Lelia Doolan
Encyclopedia
Lelia Doolan, is an Irish producer.
Doolan was born in Cork in 1934. She studied French and German at University College Dublin
, where she won a scholarship to study at the Brecht Theatre in Germany.
She presented and acted in shows on the newly established RTÉ
in 1961 but soon moved into a role as producer/director, after training in the United States. She was responsible for the establishment of The Riordans
rural soap opera.
She became concerned at the one sided nature of the material being received from USA only and broadcast by RTÉ on the Vietnam War
and attempted to send a 7 Days
film crew there from Ireland but they were prevented from traveling at Dublin Airport
by direct Irish government action.
She was once described by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid
as "mad, bad, and dangerous".
Shortly after being made head of light entertainment, Doolan resigned in protest at the political and commercial policies of RTÉ.
Doolan became artistic director of the Abbey Theatre for two years before studying for her PhD in Anthropology at Queens University. While she was there, she also worked in community video and adult education in Belfast. Her unpublished Ph.D. thesis at Belfast Queen's University in 1977 was "Elements of the Sacred and Dramatic in Some Belfast Urban Enclaves"
She taught at the College of Commerce, Rathmines (now part of the DIT
) between 1979 and 1988, where she established and was head of the first Irish course in Media Communications, teaching Bryan Dobson
(news anchor), Fergus Tighe (film director), Anne Cassin
(newsreader), and Ned O'Hanlon (U2 and Rolling Stones video director) amongst others.
In 1987 she produced Reefer and the Model, with director Joe Comerford. In April 1993 she was appointed chairperson of the Irish Film Board
, a role she filled for three years before retiring. She was also a founder and director of the Galway Film Fleadh.
She is the sister of Catherine McGuinness
, president of the Irish Law Reform Commission.
She has been a prominent defender of LGBT
rights.
She was involved in opposing both the Burren Interpretative Centre and the Corrib Gas pipeline. She lives in Kilcolgan near Galway
where she tends a herb and vegetable garden.
Lelia Doolan's new documentary in 2011 ‘Bernadette: Notes on a Political Journey' will screen at the 2011 BFI London Film Festival.
Doolan was born in Cork in 1934. She studied French and German at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, where she won a scholarship to study at the Brecht Theatre in Germany.
She presented and acted in shows on the newly established RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
in 1961 but soon moved into a role as producer/director, after training in the United States. She was responsible for the establishment of The Riordans
The Riordans
The Riordans was the second Irish soap opera made by Raidio Telefís Éireann . It ran from 1965 to 1979 and was set in the fictional townland of Leestown in County Kilkenny...
rural soap opera.
She became concerned at the one sided nature of the material being received from USA only and broadcast by RTÉ on the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and attempted to send a 7 Days
7 Days (Ireland)
7 Days was a Radio Telefís Éireann current affairs programme presented by Brian Farrell, Brian Cleeve and John O'Donoghue and broadcast in Ireland from 1966 until 1976.-Background:...
film crew there from Ireland but they were prevented from traveling at Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
by direct Irish government action.
She was once described by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid, C.S.Sp. was the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland between December 1940 and February 1972.- Early life 1895-1914:...
as "mad, bad, and dangerous".
Shortly after being made head of light entertainment, Doolan resigned in protest at the political and commercial policies of RTÉ.
Doolan became artistic director of the Abbey Theatre for two years before studying for her PhD in Anthropology at Queens University. While she was there, she also worked in community video and adult education in Belfast. Her unpublished Ph.D. thesis at Belfast Queen's University in 1977 was "Elements of the Sacred and Dramatic in Some Belfast Urban Enclaves"
She taught at the College of Commerce, Rathmines (now part of the DIT
DIT
DIT is a three letter abbreviation that can mean:*Defining Issues Test - a quantitative test of moral reasoning by James Rest*Dehradun Institute of Technology, Dehradun - a premier engineering college of India*Delhi Institute of Technology...
) between 1979 and 1988, where she established and was head of the first Irish course in Media Communications, teaching Bryan Dobson
Bryan Dobson
Bryan Dobson is a newscaster with RTÉ in Ireland. He has presented RTÉ News: Six One for almost 15 years. He previously presented RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock.-Early life:...
(news anchor), Fergus Tighe (film director), Anne Cassin
Anne Cassin
Anne Cassin is an Irish journalist and newscaster.Her career started with Dublin pirate radio station, Radio Nova in 1982. She presented a nightly news programme Dublin Today with fellow RTÉ newscaster Bryan Dobson. She has worked as a journalist in RTÉ for many years covering current affairs,...
(newsreader), and Ned O'Hanlon (U2 and Rolling Stones video director) amongst others.
In 1987 she produced Reefer and the Model, with director Joe Comerford. In April 1993 she was appointed chairperson of the Irish Film Board
Irish Film Board
The Irish Film Board is Ireland’s national film agency and major film funding body. It was recommended for abolition by the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes in 2009.-Formative years:...
, a role she filled for three years before retiring. She was also a founder and director of the Galway Film Fleadh.
She is the sister of Catherine McGuinness
Catherine McGuinness
Catherine McGuinness , is a former President of the Law Reform Commission and a former judge of the Circuit Court 1994-1996 , justice of the High Court 1996-2000 and Supreme Court of Ireland 2000-2006...
, president of the Irish Law Reform Commission.
She has been a prominent defender of LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
rights.
She was involved in opposing both the Burren Interpretative Centre and the Corrib Gas pipeline. She lives in Kilcolgan near Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
where she tends a herb and vegetable garden.
Lelia Doolan's new documentary in 2011 ‘Bernadette: Notes on a Political Journey' will screen at the 2011 BFI London Film Festival.
External links
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0233177/