TG4 captures the drama of seven deadly sins at the Galway Races !

Date Published: 17-Sep-2009

A host of big names, including Bachelor’s Walk star Don Wycherley and Single-Handed’s Owen McDonnell, star in a new comedy drama series set against the background of the Galway Races that is set to be one of the highlights of TG4’s autumn schedule.
Rásaí na Gaillimhe is themed around the seven deadly sins – pride, gluttony, envy, lust, sloth, wrath and greed – each one featuring in its own episode.
During race week, the characters paths interconnect and merge as each one embarks on a personal odyssey. By the end of this week, the characters have influenced and profoundly changed each other’s lives and some will find their entire existence has been altered forever.
The de Barra brothers are criminal siblings from Donegal who have decided to stage a daring robbery at the famous Festival. The ultimate target is an oblivious bookie Eoin Boland who happens to be having a very successful and eventful week.
Liam Reilly, meanwhile, is a jockey who is fed up of throwing up and throwing races. In a controversial race, he refuses to follow the dubious instructions of horse-owner Noel Treacy, with far-reaching consequences.
A middleclass mother Sinead Connors has re-invented herself as a high class prostitute in her suburban Galway home. Corrupt politician Ultan Keane is attracting unwanted bad press to his party in an election year. Under pressure and scrutiny, he welcomes a break in his home constituency of Galway. A frustrated local policewoman, bored with her repetitive menial duties, keeps a keen and inquisitive eye on the bad deeds and illegal acts of the other characters. Yet, she’s just as capable of committing a few illicit deeds herself, in the name of ambition.
Filmed entirely on location in Galway, the series has an impressive cast including Don Wycherley, Tom Ó Súilleabháin, Ruth Bradley, Frankie Mc Cafferty, Dairine Ní Dhonnchú, Séamus Moran, Olga Wehrly, Owen McDonnell, Seán T. Ó Meallaigh, Hughie McGarvey, Eoin Mac Diarmada, Owen Roe, Gavin O’Connor, J.D. Kelleher, Charlotte Bradley, Donncha Crowley, Michael Patric, Áine Ní Dhroighneáin and Eoghan Ó Riada.
As well as the Ballybrit Racecourse, Eyre Square, the Meyrick Hotel and many other Galway locations will be recognized by viewers. The first episode airs next Wednesday at 9.30pm.
Documentaries are also to the fore in the TG4 autumn schedule.
Cogar, is the generic title of a series of specially commissioned half hour documentaries which concentrate on people telling their own stories. This series starts on Sunday, 9.30pm.
Of course no TG4 season would be complete without the return of its soap opera, Ros na Rún which picks up the story of its popular characters from the mean bar owner, Tadgh, played by Macdara O Fatharta to tearaway Molly, played by Lisa Ní Laoire.
The new series kicks off with a bang when Tadhg and Frances learn their new-born baby’s life depends on an urgent bone-marrow transplant and the only suitable donor is …Jason, Tadhg’s estranged son. Can Jason put his hatred for his father aside to save Tadhg’s child?
Among the many other storylines in the new season, Caitríona turns entrepreneur when she launches the village’s glamorous new beauty salon, Molly tries to wreck her mother Bríd and Micheál’s happiness, Adelaide gets good news but might keep it to herself and Peadar’s health takes a turn for the worse as does his relationship with Máire.
Na Cloigne is a dark supernatural thriller telling the story of a young couple whose contacts with the violent forces of The Other Side lead, over an intense three day period, to the horrific murder of two young women and to everlasting consequences for the couple themselves.
The series was written by Darach Ó Scolaí from Cois Fharraighe and Lauren McKensie and the cast includes Darach Ó Dubháin, Barry Mc Govern, Siobhán O’Kelly, Macdara Ó Fátharta, Joe Steve Ó Neachtain, Maidhc P Ó Conaola and Seán T. Ó Meallaigh.
Other highlights for the coming year include Stíl na Réalt, An entertaining fashion series that mixes two hugely popular genres: makeover and celebrity biography; Luach ár Linne, A new season for the series that looks at money matters and consumer issues; Sláinte agus Easláinte which meets the people working in the health system; Cowboys, A new series that profiles seven legendary Wild West characters and examines and explores the myths of the old West to reveal what really happened.