No Béarla

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No Béarla
Manchán
Opening screenshot
Format Documentary
Created by Manchán Magan
Starring Manchán Magan
Country of origin Ireland
No. of episodes 4
Production
Running time Approx. 30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel TG4
Original run January 7, 2007 – January 28, 2007

No Béarla (Irish for No English) is a four-part documentary style programme broadcast on Irish language television channel TG4 and produced by Dearg Films RTÉ/TG4. It follows presenter Manchán Magan[1] as he journeys throughout Ireland attempting to convince people of the good qualities of the Irish and to disprove the idea that most people no longer have a fluency in the language. The title is derived from the English negative pronoun "no" and the Irish word for the English language, "Béarla". The theme tune is "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day. The first series was originally broadcast on Sunday nights between 21:30 and 22:00 and repeated on Wednesday evenings between 19:30 and 20:00. It aired from January 7 until January 28 2007. The second series will air on Fridays at 19:30, beginning on March 28, 2008.

Contents

[edit] Series one

[edit] Episode 1

In which Manchán travels to Dublin.

His starting point in his search for Irish speakers is a map shop in Dublin.[2]

[edit] Episode 2

Manchán hopes for a better result.
Manchán hopes for a better result.

In which Manchán travels to Dundalk and Belfast.

When his car breaks down whilst leaving Dundalk, he finds he can’t find a mechanic as directory enquiries simply laugh at him.[3]

Whilst in Belfast, Manchán attempts to find an Irish speaker on the Falls Road.

[edit] Episode 3

In which Manchán travels to Letterkenny and Galway.

In Letterkenny, Manchán decides to try something he has never done before - bowling - and heads to Arena 7, where he encounters an unhelpful assistant. He then visits a pharmacy to buy condoms or coiscíní and goes out to a nightclub in a bid to "get lucky". After many unsuccessful attempts at asking girls to dance with him,[4] he finally finds an Irish-speaking lady who is happy to oblige. Later that night, he finds himself unable to order room service from his hotel room as the operator cannot understand him.

Later in Galway, he tries his hand at busking and, singing the filthiest, most debauched lyrics he can think of to see if anyone will understand, old ladies smile and tap their feet merrily as he serenades them with filth.[5]

[edit] Episode 4

Manchán meets John Creedon in Cork.
Manchán meets John Creedon in Cork.

In which Manchán travels to Cork and Killarney.

Manchán gets lost in the Crawford Gallery in Cork, while in Killarney he hunts for souvenirs and tests local knowledge of Irish by trying to recruit accomplices for a bank robbery.

In Cork Manchán first visits the English Market and, out on the streets, he meets RTÉ's John Creedon, an Irish speaker. He also attempts to get his hair cut but needs help from a fellow customer when the female barber, who was educated in Tennessee and has never spoken Irish, does not understand him.

Whilst in Killarney, he successfully hires a bicycle and discovers he is only the second person to have spoken Irish in a souvenir shop (the first being Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh who walked by and spoke a few words).

As a fitting end to the series, Manchán visits the grave of Peig Sayers who many have held responsible for the threat to the Irish language. While there he reads one of her passages aloud.

[edit] Music

The following is a list of songs featured throughout the first series:

[edit] Series two

The second series was comprised of a total of four episodes and aired on TG4 on Fridays at 19:30, beginning on March 28, 2008 and finishing on April 18, 2008. It was repeated on the following Sunday of each week at 20:00.

[edit] See also

Manchán in his search of the final remnants of the Irish language in series one.
Manchán in his search of the final remnants of the Irish language in series one.

[edit] External links