Local people to feature in new series of TG4 show Turas Bóthair

The third series of Turas Bóthair airs on TG4 on Thursdays at 8pm.

This series features six people from Derry - friends Alannah Furlong and Cara Park, Ciarán Mac Cearáin and Gearalt Ó Mianáin and Tomas Ó Donghaile and Pádraig Ó Mianáin.

Small cameras are set up in dozens of cars across Ireland, allowing us to eavesdrop on real conversations as they happen.

Moments of joy and sadness, comedy and tragedy, love and loss, friendship and romance, despair and hope are promised as drivers and passengers share their personal stories and views on love, relationships, sex, technology, illness, women’s rights and much, much more.

The series provides hugely revealing insights into the Irish psyche, a unique slice of life normally hidden behind closed doors.

Turas Bóthair was filmed on location in Counties Donegal, Kerry, Mayo, Galway, Antrim and Derry with support from NI Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund.

Among the subjects discussed by those featured are cannabis oil, hipsters, conspiracy theories, marriage and e-cigarettes.

The participants also touch on experiences of online gambling, technology, transgender rights, racism in Ireland and refugees.

Local woman Cara Park said she was approached by the production company to take part in the six-part series.

“I have done bits and bobs for the production company over the years and I am the go-to weird Gaeilgeoir from Derry, because I’m not shy about sharing my opinions!”

“The Irish language community is quite small so we all tend to know each other.”

Cara travels along with Alannah Furlong in the show. The women, who met during their work in An Culturlann, are firm friends and the conversations they have which are featured in the show are typical for them.

“We have known each other for a long time and Alannah dances for my band Ar An Tábla. We have spent a lot of time in the car this summer travelling to different gigs and festivals and these are all-natural conversations we would have while on the road.”

Cara describes the show as ‘Gogglebox, but in a car instead of watching TV’.

With six participants from Derry, Cara said the city and Irish language speakers from the North will get lots of exposure.

“This will be a really positive representation of Ulster Irish speakers who speak Irish every single day.”