Irish Holocaust as Subject of Comedy Series? Here's How You Can Voice Your Objection

Screenwriter Hugh Travers is now writing Hungry, a sitcom about the famine commissioned by Channel 4 in Ireland.  Hungry came  came about after Channel 4 read one of the 31-year-old Dubliner's other scripts and gave him an open commission for a sitcom. “Any idea I wanted – which was a massive opportunity and at the same time, seriously daunting,” he told The Irish Times.

Why the famine? “Well, they say ‘comedy equals tragedy plus time’,” he says, laughing. “I don’t want to do anything that denies the suffering that people went through, but Ireland has always been good at black humour. We’re kind of thinking of it as Shameless in famine Ireland.”

This is an insult and an affront to the Irish, especially those who suffered, died or had to emigrate.

Here is the link to sign the petition to not allow the Irish Holocaust to become the subject of a comedy series! Please pass this on to friends and family also in order to gather as many signatures as possible.

Thank you.

Views: 2224

Tags: An Gorta Mor, Famine, Great Hunger, TV, Television

Comment by Kelly O'Rourke on January 5, 2015 at 7:05am

I agree, Fiona.  There is a dangerous trend afoot of under-informed boycotting/petition signing across a range of issues.  I only have a certain amount of outrage, and I'm not going to deploy it over this.  Clearly there are strong emotions on this topic, and I don't envy the writer the task of navigating these waters.  I do appreciate all the views shared.  I hope the producers will take them into consideration and make something worth watching.

Comment by Jarlath MacNamara on January 5, 2015 at 11:29am

Hello - Ive read most of the comments including those proposing the contra opinions and I get really worried when I see those who are nervous about about Art or those worried about Censorship when the basic argument about all projects such as this is- IS IT RIGHT OR WRONG . Not is this writers rights been interfered with . Not whether there is an interference with ART . Did the starving have a right to food or the right to die peacefully . Do the starved have the right to lay in peace without others coming along and suggesting that "lets party , lets have a laugh " adding quickly "sure we mean no harm - We will still pray for you in the commercial breaks" . Remember in Ireland we have the saying about not "dancing on someones grave ". Next time all of you lucky enough to live beside that wonderful monument to the famine at the Hudson  have a chance . Drop in , sit down , oh and crack a few jokes , break out a beer , ask someone you never met did you hear about the one from Galway or Cork or wherever who died in the famine ? See how many high fives you get . Or what about the woman who had 11 children and lost 4 on the way over .  I am not a religous zealot in any way .  Like you all I have a deep love for Ireland and those that have gone before us , and an admiration for America and what America did for our ancestors . On decency alone there is no debate and none should be allowed . Next time you look at Lady Liberty think about the women that came to America who could only get jobs as household help or as prostitutes - I feel another joke coming on , starting with "there was a woman called Brigid , .......... But I guess thats what some call Art and others call indecent !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by John W. Hurley on January 5, 2015 at 2:20pm

I wouldn't consider boycotting a dumb idea as censorship just....boycotting. He will be free to write what he pleases regardless of any petition. However another point, I would think, is why would a British government owned TV station actually want to support a comedy about a an attempt to exterminate the Irish people. And let's not kid ourselves: the number who died exceeded 1 million. Even as it was happening Irishmen felt that 2 million had died and warned that even then the British government was trying to downplay the number of deaths. Clearly certain British interests have way too much say in brainwashing the Irish public, whether in the educational system, Peter Hart's now debunked, "The IRA and its Enemies" or those who censored Sinn Fein back in the 80's. The flip side of the danger of censorship is letting those who want to d it, lie to you about your history in order to continue to control you and your children and "keep them in their place".

Comment by Patdee Mullarkey on January 17, 2015 at 10:10am

another aspect of the horrors of the famine was the impact on the already terrible workhouses

http://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/features/the-kilkenny-workhou...

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