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Louise Zayed
Senior Press Officer
Tel: +353 1 419 3428
louise.zayed@tv3.ie
Kevin Shore
Press Officer
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kevin.shore@virginmedia.ie
publicity@tv3.ie
TV3 GROUP RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday30th September, 2014
‘Darndale’ documentary continues its ratings success on TV3.
The second episode of the series has proved another ratings winner for TV3, reaching 469,200 viewers.
The final episode of the series, airing on Monday, sees much change in the air for the residents of Darndale.
Interviews available on request.
The series finale of ‘Darndale: The Edge of Town’ airs Monday 6th October at 9pm on TV3.
Please see link to clip of Darndale that can be embedded onto your website: https://vimeo.com/105864355 - Make sure to credit TV3 with date and time of Episode 3.
Video Link to view the first episode is available on request
The second instalment of TV3’s hard hitting documentary ‘Darndale: The Edge of Town’ has proved another ratings success, reaching an impressive 469,200 viewers or approximately 11.4% of the available viewing population. An average of 207,600 people tuned in to watch the ambitious, observational series which follows local residents on one of Ireland's most notorious housing estates, Darndale in North Dublin. To date, the two broadcasts of ‘Darndale: Edge of Town’ have reached 748,700 people or approximately 18.1% of the available viewing population. Last night’s episode was particularly strong for young audiences, with Adults 15-24 averaging a 16.62% share and Women 15-34 averaging an equally impressive 16.45% share.
Since the broadcast of the first episode last week the series has continued to be a major talking point on social media, sparking much debate across the nation. #Darndale was back in the forefront of people’s minds last night as conversations relating to the show, on Twitter alone, reached 191.33K individuals. #Darndale was the number two trend in Ireland according to @TTMobile_ie at 22.25 after the show aired, with the discussion continuing well into the night. Meanwhile over on Facebook, on Adrian Kennedy and Jeremy Dixon’s Official 98FM Dublin Talks Page, the discussion about the show has been extremely heated reaching a total of 116,984 individuals in all posts relating to the series on their page.
Despite its reputation as an unemployment, crime and drug black spot, it is home to a vibrant and close-knit community. The fly-on-the-wall series gives an honest portrayal of Darndale’s residents’ lives as they cope with harsh everyday realities, experience moments of triumph and despair, while looking beyond the boundaries of the estate and seeking a brighter future.
In the final episode of the series, which will be airing next Monday 6th October at 9pm, much change is in store for many of Darndale’s residents. Bulleye (Darren Sweeney) is out exercising his horses and training a local young lad to bareback ride, but without official sanction he is worried about the future of Darndale's temporary stables. Single mother Gemma Grey is determined to make a better life for herself and baby son Alfie and with this goal in mind she sits an entrance exam for a FETAC course in Animal Sciences at Killester College. Raising her two boys on her own, Angelique is determined to set her children on the right path and is taking part in a reading club with her youngest son Brody at the local primary school. Lisa Lawless is at home and anxiously waiting for her son's Leaving Cert results, as they both have invested so much time and hope into the outcome of this crucial state exam.
Stephen Clinch "Clinchy" is capitalising on his "Love Hate" fame on the estate and is MCing at a locally held boxing event, a Tough Man Competition, where young traveller men take each other on for a much coveted tough man title. Local campaigner, Tommy Daly, is on another charity drive, but this time the goal is to shift a few stone and run the New York City Marathon. Weighing over 30 stone this is a hugely ambitious target for Tommy and he has roped Noel O'Reilly, his neighbour and friend in for support. Noel O'Reilly has also tried to marshal Bulleye and his friends into a committee to sort out the horse issue for once and for all, but with a mountain of bureaucracy to surmount, it seems the dream of having their own stables is still a far off ambition for Bulleye and friends.
The series finale of ‘Darndale: The Edge of Town’ airs Monday 6th October at 9pm on TV3.
Images have been sent to your picture desks and are available on request.
See Notes to Editor for contributor biogs.
ENDS
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NOTES TO EDITOR:
Darndale contributor biogs:
Angelique Louthe (38),
Single mother Angelique lives with her two sons, Brody aged five and teenage son Robert aged 15 years. Angelique is very involved in community work doing up the local playground and also in a pilot project set up by the council to keep her area, a little horseshoe groups of houses, clean and tidy. Angelique admits that she struggles each week with money and has used money lenders for years, but finished paying off a big loan a few months ago. Angelique was at one stage paying back €90 a week, but says money lending is a big thing in Darndale as a lot of families struggle with finances, particularly big ticket items. As a single parent, Angelique admits that life can be very hard and she enrolled in a course called ‘Prepare for Life’ which helps mothers to learn the basics of coping with their kids - talking to them, dealing with bullying, managing money and cooking healthy meals. At times she would have lived on beans and toast, putting her son's welfare first, but doesn't complain saying it all with a huge smile on her face. We see Angelique excitedly prepare for Christmas, while fondly remembering her own father, who passed away around Christmas time. Angelique also hosts an Ann Summers party for herself and a few mates, for as a single parent she rarely gets out to socialise with her girlfriends - "If Angelique can't go to the party, then the party will come to Angelique."
Darren ‘Bull Eye’ Sweeney (30)
Darren ‘Bull Eye’ Sweeney is originally from Darndale, but now lives in Belcamp. He been in and out of jail for years based on drugs charges but since being released last year, he is attending the methadone clinic in Darndale. Darren turned to drugs when his brother died. They were very close and he struggled to cope with the grief.
Darren now focuses his time on the horses in Darndale. He is the main man when it comes to the horses and everyone comes to him when they have a problem. He has a lot of respect from the younger lads and in that sense is a bit of a leader. Darren’s goal is to get land allocated by the council for the horses so that he can care for them without the fear that they will be rounded up and taken away. Darren often gets calls in the middle of the night to say the horses have been confiscated by the Gardaí.
He believes that horses play a huge part in people’s lives in Darndale and it helps keep kids who are normally troublesome out of trouble. We follow them fighting for the right to have land to build a stables themselves. They say they will do everything to get the stables functioning if they could just get the land.
Gemma Geraghty (19)
Single mother Gemma has a seven-month-old baby boy called Alfie. When we first meet Gemma, Alfie is just three weeks old and she is struggling financially, as she is still living on a 100 euro a week Jobseekers Allowance. Gemma is no longer with Alfie's father, as they broke up after going out with each other for eight months.
One of five children, Gemma lives with her mother Roseanne and her younger siblings, Anthony (9) and sister Rebecca (12), who is almost like a second mother to Alfie. Gemma and her family are grieving the loss of Gemma's sister Nicole's baby son, who died a few months previously at just eight weeks old. Despite her own loss, Nicole supported Gemma through her pregnancy, attending at the birth and passing on her son’s baby clothes and his new pram.
Coping well with being a new parent, Gemma is understandably anxious about Alfie's heart murmur, which was diagnosed at birth and may require medical intervention.
Having left school in her final year, Gemma regrets not sitting the Leaving Cert and talks about going back to do a PLC course, but with a small baby to care for this could be a challenge. We follow Gemma over a few key months in her and Alfie's life.
We also follow Roseanne, who is suffering from depression, but is willing to mind the children if Gemma gets a course.
Lisa Lawless (Late 30s)
Lisa Lawless and her partner David have reared six kids, three from Daithi's first relationship and three of their own. They all moved into Lisa’s Darndale home when she became pregnant with her first child, Christopher, now aged 17 and preparing to do his Leaving Cert.
Christopher and his two younger siblings were awarded with a Challenger Award in school which is given to kids who have potential in the hope that they stay in education and eventually go onto third level.
Neither Lisa or David completed school, Lisa left at 14 and always felt she wasn’t good enough to even go back and sit her Junior Cert. David and Lisa are really proud of their kids and although they love Darndale they are hoping that their children can go to college and earn enough to buy a house outside of the area.
For Christopher to be accepted onto the awards programme initially Lisa had to agree to sit a Level 5 Fetac course, which she was terrified of as she says she feared people would ‘see her for what she really was uneducated and unable to even read or write properly’. However, she loved it and although she only started this project three years ago she is now in All Hallows studying for a BA in Personal Development which she hopes will get her a job and away from the kitchen sink.
Christopher is nervous about sitting his exams and hopes to get to college to study. They have a small gym out the back and Christopher is there every day training and boxing.
This family seemed to have battled with ups and downs all their lives and say things were never easy. David was born with problem with his arm and has a prosthetic arm all of his life. Their eldest son lives with his kids and partner two doors away and they are always in and out and Lisa minds the grandchildren a lot.
Lisa was also a very strict mother before she went back to education and admits to being too house proud, but she has learned that there are more important things in life than cleaning and being strict with the kids.
Stephen ‘Clinchy' Clinch (47)
Known as “The Main Man”, Stephen Clinch (Clinchy) loves acting and recently had a part as Fran's love rival Noelie in the TV series “Love Hate”. Clinchy started acting classes while in prison and continued acting classes on his release with RASP - a community based drug rehabilitation programme in Darndale, that provides support and training courses for stable methadone addicts. Clinchy spent 20 years of his life in prison for a range of criminal offences, ranging from car theft to armed robbery. However, since his release more than eight years ago Clinchy has stayed out of trouble and away from prison. A reformed character, Clinchy now helps out troubled young local men, who come looking to him for advice. Between acting and mentoring Clinchy is a drummer in a local band and rehearses twice a week
Tommy Daly (38)
Tommy has lived all of his married life in Darndale. He is married to Deirdre and has four kids, aged 19, 18, 14 and five.
He set up Darndale FC many years ago even bringing stars from Man United and Liverpool in to Darndale to meet the kids. They currently have 155 kids in the club.
He works for Dublin City Council as a street sweeper walking up and down Grafton Street with his pull along bin most days. Although Tommy is overweight he throws himself into everything he does and to date has raised over €200,000 for Autism and is a good pal of Keith Duffy. In February 2014 they ran a huge fundraiser for autism in the Wright Venue in Swords and hope that they will raise enough money to keep the club going for five years and also to hand a substantial sum to Autism Ireland. He ran the same night in 2013 and it was a massive success with the whole of Darndale helping out and arriving on the night.
Tommy is the motivating force behind a ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ charity fundraiser to help get the pitch back in good nick. It will see 18 people from Darndale who have never danced before putting their names into a hat to be trained by qualified instructors alongside eight people from Autism Ireland. Each person taking part has to raise €850 and he expects the Wright Venue to have between 500 and 1000 people will fill the room for the show.
Following on from this, Tommy and his friend Noel O'Reilly decided they were going to run/walk the New York Marathon for charity.
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