The 2015 perservation project was unable to find elements for the Croagh Patrick and Mass Rock segments of this very early broadcast, but their intended content, style and position within the programme structure can be visualised from the original production documents shown. The original studio link for ‘Men’s Sodality’ has also been substituted with a close match from a later re-broadcast of the same item.

Croagh Patrick The opening story of Radharc’s first broadcast began on the summit of Ireland’s holy mountain, Croagh Patrick. It followed the progress of barefoot pilgrims who seemed to find peace and a sense of accomplishment through their act of prayer and penance. Even without the film itself to view it is still possible to construct a glimpse of its intended form between the opening and closing voice-overs and the camera shot lists provided here.

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Men’s Sodality Inspired by the rebuilding of the Lady of Lourdes Church of Gloucester Street, Father O’Sullivan sent his volunteers out into what were considered some of old Dublin’s toughest neighbourhoods on a recruitment drive for the Men’s Sodality. Pursuing new members door to door, though public houses and football matches, Mr Cummins, Mr Darcy, Mr Corbally and their comrades describe the tactics that increased attendance at the Sodality’s Sunday Mass tenfold. The photography features panaromic rooftop views of a working class Dublin that lived “… behind the shadow of Nelson’s Pillar, behind the department stores and neon-lighted cinemas…”

Mass Rock A story of resilience during a long period of religious persecution in Ireland known as the ‘Penal Times’, when the saying of Roman Catholic Mass required altar stones in discreet locations. A system of locally understood signals were used to let it be known when a ceremony was due, or if danger approached. The form of this segment may be gleaned from a remaining draft of the opening voice-over script (partial) and the solemnity of its style inferred from instructions provided to the broadcasting sound technician, below.

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