Furious prison officers are refusing to cooperate with a new RTE documentary by Dublin GAA star Philly McMahon at Mountjoy prison.
They are angry with the way they are being portrayed during filming and have pulled out of a proposed Gaelic football game between prisoners and wardens at Croke Park. Relations became so bad, the Mountjoy branch of the Irish Prison Officers Association issued a directive for all members not to have anything to do with the project.
It stated: “Owing to recent events surrounding the RTE documentary film crew taking place we the Mountjoy Branch is hereby issuing a directive to all members to not engage with the RTE documentary currently underway, this includes all volunteering to take part in said documentary and the scheduled football match.“
Read more: Woman dies following house fire in north Dublin
RTE were given special permission to film inside the jail by the Mountjoy governor Edward Mullins and the former MInister for Justice Helen McEntee. They wanted to show life inside the jail and how Ballymun native and all Ireland legend McMahon was helping to rehabilitate prisoners whose lives had been ruined by drug addiction through sports.
Comedian Rory O’Connor is also heavily involved in the project which is supposed to reach a climax with a friendly Gaelic football match, possibly at Croke Park. However the prison officers now want to boycott the match.
A prison source said: “We have asked all members not to have anything to do with the Gaelic football match or any future filming of this programme.” The TV series is due to be screened by RTE next autumn.
A source close to the documentary makers said: “We are disappointed that the prison officers got upset and have withdrawn their co-operation. The film team never intended to upset anybody.
“The only people losing out from the POA directive are the 15 lads due to play a game in Croke Park, which is a great pity.
“RTE filmed for the last ten weeks in Mountjoy and there had been no issue up until now. We hope the prison officers change their mind and take part in the GAA match against the prisoners.”
The Prison Officers Association said it has sought a meeting with the Director General of the Irish Prison Service to discuss the documentary. The Irish Prison Service and RTE declined to comment.
Read next:
Festive plants and other hazards can poison children over Christmas, HSE warns
Barretstown transforms former Dublin Bus into exciting play space for children
Dublin doctor sees spike in cases of hypothermia in older people in unheated homes
Popular Dublin restaurant offers reward for stolen bear 'no questions asked'
'We looked for our Christmas outfits in charity shops - and got unreal bargains'
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
