The Estate

Description

Written, developed and voiced by older people in County Cork, the “The Estate” is a ten-part radio soap opera that aired on community and local radio. Each episode was thirteen minutes.
The project was funded by Cork County Council and Creative Ireland. It was facilitated by writer, director and producer Katie Holly. It was written and recorded by ten participants from locations all over Cork including Carrigaline, Fermoy, Baile Bhuirne, the Beara Peninsula, Blarney, Kinsale, Ballyhea and Charleville. The participants, who range in age from 55 to 75 years old were invited to take part in the project through the Muintir na Tíre Cultural Companions programme, open calls in Cork County Libraries and though Age Action groups.
“The Estate” follows the challenges of the Dillon Family, a fictional group of people in the throes of change and disruption. Widowed matriarch Lily is failing physically and mentally; her grown children Barbara, Mags, Molly, Sean and James struggle to find a way to care for her, while still serving their own desires. Power shifts, secrets are revealed, and personal failings lead to some truly abysmal decision making in this family that ultimately wants the same things for each other – safety, contentment, and love.
The core aim of the Radio Soap Opera Project was to platform older people’s voices and life experiences, to their peers and the wider community. To achieve this, the participants who had never made a radio soap opera before, met weekly with Katie Holly in Cork County Hall, and explored different aspects of storytelling through the radio soap opera format while devising and developing ideas for their own series, “The Estate”.
As part of the weekly meetings, the group listened to excerpts from classic Irish radio soap operas such as the Kennedys of Castleross which aired on RTE radio for 18 years and discussed the issues they felt were relevant and interesting enough in the 21st century to be included in a modern story.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Joe Carroll applauded the participants, saying “It can be daunting developing a new skill, and I commend the group for their creativity and dedication to this project. “The Estate” is a heartfelt and often times humorous portrayal of family dynamics and retaining autonomy while living with dementia.”
Upon completion of the writing process, the participants worked with producer Naomi Daly, director John O’Brien to record and voice “The Estate” in Kitten Lane Studios, Cork City.
“The Estate” was broadcast on CUH FM and Bere Island Community Radio. The first episode aired on Bere Island Community Radio at 1pm on Sunday March 23rd. it is now available on Cork County Council’s SoundCloud.

Aim of Initiative

This project co-develops and presents high quality and ambitious creative work by older people
It creates a space for social connection. The workshops were inclusive, paced to meet participants where they are at and to celebrate the small wins and achievements that are part of the creative process whilst learning from the setbacks that are also unfortunately part of the process in a safe supportive environment.
It platformed the voices of the participants in a public arena in a positive way, promoting creativity in older age.
By participating in a group activity, attending regular workshops and showcasing new skills and creativity, the project aimed to contribute to quality of life, lower loneliness, depression, worry and perceived stress which were highlighted as being significantly higher for people who do not engage in creative activities in the recent TILDA study.

Who is it aimed at

People over 55 in Cork who were interested in writing and performing in a radio play.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Securing funding from Creative Ireland that aligned with our aims to celebrate creativity in older age.
2. Engaging the appropriate facilitator, Katie Holly, who had the experience and knowledge to support the participants throughout the process.
3. Working to ensure the group got to know each other, trusted each other and the time and space to express their individual creativity, differences and experiences whilst also being supported to work together as a cohesive team.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Finding the right radio stations to broadcast the series, as most stations do not present long form or works in series.
2. Working around people’s schedules to record the series.
3. Ensuring that the intention of the project was communicated appropriately at participant recruitment stage, in order for people to see that they would be welcome to take part.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. A group of older people working together over several months to create a new radio soap opera, the Estate, facilitated by Katie Holly.
2. A finished piece of work recorded to professional standard, broadcast on community radio and Cork County Council’s Soundcloud.
3. Participants’ increased confidence in their creative abilities, sense of pride and accomplishment, new friends made.