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Heist (Irish TV series)
Encyclopedia
Heist is a three-part Irish
crime
documentary series broadcast on RTÉ One
. It examined three memorable and notorious large-scale crimes committed in the country and was broadcast on a sequence of Tuesday evenings in July 2008 at 21:35. The series is produced by RTÉ Archive Unit.
The first programme focused on the Real IRA
's (RIRA) attempted robbery of a Securicor vehicle in County Wicklow
. The second programme examined the 1995 Brinks Allied Heist in which an armed gang robbed £2.8 million from a Dublin depot in Ireland's most expensive cash raid. The final programme detailed the history of Russborough House
, the Irish estate owned by the now dead Sir Alfred Beit
, and from which priceless works have been robbed on four separate occasions since 1974. That year, an IRA gang stole nineteen paintings with an estimated value of £8 million including a Vermeer
, a Goya
, two Gainsboroughs
and three Rubens
. Beit and one of his staff members were struck by revolver
s and then tied up in their library
. Then in May 1986, £30 million worth of paintings were stolen by the prominent Dublin criminal Martin Cahill
. Most of these were recovered in the United Kingdom
and Belgium
following an international police operation.
gave a lukewarm response to what he viewed as RTÉ's "latest gimmick" in borrowing "one-word movie titles" for its documentaries. He thought its parodying of the David Mamet
film of the same name
was "somewhat spoiled" with its replacement of the actor Gene Hackman
with RTÉ's Crime Correspondent, Paul Reynolds
in the lead role and by the replacement of the sidekick Danny DeVito
with RTÉ's Political Correspondent, David Davin-Power
.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
documentary series broadcast on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
. It examined three memorable and notorious large-scale crimes committed in the country and was broadcast on a sequence of Tuesday evenings in July 2008 at 21:35. The series is produced by RTÉ Archive Unit.
The first programme focused on the Real IRA
Real Irish Republican Army
The Real Irish Republican Army, otherwise known as the Real IRA , and styling itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann , is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation which aims to bring about a united Ireland...
's (RIRA) attempted robbery of a Securicor vehicle in County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
. The second programme examined the 1995 Brinks Allied Heist in which an armed gang robbed £2.8 million from a Dublin depot in Ireland's most expensive cash raid. The final programme detailed the history of Russborough House
Russborough House
Russborough House is a stately house situated near the Blessington Lakes in County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Blessington and Ballymore Eustace and is reputed to be the longest house in Ireland, with a frontage measuring 210 m/700 ft...
, the Irish estate owned by the now dead Sir Alfred Beit
Sir Alfred Beit, 2nd Baronet
Sir Alfred Lane Beit, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative Party politician, art collector and philanthropist and honorary Irish citizen.-Family background:...
, and from which priceless works have been robbed on four separate occasions since 1974. That year, an IRA gang stole nineteen paintings with an estimated value of £8 million including a Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime...
, a Goya
Francisco Goya
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown, and through his works was both a commentator on and chronicler of his era...
, two Gainsboroughs
Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter.-Suffolk:Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. He was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woolen goods. At the age of thirteen he impressed his father with his penciling skills so that he let...
and three Rubens
Rubens
Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens , the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens (composer) Rubens is...
. Beit and one of his staff members were struck by revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
s and then tied up in their library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
. Then in May 1986, £30 million worth of paintings were stolen by the prominent Dublin criminal Martin Cahill
Martin Cahill
Martin "The General" Cahill was a prominent Irish criminal from Dublin.Cahill generated a certain notoriety in the media, which referred to him by the sobriquet "The General". The name was also used by the media in order to discuss Cahill's activities while avoiding legal problems with libel...
. Most of these were recovered in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
following an international police operation.
Reaction
John Boland of the Irish IndependentIrish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
gave a lukewarm response to what he viewed as RTÉ's "latest gimmick" in borrowing "one-word movie titles" for its documentaries. He thought its parodying of the David Mamet
David Mamet
David Alan Mamet is an American playwright, essayist, screenwriter and film director.Best known as a playwright, Mamet won a Pulitzer Prize and received a Tony nomination for Glengarry Glen Ross . He also received a Tony nomination for Speed-the-Plow . As a screenwriter, he received Oscar...
film of the same name
Heist (film)
Heist is a 2001 crime film, written and directed by David Mamet, which stars Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ricky Jay, and Sam Rockwell.-Plot:...
was "somewhat spoiled" with its replacement of the actor Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman is an American actor and novelist.Nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two, Hackman has also won three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs in a career that spanned five decades. He first came to fame in 1967 with his performance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde...
with RTÉ's Crime Correspondent, Paul Reynolds
Paul Reynolds (RTE journalist)
Paul Reynolds is an Irish journalist. He has been on the main RTÉ News and Current Affairs programmes, in both television and radio, almost daily for over a decade....
in the lead role and by the replacement of the sidekick Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
with RTÉ's Political Correspondent, David Davin-Power
David Davin-Power
David Davin-Power is an Irish journalist from Dublin, Ireland. He is currently political correspondent with RTÉ News and Current Affairs.Davin-Power was one of the first presenters of Morning Ireland, along with David Hanly. He is also a former Northern Ireland Editor for RTÉ News and Current...
.