
``In retrospect it all has a weary inevitability about it,'' says Casey. ``Irish society has always had a way of ignoring the difficult and profane as the experiences of James Joyce, JM Synge, Bob Quinn, Raymond Crotty, Robert Allen, Dermot Morgan and others would testify.
``Or look at the conspiracy of silence that allowed the wholesale systematic abuse of generations of single mothers and their so-called illegitimate off-spring in the Magdelen laundry, the legions of sexual abuse cases (both clerical and secular) in the last number of years, or the slush funds, cronyism and paybacks that have riddled our political system since God only knows when.
``Not that we would presume to equate ourselves to the illustrious company mentioned above or suggest that our film is of such earth shattering relevance to the future of our democratic system of government that it just has to be seen immediately, or indeed that there is some overt attempt to prevent the film being seen, but why, after all this time, can't someone let us know what's happening?''
Casey's criticisms are directed primarily at RTE. TV3 finally contacted Casey two weeks ago to tell him his film did not fit into their programme requirements. TnaG said they didn't have the budget but liked the film.
Section 31 may no longer be with us but that doesn't mean that censorship in the 26 counties has gone away.
Last year Galway film maker Mike Casey and two colleagues, James Finlan and Rory Gavin, made a short film about the Galway electoral campaign of Luke Flanagan, aka Ming the Merciless.
It is a poignant social documentary, a snapshot of real Ireland, or as the film makers describe it, ``the very true story of fun lovin' criminal Ming the Merciless''. They called it Dole Eireann.
But, fourteen months after it was completed, this award winning, critically acclaimed documentry has yet to be given a TV screening. Casey wonders why.
``We have still been unable to persuade any of the three television networks now operating in the state to commit themselves to broadcasting the thing,'' says Casey, adding that there are a number of possible explanations for this.
``The film is crap and who wants to see that madman rattle on about drugs and life on the dole and all that nonsense anyway. He should get a job!
``They don't have the budget.
``I am crap at my job and couldn't possibly produce my way out of a paper bag.
``RTE have lost the tape and our address and phone number and all memory of ever being contacted by us.
``The film is brilliant but it scares them (RTE in particular).''
``In retrospect it all has a weary inevitability about it,'' says Casey. ``Irish society has always had a way of ignoring the difficult and profane as the experiences of James Joyce, JM Synge, Bob Quinn, Raymond Crotty, Robert Allen, Dermot Morgan and others would testify.
``Or look at the conspiracy of silence that allowed the wholesale systematic abuse of generations of single mothers and their so-called illegitimate off-spring in the Magdelen laundry, the legions of sexual abuse cases (both clerical and secular) in the last number of years, or the slush funds, cronyism and paybacks that have riddled our political system since God only knows when.
``Not that we would presume to equate ourselves to the illustrious company mentioned above or suggest that our film is of such earth shattering relevance to the future of our democratic system of government that it just has to be seen immediately, or indeed that there is some overt attempt to prevent the film being seen, but why, after all this time, can't someone let us know what's happening?''
Casey's criticisms are directed primarily at RTE. TV3 finally contacted Casey two weeks ago to tell him his film did not fit into their programme requirements. TnaG said they didn't have the budget but liked the film.