In the 1950s, German writer Heinrich Böll made several trips to Ireland, including several extended stays on Achill Island, recording his experiences and observations of a country firmly under the yoke of the Catholic church.
His writings were originally published as a series of newspaper articles, which he went on to adapt into a long-form book, Irish Journal. Böll’s writings had a significant influence on Ireland’s image abroad when originally published, and have subsequently become a touchstone of Irish travel writing.
In parallel with the IFI’s season “Rediscovering Margit Wagner”, IFI@Home presents “Mayo - God Help Us” (the title of Chapter 4 of Irish Journal), a collection of documentaries for August centred around the dual subjects of Irish coastal communities, and the enduring presence of the Catholic church in Irish society.
For more information on “Rediscovering Margit Wager”, click here.
