A series of documentaries produced by MIC Media & Communications students were publicly aired for the first time at a special screening event in Dolan’s in Limerick recently. Now in it’s 24th year, the annual end-of-year screenings debut documentaries and advertisements which final-year Media students have spent a semester producing, shooting and editing.
The documentaries offer an insight into the lives of students facing different challenges and experiences, including mature students and their return to education, two female students balancing parenthood with full-time study, and three students with differing backgrounds and beliefs who discuss the prejudices they witness. In addition, the history of radio in Ireland is chronicled in one documentary, with another recording the invaluable work done by the Limerick Youth Service.
Radio in Ireland explores the history of radio in Ireland with a particular emphasis on the contemporary differences between community and commercial radio stations, taking SPIN SouthWest and Wired FM as key examples. This documentary, which features insight station managers, broadcasters and from Dr Rosemary Day, Head of Media & Communications Studies at MIC and a key figure in the Irish radio world, outlines the impact of new social media platforms on radio in Ireland.
The varying experiences of three MIC students from different backgrounds is explored in Out of the Box, which examines the concept of putting people into ‘a box’. Rebecca (an Irish Catholic), Charlie (a non-binary person), and Nhlanhla (a South African national) discuss how they are regularly metaphorically put into a box and give their opinions on prejudices they see in modern society, with additional perspective from MIC Social Psychology lecturer, Dr Mary Scully.
We are Limerick Youth Service brings us into the world of Limerick Youth Service and the incredible individuals who make it all possible. Through their tireless efforts, general manger Ka, teacher/trainers Ian and Sheila, and Youth Justice worker Frankie provide a safe haven for those in need and inspire the next generation to reach their dreams. This documentary is a celebration of the unwavering dedication of those who work behind the scenes of the Limerick Youth Service, with contributions from students Christopher and Erika.
Mature students Fran, Vick, Ellie and Derek guide us through their day-to-day academic lives and the reasons they returned to education in A Mature Perspective. Through their personal stories, the documentary sheds light on the challenges they face and the rewards of pursuing their dreams.
A Balancing Act offers an insight into the lives of student parents Leah and Kate and the tricky balancing act of being in college while raising a small child. This documentary looks at the impact of the pandemic and lockdown on these two young-women and the support offered by MIC’s Student Parent Co-Ordinator, Nicola Hurley.
Kate Davis, BA in Media & Communications and Psychology student, was involved in two of the documentaries; she directed, edited and provided the voice over for We Are Limerick Youth Service, in addition to being one of two students whose stories are told in A Balancing Act. Kate, who is from Thomondgate in Limerick, left school at the age of sixteen and returned to education and undertook the Leaving Certificate Applied programme with Limerick Youth Service. It was during her time with the Service that she found out she was pregnant. After giving birth to her son, Cullen, Kate completed her Leaving Certificate exams and then went on to study on the Bachelor of Arts programme at MIC.
Kate says the task of producing a documentary was a challenging one but the group worked well together throughout the process: “There was good comradery within the group and we all naturally fell into the roles that suited us best. There are always some obstacles when it comes to group work but I think we all genuinely enjoyed working together. We are all passionate about the topic and had a shared goal to create a piece that really gave recognition to LYS staff and to accurately portray their dedication which helped with the cooperation of the group.” Kate is due to graduate with her Bachelor of Arts in October and hopes to go on to a career in Adult Education.
You can find out more about MIC’s Department of Media & Communications Studies by clicking here.
