Tuesday 25 September 2012

The Gathering - Homeward Bound starts next week

A new six-part TV series starts on RTÉ One on Tuesday 2 October to promote Ireland's big 2013 happening called The Gathering.

In each episode of The Gathering - Homeward Bound, a well-known Irish person who lives abroad will return to their home or other significant place to dig in deep with the local communities as they prepare for the return of the Diaspora.

Among the celebrities featured in the line-up are rugby star Trevor Brennan; musician Bressie; dancer Jean Butler; comedian Brendan Grace; Kerry GAA and Aussie Rules footballer Tadhg Kennelly; and actress Fionnula Flanagan.

As well as portraying each individual's response to their return journey, the series will examine the area's own story of emigration, meeting local historians, visiting libraries and viewing church records.

Finally, each of the six will create a video invitation to the world, asking them to return to the person's chosen town in 2013.

The opening episode sees comedian Brendan Grace return from Florida to celebrate The Liberties in Dublin city and hear what plans are afoot to attract people abroad to come home for The Gathering 2013.

Subsequent episodes are as follows:

Tuesday 9 October: London-based Bressie returns to Mullingar.
Tuesday 16 October: Trevor Brennan travels from France to his native Leixlip.
Tuesday 23 October: Tadhg Kennelly returns to Listowel from Oz.
Tuesday 30 October: New York-born Jean Butler reconnects with Westport.
Tuesday 6 November: Fionnula Flanagan heads West from California to Connemara.

The programme will be broadcast at 7.00pm on Tuesdays. Unusually, it will be available for viewers around the world on www.rte.ie/player.

You can see a trailer below: