A documentary is a film, television or radio programme that provides a factual report on a particular subject.
Features
Language
The relics of St Valentine, some of his bones and a vial tinged with his blood, are kept in a small casket under a shrine in Whitefriar Street Church, a beautiful old church off a busy Dublin city street. On the shrine lies a simple, soft cover notebook, where locals and tourists write their prayers to St Valentine.
People write to St Valentine about what they long for, asking him to help, telling him their secret hopes or fears. It’s an incredibly compelling document. Discovering it is almost like finding someone’s diary – except it’s public.
Listen to the following radio documentary about the relics of St Valentine, produced by comedian Maeve Higgins and aired on RTÉ Radio 1.
1. What evidence is there to suggest that Maeve Higgins is a comedian? 2. What does it say on the heavy cloth covering the statue? 3. What abbreviation does Jacinta use when talking about St Valentine? 4. What is inside the sturdy treasure chest? 5. How did Maeve contact visitors and people who had written in the book? 6. (a) When did Pope Gregory donate these relics? (b) How many years ago was this?
7. What is the role of Father Brian McKay? 8. Describe the types of messages that people write in the book. 9. What features of a documentary can you identify in this piece?
10. Aside from music, what other sound effects do you hear in this documentary? 258
