Cé A Chónaigh I Mo Theachsa? (Who Lived in My House?) – Series 2
8 x 25 min HD Documentary Series
In the second Series of ‘Cé a Chónaigh i mo Theachsa?’ presenter Manchán Magan, sets out to unlock the extraordinary stories hidden in the walls of our houses and who lived in them before us.
Credits
- Executive Producer – Stephen Rooke
- Executive Producer – Dave Farrell
- Co-Producer – Stephen Rooke
- Co-Producer – Stephen Rooke
- Director – Ruán Magan
- Presenter – Manchán Magan
- Researcher – David Ryan
- Production Manager – Rebecca O’Malley
- Director Of Photography – Ronan Fox
- Editor – Dáithí Connaughton
BROADCASTERS & FUNDERS:
- TG4
Veteran traveller and broadcaster, ManchánMagan takes us on a fascinating journey into the history of our houses. With the help of the experts, he will examine the existing architectural evidence of our houses, speak to neighbours, family members, local historians, and delve into the National Archives, local libraries and Registry of Deeds to discover the colourful characters of the past who kept their front door key under the mat of the same front step over a century ago.
The twelve house stories will cover more than 500 years of Irish history – each house being a portal into the past. Manchán will be delving into archives unopened for decades to reveal incredible stories of the lives of those who have lived in our houses before us. He’ll discover how a house in Westmeath built on the lands of ancient kings of Ireland inspire popstar Michael Jackson when he lived there in 2006. Who planned to rescue Marie Antoinette and hide her in a house in Dingle? And who killed five clients and buried them in the basement of her brothel, now a youth hostel in Temple Bar? Other houses include actor Eámon Morrissey’s Aughavannagh cottage, built amongst fairy forts; the ostentatious Wexford country house where one of Ireland’s greatest designers, Eileen Gray, was reared; and the house in the Burren built with the help of US president George Washington.
Manchán says of “Cé a Chónaigh i moTheachsa”:
For me, the thrill was knowing that each time I knocked on the door of a house, I was setting in train a mystery, embarking on a journey to bring the forgotten shadows into the light, to give the walls and windows their time to speak. Every old house wants to tell its story, but it just doesn’t have the words. You need to help it speak. It wants you to, and if you take on the challenge, you feel as though it’s following you every step of the way, helping you at times, directing you towards sources of information that you never would have guessed; but hindering you at times too. Houses have their secrets, and the thrill is getting beyond these to uncover a new perspective on an old world.
ManchánMagan’s brother, internationally acclaimed director RuánMagan – directs. Manchan and Ruán are a dynamic duo, who have travelled the world making a series of award winning documentaries titled “ManchánarSeachrán” for TG4. Following a 7 year break, Tile Films brought them back together again to produce the high-end, intriguing and highly entertaining series ‘Cé a Chónaigh i moTheachsa?’. The series was made possible through the financial support of TG4 and the Section 481 investment incentive for the Irish Film Industry provided by the Government of Ireland.
