Special edition of RTE Nuacht´s `Pobail´ tells inspiring story of immigrant integration in Ireland

A special edition of the RTE Nuacht production Pobal will be broadcast on Sunday March 16th at 5.30pm on RTÉ 1. `Pobail Speisialta´ will focus on the stories of asylum seekers and refugees who tell their own experiences of life in Ireland.

The show is produced by RTE Nuacht in partnership with SPIRASI, the humanitarian and intercultural organisation which works with asylum seekers and refugees to encourage their self-reliance and integration into Ireland.

This innovative and dynamic community-access programme reflects positively on the encounters of the community, and will engage viewers with inspiring, fast-moving and high-energy footage of the challenging and rewarding experiences of immigrants, from across many continents, in the wider Irish community.

Viewers will see a driven and energetic community bring ideas to life from within the culture and heritage of many immigrant communities, while captivating audiences with their enthusiastic spirit and team work in realising a shared vision. They have personally chosen their own stories and voiced them especially for this edition of Pobail Speisialta. Viewers will go `behind the scenes´ as members of the immigrant community take part in creative workshops in preparation for the St Patrick´s Day parade in Dublin, and `into the dressing room´ with multicultural football team Mosney United, whose strip has been inspired by AC Milan — now at the top of the Meath League Table!

The show is co-presented by Eloho Egwaiteraí of Nigeria and RTE Nuacht´s Eibhlín Ní Coistealbha, who will articulate the theme of this bilingual programme from both communities, while sharing their new and varied experiences of working in the media. An inspiring group of 25 people were involved in all aspects of the show — trained and assisted by the dedicated production team at RTE Nuacht, along with Pobail reporters, Matt O Ceallaigh, Marian Malone and Seán Mac an tSithigh.

Pobail is all about the community, and the programme regularly visits all four corners of Ireland to get communities to tell their stories, and this episode of Pobail certainly reflects the inclusive nature of the show! says Executive Producer Michael Lally.

For more information please contact:
Joe Reddington, RTE Nuacht, joe.reddington@rte.ie
Anne at Spirasi, artsprojects@spirasi.ie, 086 8177356
Chita Murray/Noreen D´Arcy, D´Arcy Marketing & PR, darcymarketing@eircom.net , 091 568 39