by MacRua Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:19 am
A two-hour Christmas special dedicated to the late Dublin legend Ronnie Drew features Shane as well. -
Thursday 1 January 2009 6.30pm Last year, Gerry Ryan interviewed Ronnie Drew as part of his "Ryan Confidential" series. Although Ronnie was then undergoing treatment for cancer, he displayed his characteristic wit, intelligence and humour. The programme ended with a mesmerising version of one of the songs with which Ronnie will be for ever associated - "The Old Triangle". Sadly, Ronnie succumbed to his illness earlier this year. Now, Gerry has re-visited his interview with Ronnie to include material that was not included in the first broadcast - as well as tributes from some of those who knew and worked with Ronnie over the years. What emerges is a powerful and moving picture of a man who became as well-loved for his indomitable character as for the quality and originality of the music that he made
Gerry Ryan: "I interviewed Ronnie shortly before he died so we have two hours of unseen footage. He had just come out of chemotherapy and I found it an incredibly moving, funny and poignant experience, and he said to me: 'If you can't get f***ing something out of that, you're f****ing stupid -- I'm going to die soon!'
"So we're just stitching together reflections about Ronnie from people who knew him like Barney McKenna and John Sheahan, Shane MacGowan and Ronnie's children, too."
It also features some of the best-known figures in the Irish music industry, who worked with Ronnie over the years – such as Bono and Eleanor Shanley.
RTÉ photos A two-hour Christmas special dedicated to the late Dublin legend Ronnie Drew features Shane as well. - [b]Thursday 1 January 2009 6.30pm [/b]
[indent]Last year, Gerry Ryan interviewed Ronnie Drew as part of his "Ryan Confidential" series. Although Ronnie was then undergoing treatment for cancer, he displayed his characteristic wit, intelligence and humour. The programme ended with a mesmerising version of one of the songs with which Ronnie will be for ever associated - "The Old Triangle". Sadly, Ronnie succumbed to his illness earlier this year. Now, Gerry has re-visited his interview with Ronnie to include material that was not included in the first broadcast - as well as tributes from some of those who knew and worked with Ronnie over the years. What emerges is a powerful and moving picture of a man who became as well-loved for his indomitable character as for the quality and originality of the music that he made
Gerry Ryan: [i]"I interviewed Ronnie shortly before he died so we have two hours of unseen footage. He had just come out of chemotherapy and I found it an incredibly moving, funny and poignant experience, and he said to me: 'If you can't get f***ing something out of that, you're f****ing stupid -- I'm going to die soon!'
"So we're just stitching together reflections about Ronnie from people who knew him like Barney McKenna and John Sheahan, Shane MacGowan and Ronnie's children, too."[/i]
It also features some of the best-known figures in the Irish music industry, who worked with Ronnie over the years – such as Bono and Eleanor Shanley.[/indent]
[img]http://www.rte.ie/tv/ryanconfidential/images/ronniedrew2.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.rte.ie/tv/ryanconfidential/images/ronniedrew3.jpg[/img]
[size=85]RTÉ photos [/size]
