Love stories told in new series

Get ready to see some romance, love triangles and affairs in a new television series exploring iconic love stories throughout Irish history.

From the stormy passion of the 'Pirate Queen' Grace O'Malley to Oscar Wilde's scandalous affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, the upcoming series will show the greatest romances of iconic people.

‘Scéalta Grá na hÉireann’ will premiere with perhaps Ireland’s greatest and most tragic love story, the love triangle between Michael Collins, Kitty Kiernan and Collins’ best friend Harry Boland.

Michael Collins and Kitty Kiernan kept their love alive through the 300 letters they exchanged between 1919 and 1922.

These correspondences offer an insight into a tragic love story that took place during a period of violence, upheaval and change for the nation from the War of Independence, through the Treaty Negotiations and into The Irish Civil War.

The letters, captured in high definition, are seen as never before in this series. The letters are lovingly preserved in the Cork Public Museum.

“It’s an extraordinary archive, there’s nothing else like it in relation to a love story between such a well-known politician and his love,” said Diarmaid Ferriter, Professor of History, UCD.

Programme two examines the doomed love affair between the Irish patriot Robert Emmet and Sarah Curran that took place during the Irish rebellion of 1803.

Emmet's fight for a free Ireland brought destruction to himself and to his beloved. He gifted Sarah a delicate brooch in the shape of a harp, a lasting symbol of his love for Ireland and his sweetheart.

The brooch can still be seen today in the Cork Public Museum.

Oscar Wilde's illicit love affair with Lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas in Victorian London cost him his family, his livelihood, his fame and his life and will feature in week three of the series.

The tragic tale of the greatest poem ever composed in the Irish oral tradition is examined in week four while the unrequited love story between WB Yeats and Maud Gonne features in the fifth programme of the series.

An epic love story that takes place during a time of great change and upheaval in 16th century Gaelic Ireland features in the last programme of the series.

Grace O'Malley forged a path to power and leadership by land and by sea in the west of Ireland with her husband Richard the Iron Bourke.

Their castle, Rockfleet, still stands today on the northern shore of Clew Bay in county Mayo, a testament to the exploits of Ireland's Pirate Queen and her great love Richard Bourke.

‘Scéalta Grá na hÉireann’ is a Bo Media Production for TG4 and the first episode will air on Wednesday 13 January at 8.30pm.