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A NEW OBSERVATIONAL documentary has gone behind bars and followed the lives of six prisoners over one year.
Starting on RTÉ ONE tonight at 9.35pm, Life on the Inside explores the lives of those who live and work in both Wheatfield and Shelton Abbey prisons.
Director Traolach Ó Buachalla told TheJournal.ie that it took a full two years of negotiations to gain access.
Access was only the beginning, however.
“It took a long long time to gain trust, both from the prisoners and to a lesser extent, the prison officers,” Ó Buachalla said.
The documentary examines the differences between the two prisons, and the adjustment that prisoners have to make between spending up to 18-hours per day in a cell in Clondalkin’s Wheatfield prison, in Dublin 22, to the relative openness of the low security Shelton Abbey prison in Arklow, Co Wicklow.
The six prisoners which the programme follows have a range of convictions, from drug offences to murder. Recalling the first day of filming, Ó Buachalla admits that he didn’t quite know what to expect.
On the first day I had nothing but preconceptions. Most of these were from the movies, to be honest. Some were lived up to and others not at all. We made a point of not going in there with any agenda. We weren’t looking to film an exposé.
While safety was an issue, Ó Buachalla said that this was more of an everyday concern, rather than being specific to their environment. “If you find yourself filming in Temple Bar at midnight, you’re concerned for your safety,” he said.
Christmas Day
Filming in the prison on Christmas Day, Ó Buachalla was expecting something very different. “I was the one making a big thing about it being Christmas Day,” he said.
The only difference to the prisoners’ routine that day, he said, was the addition of a breakfast fry-up.
After a year of filming, it’s the sounds of prison life that have stuck with the director. “It was so quiet at some points and so noisy at other times,” he said.
Ó Buachalla hopes that viewers, having watched the programme, will draw their own conclusions as to what they want from their prison service.
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Why should christmas be any different for them? They’re in there for a reason! It’s not a holiday camp or a place for a good time!
They should be on bread and water.
I wonder how many people that were affected by crime sleep well at night, or how many people in Ireland never in trouble with the law had fry for dinner. Hot running water at least 3 meals a day, and paid all be it small. Our elderly in some nursing homes across the country dont have this luxury. Sad reflection on our country and the prioritising that is carried forward as norm.
Boo hoo me heart bleeds for them!!!!!
I got a sandwich and a bowl of soup on work on Christmas Day. A dry would have been nice
*fry
We need to develop a smarter prison system, either that or an early intervention program in young offenders as I think it’s safe to say the current system ain’t really working so well.
Scarr, I agree.
We should re open spike island and dump serious offenders there.
Immigrants that offend should be deported.
Petty thieves should have their hands dipped in coloured dye and refused admission to pubs, restaurants, not sold alcohol or cigarettes, allowed to use public transport and put under curfew.
That should cut the crime rate by about 50%.
@Paul Doyle – Move over Alan Shatter!
But do tell me, what are your rough estimations for all of this to happen?
I’m intrigued, but interested in your proposition all the same.
Where do we purchase the dye paint? How will this work when entering said premises? Will an alarm sound? If so, who’ll pay for this system? Business or the taxpayer?
Secondly, Spike Island. Great decision. But – How much to ferry/hold/feed/keep this running? And for how long? Not to mention Prison staff working overtime.
As much as I like your ’50% plan’ did you not stop to think that this is NOT feasible?
Maybe I’m just more serious than you, but I just can’t see this working pal?
Where can I sub scribe to your newsletter?
With all these qualified in nothingness comments, I sometimes believe that We, the Irish love hardship and hate to be investigated as we try to be visionaries and idealists, as we over intelligently try to come up with a solution (always dire) to the problem.
We love to talk great big plans that we the taxpayer give the ‘green thumbs up’ on until we get hit with another hit in upcoming budgets.
All I’m saying is, Be real folks and stop been blubbering fools sometimes as you sit back and life is passing you by.
This is all in reference to the ‘Spike Island/Hand dye nonsensical comment and the ‘dislikers’ of my all to real comment!
Just cop on people. Don’t talk big plans unless you’re willing to pay the price again….and again….and again…
It would probably work out.cheaper than housing and.feeding the prisoners while their in prison
@Eugene Leahy *They’re rather than their.
Do you think? And what’s your strategy for this?
@BoyRussell Stop *being rather than stop been
@Chris Fogarty – Instant Karma. Good shot.
Ireland is still full of deluded unimaginative gombeens who will throw propositions about like money is rife.
@ Boy Russell – The problem is actually people with your mindset and not the visionaries. The only way to move forward and create a better society is to have a vision unlike people like you who just want to put down ideas.
You would be perfect for the government of this country, sit back and do nothing. That is the reason why the country is the way it is.
Fair enough the comment about spike island may have been extreme but it would be great to see something finally done and progress to be made SOMEWHERE, in fact ANYWHERE in this place!
And then to be so obnoxious to bother to correct some ones grammar, when yours isn’t perfect?
You are just one of those annoying little whingers sitting in the corner with a face on him, thinking he’s better than everyone else, scoffing at other peoples ideas, asking stupid questions and not contributing in any way. Ugh, I’d say you’re a must have for any social gathering!
Boy – I do not see it happening any time soon. But, as populations expand, drug and alcohol abuse increase and the less well off that want more for nothing, more serious measures will have to be introduced.
I work hard for everything I have and will go to greater lengths to protect it, including lethal force for somebody threatening me or my family in my home, physical damage to somebody stealing my property and demanding stricter penalties for those negatively affecting my society.
Lots if people like me , just ordinary people fed up with criminal activity.
Thank you @Liz Carr – So now that you have a good dollop together in your opinion of me, can I be ever so opinionated with my opinion if you – Rejected Crazy horse of a woman!?
This is just an opinion from ‘my little corner’
Hope you’re feeling better about yourself on this beautiful Monday but my god, control your anger girl!
@ Boy Russell – You confuse my tone, I’m not angry but frustrated. Your original response and all responses since show the same mentality as the brain dead people in government along with a lack of ambition, imagination and intelligence.
My feelings about myself are perfectly fine, thank you for asking. Do you know how boring it is to hear yet another pointless comment from someone who only seems to be out to put someone else’s down. Tell me you can’t read between the lines of the post you’re attacking. Tell me you don’t think that vicious criminals shouldn’t be given harsher sentences, something like….more than 3 years for rape, tell me you don’t think there is ANY better way to deal with petty criminals to avoid them reoffending? You see, that’s what I got from the post, no I didn’t need to ask for a hundred page document explaining all aspects, I like at least one hundred other people had the sense to understand the posters sentiment.
Here’s a task for you, this week some time, try to have an original, imaginative, intelligent thought of your own.
@Liz Carr – There’s NO debate in a place like the journal with regards to prisoners/prisons and so on.. Plenty of opinion yes, but no debate.
What I mean by this is that I do believe harsher sentences need to be handed down to harsh offences and lifelong criminals. But my point on here was totally bypassed because I wanted an answer to a comment made in an earlier. Why? Because I’m fed up to my teeth with people throwing around these deluded propositions without thinking straight.
I understand it’s their wishful thinking with their ‘what they’d do’ hat on, but I’m one of those people who doesn’t ‘like’ just anything. I want to know how is such feasible.
And Liz, furthermore I admit to being slightly immature with regards of my previous comment to you and I take it back and would delete it if I could.
I don’t know you nor do you know me, so I don’t see any point in getting uptight over ‘sausages’
PS; Yoko Ono is 80 years young today. Let’s give peace a chance!
no we dont need a smarter prison system, and what do u mean by a smarter prison??? like a smart phone or what? u must be very immature or just a total idiot, can u explain briefly what kind of smart prison it is that u mention??? do tell
Geeze Sean, that was so 3 months ago! Let it go!
Lots of hard luck stories about how it’s society’s fault that Anto kicked the crap out of an elderly couple for their pension,but he’s sorry now and it was all down to his drug problem!!!
Why should it be different on Christmas day? They’re in there for a reason! If you want to enjoy Christmas, don’t break the law
Or not pay fines.
Do people really think people should be jailed for not paying fines? Seriously?
No, for not paying a fine the money should be docked from wages/social welfare!! It seems ridiculous to imprison someone for that
or the man who got 6 years for wrongly lableing garlic finally reduced to 2 years.
For God’s sake, Shane, he defrauded the Revenue out of €1.6 million.
Atleast those lucky bast**ds ,where not locked up with the in laws over Christmas
lol
good1
What I want from the prison service is a service that releases a person who is absolutely determined never to return there again! The softly softly approach of the goody goodies doesn’t seem to be working though, so I would like us to try the opposite!
Linden village
Yes yes, it’s the softie approach in mountjoy that’s breeding more crime. Not the fact that they are 5 or 6 to a cell with little or no reform on offer. As former governor lonergan said its a university for criminals.
ah shure god help us
Larry, pay your house tax or you will be getting a fry inside
Great so it’s going to show how tough prisoners have it? They don’t have it hard enough if you ask me!
Inside irelands holiday camps would be a more realistic title.
I thought that they were fed porridge?
You get Life in this country yet it very rarely means that. You get a 6 year sentence instead of a mandatory 10 year sentence for drugs. Yet it rarely means that. Why should criminals/prisoners get light at the end of their’ tunnel when in a manslaughter, murder case their’ victims have none? Why shouldn’t a sentence be served to the full?
Boy Russell you are a clown.
just because a prisoner is in for murder, armed robbery, serious assault, drug possession or importing drugs or any other crime,they shouldnt be classified as one. (except rapists pedophiles etc who should be at the very least castrated.) Bring back the death penalty for people who commit horrible acts on innocent children as they have already been served with a life sentence by the monster abuser, forget about human rights just erase the evil people once proven guilty and stop wasting taxpayers hard earned cash to keep them alive wasting our oxygen.
RESULT = less pedophiles stealing oxygen and ruining innocent lives and the milions saved from not putting them in prison can be used to help the victims of their abuse and lots more.
Its more often than not that somebody is locked up basically because they were unfortunate victims of society or they may have had a traumatic childhood. Society is what it is because of the governments ignorance and/or lack of knowledge of the real world, but yet they determine whats the best way to spend the money and where, but really they just want brownie points for support/power for next election.The governments are way out of touch with reality/society and they know this but dont care.
Millions wasted on drug prevention/ and heaps of police time wasted on this so called WAR ON DRUGS.
Legalize marijuana, control it and tax it!!!! im smoking a joint right now ;) bold boy i am….
RESULT = no more street dealers who are usually in 16-27yo age group who have been led astray and prob gonna face jail sometime in the future. So they tell us that pot is a gateway drug and leads to other dangerous drugs, what a crock of poo. im certain that nicotine was my so called gateway drug, oh damn i forgot its legal and taxed also. Ban ciggarette sales as they are no use to anyone, sell pot instead to anyone over 18 who just likes a smoke and being stoned. And as us stoners buy our pot legally and minding our own business meanwhile drug dealers are losing money hand over fist and the government gets its tax from pot sales.easy.
Pot is a really harmless drug, if it was legal to buy and smoke a joint it wouldnt take long to get this country up and going again. Ciggarettes are shit, its a bit like smoking a joint but ul never get stoned, you will at the most feel like an idiot, but if one smokes a nice joint hand rolled with pride by self. the feeling is somewhat different
were can i watch this im lookin everywere online???
Let me continue, the current education system, school curriculum, subjects etc need to be made obsolete, the kids and teens in school today are all on their journey thru life just like everyone else. Students are learning totally irelevant crap thats of no benefit to anyone, eg, learning to speak French or German and and learning history, history is what it is and what happened hundreds of years ago is never gonna change no matter what, most teens today dont even know the reason why they attend school and some dont wanna attend at all, the education system is sadly still based on age old ideas and it doesnt prepare or teach any student about life skills, street skills, no awareness on important things students should know when they enter the real world and get a job, Even the teachers themselves are as dumb as dogshit. sex education tells students the basics of intercourse, they should be made aware of the risks of unprotected sex, HIV and Hepatitis and STDs are rising rapidly and yet there is absolutely no awareness. they then finish high school some will go to UNI for a sexfest/drugfest with zero life skills or any common sense, they quickly forget everything they learnt about how rivers, mountains and volcanoes were formed.some subjects are really of no benefit to any student when they walk out of school for their last time. its a big bad world out there and the outdated and ridiculous crap thats being taught is just a tangled web of confusion for students and 9 out of 10 teachers are not in touch with REALITY, In order to fix up society common sense must prevail, The education system has a lot to do with societys problems and why prisons are full, there are so many victims behind bars, victims of the system. because the governments have failed them in one way or another. In order for our kids to equip themselves with beneficial and possibly life saving LIFE SKILLS the education system needs a major overhaul. Its an absolute joke and if it remains as is, which it will, i would say to parents to never think ur child will go far cos she/he excelled at everything at school, it may get her into the UNI she/he wanted, but thats all, the important skills she may have to learn the hard way.
have your say