New RTÉ show on Gaelic football in prison featuring Dublin GAA star and comedian

Obstacles to making a TV documentary about prisoners playing Gaelic football appear to have  overcome with the announcement by RTÉ that is set to be aired next week.

RTÉ says the documentary called Gaelic in the Joy follows Dublin GAA star Philly McMahon and comedian Rory O'Connor aka Rory's Stories as they run a unique educational and sports programme in Mountjoy Prison.

"Together they use their shared passion for Gaelic football and attempt to build a team from 10 men currently serving sentences in the Progression Unit to play a game against Mountjoy's prison officers," it said.

Philly and Rory are guests of Ryan Tubridy on The Late Late Show on RTÉ One on Friday, May 12 at 9:35 pm where they will talk about the show.

It was reported in late 2022 that furious prison officers were refusing to cooperate with the documentary fronted by Philly and Rory.

It quoted a circular sent to staff: “Owing to recent events surrounding the RTE documentary film crew taking place we the Mountjoy Branch is hereby issuing a directive to all members to not engage with the RTE documentary currently underway, this includes all volunteering to take part in said documentary and the scheduled football match".

The prison officers apparently withdrew from plans to play a match against the prisoners. It is not clear if a resolution was found or what caused the dispute.

The Irish Prison Service, the Prison Officers Association and RTÉ have so far declined to comment on whether the dispute was resolved. 

It was reported in 2018 that McMahon was visiting prisoners at Mountjoy Prison in an effort to help them to turn their lives around.

The Ballymun man began mentoring inmates at the prison's progression unit in early 2018.