Hands (TV series)

*Hands*
Hands
Genre	Documentary, biography
Written by	Benedict Kiely; Ray McAnally
Directed by	David Shaw-Smith
Narrated by	Benedict Kiely
Composers	Jolyon Jackson, Paddy Glacken, Matt Molloy
Country of origin	Republic of Ireland
Original languages	English, Irish
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	37
Production
Producer	David Shaw-Smith
Running time	24–27 minutes
Original release
Network	RTÉ1
Release	1978 –; 1989
Related
	In Good Hands;

Hands is an Irish television documentary series broadcast by RTÉ between 1978 and 1989, covering traditional Irish crafts.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Production

Creator David Shaw-Smith began with Telefís Éireann in the 1960s, working as a cameraman with Gerrit van Gelderen and became an independent filmmaker in the early 1970s. he and his wife Sally, an illustrator, travelled Ireland in a VW van recording traditional craftsmen.^[5]

Episodes

No.	Episode title & topic	Narrated by	Original release date
1	Wool Spinning	Seamus Ó Catháin	7 April 1978 (1978-04-07)
2	Irish Patchwork	Seamus Ó Catháin	2 July 1981 (1981-07-02)
3	Irish Lace	Mairead Reynolds	1 April 1983 (1983-04-01)
4	Irish Embroidery	Linda Ballard	1 May 1989 (1989-05-01)
5	Donegal Weavers^[6]	Ray McAnally	8 March 1980 (1980-03-08)
6	Dublin Woolen Mill	Ray McAnally	19 June 1981 (1981-06-19)
7	Donegal Carpets	Ray McAnally	24 April 1979 (1979-04-24)
8	Tailor	Benedict Kiely	5 May 1979 (1979-05-05)
9	English Silk	Alec Taylor	4 March 1985 (1985-03-04)
10	Carriage Building	Seamus Ó Catháin	May 1978 (1978-05)
11	Cavan Cabinetmakers	Benedict Kiely	1980 (1980)
12	Cavan Cooper	Ray McAnally	5 June 1981 (1981-06-05)
13	Chair Maker John Surlis	Benedict Kiely	1 March 1980 (1980-03-01)
14	Dublin's Viking Longship	Éamonn Mac Thomáis	1988 (1988)
15	Harp Making	Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin	1989 (1989)
16	Hurlmaking	Diarmaid Ó Muirithe	1983 (1983)
17	Irish Spinning Wheel Making	Ben Kiely	1991 (1991)
18	Shannon One Design	Ben Kiely	1988 (1988)
19	Carley's Bridge Potteries	Ray McAnally	1980 (1980)
20	Belleek Potteries	Benedict Kiely	1987 (1987)
21	Clay Pipe Works	Diarmuid Ó Muirithe	1983 (1983)
22	A Dublin Silversmith	Éamonn Mac Thomáis	1980 (1980)
23	Powers of the Metal	Diarmuid Ó Muirithe	1989 (1989)
24	Stone	Éamonn Mac Thomáis	1981 (1981)
25	Dublin's Workhorses	Éamonn Mac Thomáis	1983 (1983)
26	Shoe Making	Ray McAnally	1979 (1979)
27	A Dublin Bookbinder	Dr. Maurice Craig	1981 (1981)
28	The Saddler	Brian McSharry	20 May 1983 (1983-05-20)
29	Curraghs	Seamus Ó Catháin	1978 (1978)
30	Rushwork	Seamus Ó Catháin	1989 (1989)
31	Basketmaking	Andy O'Mahony	1978 (1978)
32	Wexford Thatcher	Diarmuid Ó Muirithe	1981 (1981)
33	Fermanagh Country	Benedict Kiely	1980 (1980)
34	Stoneground	Andy O’Mahony	1978 (1978)
35	A Dublin Candlemaker	Éamonn Mac Thomáis	1982 (1982)
36	Of Bees & Bee Skeps	Diarmuid Ó Muirithe	1983 (1983)
37	Lighthouse Crafts^[7]^[8]	Dick Warner	1989 (1989)

Legacy

Hands has been described as one of "Ireland’s favourite" television programs, and has been rebroadcast several times to the extent that it is one of the "most broadcast" RTÉ productions.^[9]^[10]

Harvey O'Brien, in his The Real Ireland: The Evolution of Ireland in Documentary Film (2004), said "The series was marked by its close-up observation of the techniques involved, and though lacking an explicit social commentary always gave the sense that these skills were gradually disappearing.".^[11]

For over 20 years, the original film sat in tea chests in a barn in Creagh, County Mayo. In March 2013 archivists packed all 1,800 film cans into storage containers and brought them to the RTÉ Archives.^[10]

In 2013, it was revisited in the series In Good Hands.^[12]

From Christmas 2021 all programmes online at RTE Player to celebrate 60 Years of Television.^{[clarification needed]}

References

^ O'Brien, Harvey (22 March 2018). The Real Ireland: The Evolution of Ireland in Documentary Film. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9780719069079 – via Google Books.
^ "Old hands at film-making". The Irish Times.
^ Byrne, Terry (1 January 1997). Power in the Eye: An Introduction to Contemporary Irish Film. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810832961 – via Google Books.
^ "BM/E's World Broadcast News". Broadband Information Services. 1 May 1982 – via Google Books.
^ "About - Hands".
^ "Donegal Weavers Are 'In Good Hands' with New RTE Series! – Donegal Daily". www.donegaldaily.com. 16 May 2013.
^ "Hands Series - Cottageology - Irish Cottages & Culture". 5 May 2010.
^ "Others - Hands".
^ McLysaght, Emer (4 August 2013). "What's the greatest episode of Irish television, ever?". The Daily Edge.
^ ^a ^b Cummins, Steve (5 April 2012). "RTÉ Revisits 'Hands' Series, GMarsh Begin Production". The Irish Film & Television Network.
^ O'Brien, Harvey (22 March 2018). The Real Ireland: The Evolution of Ireland in Documentary Film. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9780719069079 – via Google Books.
^ "Watch In Good Hands on RTÉ Player". RTÉ.ie. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.

External links

[1] O'Brien, Harvey (22 March 2018). The Real Ireland: The Evolution of Ireland in Documentary Film. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9780719069079 – via Google Books.

[2] "Old hands at film-making". The Irish Times.

[3] Byrne, Terry (1 January 1997). Power in the Eye: An Introduction to Contemporary Irish Film. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810832961 – via Google Books.

[4] "BM/E's World Broadcast News". Broadband Information Services. 1 May 1982 – via Google Books.

[5] "About - Hands".

[6] "Donegal Weavers Are 'In Good Hands' with New RTE Series! – Donegal Daily". www.donegaldaily.com. 16 May 2013.

[7] "Hands Series - Cottageology - Irish Cottages & Culture". 5 May 2010.

[8] "Others - Hands".

[9] McLysaght, Emer (4 August 2013). "What's the greatest episode of Irish television, ever?". The Daily Edge.

[iftn.ie-10] Cummins, Steve (5 April 2012). "RTÉ Revisits 'Hands' Series, GMarsh Begin Production". The Irish Film & Television Network.

[11] O'Brien, Harvey (22 March 2018). The Real Ireland: The Evolution of Ireland in Documentary Film. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9780719069079 – via Google Books.

[12] "Watch In Good Hands on RTÉ Player". RTÉ.ie. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.

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