Documentary on Newstalk

The Fragility of Peace: Tigray’s Forgotten War

On Documentary and Drama on Newstalk, reporter Josh Crosbie brings us ‘The Fragility of Peace: Tigray’s Forgotten War.’ This year’s IMRO-award-winning reporter travelled to the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia with Trócaire to examine the impact of conflict. The Tigray war lasted from November 2020 to November 2022. It’s estimated that one million people have died since the war started and a further million people have been displaced from their homes. Many experts have described the war as the deadliest conflict of the 21st century. Josh travelled to the area in November/December 2025 to bring us the latest update on how this war has affected communities and the economy, and met humanitarian workers who are trying to rebuild the lives of those impacted by the conflict and programme participants who are trying to survive in the aftermath of war. We are brought inside IDP camps for displaced people, safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence, trauma-informed schools, educational and employment facilities.

Dying To Get Ripped: Episode One

A warning that sensitive topics and upsetting content are discussed in this documentary, including eating disorders, suicide and suicidal ideation. It’s a common misconception that eating disorders only affect women. The fact is that an eating disorder can affect both men and women, boys and girls. “Dying to Get Ripped” is a two-episode series by radio producer Orla Riordan for Newstalk that explores this issue. One that is becoming more prevalent amongst Irish men. This is episode one. The documentary highlights the unique risk factors facing men, who may be suffering with an eating disorder such as over-exercising, over reliance on supplements and the use of steroids in the pursuit of the body beautiful. It will discuss the influence of social media in pushing products and a muscular ideal on young men as well as speaking to organisations who are working to reduce the stigma facing men with eating disorders. The IRFU, Horseracing Ireland, and the Health Products Regulatory Authority all participate in the discussion surrounding policies in place for anyone suffering from an eating disorder or disordered eating. We speak to bodybuilders, health professionals, and family members as well as International Rugby Referee Nigel Owens on their own personal experiences with mental health issues, bulimia and anorexia, body dysmorphia and steroid use. This documentary offers an insight into the growing issue with eating disorders and body dysmorphia among young Irish men as well as highlighting ways to seek help and recover. Irish men are putting their health, fertility and even their lives at risk in search of the perfect body. If you have been affected by anything referenced in this documentary, you can contact the Bodywhys helpline on 01 210 7906 or the Samaritans on 116 123.

Come Walk In Mistura's Skin

On Documentary & Drama on Newstalk, producer Mary Lavery Carrig brings you into the life of Mistura Oyebanj, a Muslim woman in her mid-20s. In June 2024, Mistura stood as a candidate in the Local Elections for the Tralee municipal district area, in Co Kerry. From her arrival as a refugee child, to losing her mother in a tragic car accident, to putting her name on the ballot paper as a candidate in 2024, this is a heartfelt story. You will listen to the Mayor of Kerry and the Mayor of Derry & Strabane District, to her family and friends, and you will get to know Mistura herself, the central character. Cian McGrath and Zahid Khan Ahmadzai are Senior Editor and Assistant Editor, music by Matt Griffin, and the producer, researcher and narrator is Mary Lavery Carrig. This documentary was funded by Coimisiún na Meán with the Television License Fee.

First on Scene, Last To Heal: Emergency Workers and Fatal Collisions

First on Scene, Last to Heal: Emergency Workers and Fatal Collisions goes behind the scenes with the men and women of An Garda Síochána, the National Ambulance Service and the fire service as they share stories about fatal collisions on Ireland’s roads, and how that impacts their way of thinking. Produced and presented by Alex Rowley, a young journalism student from Wicklow and IMRO-nominated broadcaster, it’s inspired by the contrasting ways different members of the emergency services deal with their trauma. Some choose to open up to friends, while for others, it’s as if nothing bothers them. Due to a spike in road deaths in recent years, the topic has been high up in the news agenda, and rightly so, but every bank holiday we hear appeals from high-ranking Gardaí, Government Ministers and the RSA. Rarely, do we hear from those who actually deal with these collisions and see the devastation firsthand. In the documentary, Paramedics Clodagh Murphy and Paul Malone, based in Waterford, tell us about the trends they see in responding to collisions and why they’re always keeping their own family members in the back of their mind. The documentary also goes on patrol with Gardaí Leanne McCarthy and Ken Driscoll of the Roads Policing Unit in Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick. Ken bravely opens up about how it feels to break the news of a death to a family, comparing it to handing someone an “explosive device”. We also speak with Sub-Officer Stephen Connolly from Monasterevin Fire Brigade in Co. Kildare, who speaks of the challenges faced by on-call emergency workers, who service their local community first and foremost. All emergency workers in the documentary have pleaded with people to put down their mobile phones, put on their seatbelts, follow speed limits, and not take drugs or alcohol when using the roads this Bank Holiday Weekend. Analysis from Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Malie Coyne, contextualises the issue, and further hammers home the importance of looking out for our frontline workers.

In the Swastika's Shadow: Ireland and the Holocaust

Producer James Wilson looks at the darkest chapter in European history - the murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany.  But what impact did this genocide have on Ireland? In the Swastika’s Shadow: Ireland and the Holocaust explores how the Irish State dealt with Hitler, the Jewish community’s fight for survival and the heroism of the Irish people who resisted the Nazis.  Containing interviews with three Holocaust survivors, film director Lenny Abrahamson and former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, In the Swastika’s Shadow casts new light on this harrowing chapter in Irish history. Music provided by celloist Patrick Dexter and the Amsterdam Sinfonietta orchestra.  This documentary contains conversations that some listeners may find upsetting.