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POLAITÍOCHT: Power On The Box

Power in the Box potb-harry-8 Image Name: Power in the Box potb-harry-8
Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee potb-harry-7 Image Name: Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee potb-harry-7
Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee potb-harry-3 Image Name: Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee potb-harry-3
Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee harrymcgeewhitehouse Image Name: Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee harrymcgeewhitehouse
Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee potb_harry2 Image Name: Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee potb_harry2
Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee potb-harry-4 Image Name: Polaitíocht : Power On The Box Presenter Harry McGee potb-harry-4
polaitiocht-mhr michael healy rae with Harry McGee Image Name: polaitiocht-mhr michael healy rae with Harry McGee
polaitiocht-michael healy rae with Harry McGee 4 Image Name: polaitiocht-michael healy rae with Harry McGee 4
Episode 2:
An ill-fated appearance on television has swung many an election and in the second episode of this landmark series, the focus turns to the successful presidential campaign of Mary Robinson, recalling and analysing the backfiring TV interventions of Pádraig Flynn and Brian Lenihan.

Presenter Harry McGee spends a day with Michael Healy Rae in his native Kilgarvan  in County Kerry.  They discuss the role of television in shaping perceptions and in catapulting  local politicians onto the national radar.

Later, Harry is a fly-on-the-wall with Labour politican Aodhán O’Riordan as he travels to contribute to a live televised debate during the 2016 general election.

It is over a quarter of a century since cameras first entered the Dáil and the impact of the cameras on parliamentary conduct is also put under the microsope.  Prepare for some memorable soundbytes and colourful language from Paul Gogarty, Bertie Ahern, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and David Norris.

Series Overview:
What impact has television had on Irish democracy?  55 years after the establishment of Teilifís Eireann and in the wake of historic elections on both sides of the Atlantic, it is timely to assess if television has purified or perverted the way in which our politicians perform their public duties.
In the chamber, on the campaign trail, in the count centre and in gladiatorial debate, did the unrelenting glare of the audience hold our public representatives to account or to ransom?
POLAITÍOCHT: Power On The Box tells this rollercoaster story.
Authored by Harry McGee of The Irish Times, it is the tale of how TV changed Irish politics forever.
It transports us from Kennedy’s iconic address to the Dáil in 1962 to Seán Gallagher’s debate meltdown in 2011. It reminds us of Charlie asking us to tighten our belts and Gerry Collins imploring Albert not to “burst up the party”.  We are again eyewitnesses to skirmishes in the Dáil chamber; like Paul Gogarty’s “F*** you, Deputy Stagg”,  David Norris’ “Regina monologues” and Bertie Ahern’s “You’re a waffler”. We will again enjoy iconic ardfheiseanna and blow-for-blow leaders debates.  We will parse over the rise of the spindoctor (“I’m glad you asked me that question”) and track the imposition and later lifting of Section 31.
Finally, POLAITÍOCHT: Power On The Box  tracks the role of the twitterati in swinging the course of our elections.   In an era of historic general elections,  the documentary asks whether social media and citizen journalism will once again allow the people to own politics, unfiltered and unmediated.