Kevin Brannigan's "Reds na hÉireann" examines the leftist politics and activism that arose in Ireland during the Cold War despite Ireland's dependence on the United States and the strong presence of a right-wing clergy at the time.
Brannigan's documentary explains how hundreds of Irish communists traveled to the Soviet Union and its satellite states during the Cold War in search of a worker's utopia.
The new documentary, which airs on TG4 in Ireland on May 24, features interviews with veteran Irish communists, allowing the audience to see the struggle and comradeship of the leftist movement in Ireland.
Many of those interviewed in the upcoming documentary were once militant republicans or part of a convent or trade union before converting to communism.
Viewers will also hear first-hand accounts of how Irish communists agitated and organized for a potential left-wing revolution that never came.
Reds na hÉireann #RedsTG4
Súil ar chumannachais in Éirinn ~ A look at the little-known world of Irish Communism ?
Dé Céadaoin ~ Wednesday @ 21:30 pic.twitter.com/wolRDF8VBc
— TG4TV ? (@TG4TV) May 18, 2023
The new film also includes a treasure trove of never-before-seen footage from the era, including a Communist Party meeting in West Belfast in 1981.
Taking place during the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the meeting is notable for its complete lack of sectarianism.
"Reds na hÉireann is not only a story of those who were there at the time, but also a story about them now today; what keeps a person going after 40 years of political activism, when arguably we are now further away from a promised leftist utopia than we have ever been?" TG4 said in a press release.
"This untold history will be a must-see for anyone interested in the dynamic and colorful world of Irish politics and activism."
The documentary will also be available to view on the TG4 Player after it airs on May 24.
Check out the trailer for Kevin Brannigan's "Reds na hÉireann" here:
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