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Willie John: Rógaire Mór Dhoire

The true story of Derry City’s greatest conman, Bernard Gallagher, who was a national celebrity in the early 1900s despite being convicted more than 21 times for impersonation and theft.

Scéal an chleasaí ba mhó i nDoire ariamh. Bhí clú náisiúnta ar Bernard Gallagher (a raibh aithne air mar Willie John) ag tús na 1900idí cé gur ciontaíodh é níos mó ná 21 uair as pearsanú bréige agus gadaíocht.

Sa chlár faisnéise leathuaire seo le Macha Media do Â鶹ԼÅÄ Gaeilge, siúlann Dónall Mac Giolla Chóill i gcoiscéimeanna Gallagher agus fiosraíonn sé an dóigh gur éirigh le duine amháin an dubh a chur ina gheal ar mhuintir an iarthuaiscirt.

Eachtraí spleodracha a bhí ina chuid cásanna cúirte agus bhíodh slua mór i láthair go minic. Ach in ainneoin é bheith i mbéal an phobail, faigheann Dónall amach gur chaith Willie John an bhliain dheireanach dá shaol i dTeach na mBocht i nDoire. Agus é ag machnamh ar na rudaí a spreag Willie John, meabhraíonn Dónall gurbh í saint daoine somheallta ba chúis le rath an rógaire.

The true story of Derry’s greatest conman. Bernard Gallagher (aka Willie John) became a national celebrity in the early 1900s, even though he was convicted more than 21 times for false pretences and theft.

In this half-hour documentary by Macha Media for Â鶹ԼÅÄ Gaeilge, Dónall Mac Giolla Chóill follows in the footsteps of Gallagher and investigates how one man managed to hoax the people of the north west of Ireland.

Willie John’s court appearances were sensational affairs, with large crowds often in attendance. But despite Willie John's celebrity status, Dónall discovers that he spent the last year of his life in Derry’s poorhouse. As Dónall wonders what might have driven him to act as he did, he reflects that the greed of the gullible was the key to the success of Willie John.

29 minutes

Last on

Sun 3 Oct 2021 21:45