In the second part of the series, Radio Producer Brian Kenny travels to Myanmar (formerly Burma) to trace the history of the Irish Columban Missionaries who have lived and worked there since 1936, in: The Kachin Hills
Despite being surrounded by rich neighboring countries which are undergoing significant economic growth, Burma is the largest and poorest country in mainland southeast Asia. Governed through martial law from 1962 until the general elections in 2010, Burma, now known as Myanmar is still a nation struggling with its past. There is a strong Irish link to this land through the Columban Missionaries who worked there for many years among the indigenous Kachin people.
The Columbans first arrived in Burma in 1936 and some of them never left, from Fr Tommy Murphy who was killed by a bomb during WW2 to Fr John Walsh who was murdered whilst working in a Kachin parish while they were at war with the Burmese army.
The Columbans continued to work there until they were expelled and in recent years they have returned with the Columbans sisters setting up a HIV centre in the original area they worked.
Documentary maker Brian Kenny travelled to Myanmar to trace the Columbans history here and found that not only are they well remembered but they are currently engaged in crucial work among the Kachin people who are still struggling in a area, highly sought after because of its natural resources.
Brian arrived during a curfew in a tense Mandalay city where he visits the site of the Columbans internment during WW2 and meets Fr Neill Magill who has set up a school in the premises. From here he travels to the Kachin lands where he encounters the story of the Columbans told by the local people.
CREDITS: ‘The Kachin Hills’ was Produced by Brian Kenny with the assistance of Malachy Smyth. The programme was Edited by Brian Kenny.
BROADCAST DETAILS: ‘The Kachin Hills’ will be broadcast on Newstalk 106-108fm this weekend, Saturday 31st January at 7am, and repeated at 10am on Sunday 1st February.
'The Kachin Hills' can be listened to live online at www.newstalk.com
Podcast available at: www.newstalk.com/documentaryonnewstalk after the broadcast.
