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THE LYRIC FEATURE

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John Quinn began working in RTÉ as Education Officer in 1975 and became radio producer in 1977.  For the next quarter of a century he produced and presented many memorable programmes for RTÉ Radio 1 including the forward looking Open Mind series of interviews with prominent educators, philosophers, performers, scientists and leaders from various other walks of life. Throughout the month of June the Lyric Feature celebrates John’s work as a radio documentary maker whose programmes across a range of topics achieve a rare authentic simplicity which belies the artfulness of their construction.

Welcome to the Fun Palace

In this programme, first broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 in 1998, the German cabaret artist and performer Agnes Bernelle recalls her extraordinary life and times from her childhood in Berlin to exile in London and her marriages and career in Ireland. Best remembered for her interpretation of classic German political cabaret songs, she also appeared in films and theatre. Her first album ‘Bernelle on Brecht and…’ was produced by Phil Chevron and released in 1977. Subsequent albums included ‘Father’s Lying Dead on the Ironing Board’ and ‘Mother, The Wardrobe is full of Infantrymen’. Her autobiography ‘The Fun Palace’ was published by Lilliput in 1996. In 1998 she celebrated her 75th birthday with a performance of songs, accompanied by Peter O’Brien on piano, at the National Concert Hall in Dublin. In ‘Welcome to the Fun Palace’ we hear music from that concert and the artist herself in conversation with John Quinn. It was to be one of her last interviews. She died on the 15th February 1999.

RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 16th June, 6pm-7pm