Dear Sarah

RTE drama based on the correspondence between Giuseppe Conlon and his wife Sarah after Conlon had been jailed for twelve years as one of the ‘Maguire Seven’.

He had been wrongfully convicted of handling explosives after his son, Gerry had been jailed in 1975 for alleged involvement in the Guildford pub bombings.

Original transmission: RTE 1990 (125mins)

The script for ‘Dear Sarah’ was made by Irish broadcaster RTE after earlier being rejected by the BBC and ITV. Upon original transmission in Ireland in 1990 it achieved the highest ever ratings for a made-for-TV film. It was shown by ITV later in 1990.

This is the human story of how innocents suffer when the shock following bombing atrocities urges the police to get quick results.

Further Infomation

Genre

Documentary-drama (Television play) - Broadcast

Company

RTE Television

Release Year

1990

Period Set

1980

WRITER(s)/ DIRECTOR(s)/ PRODUCER(s)

Writer

Tom McGurk

Director

Frank Cvitanovich

Producer

Peter Jaques

ACTORS

Stella McCusker - Sarah Conlon

Barry McGovern - Giuseppe Conlon

Patrick F. Rocks - Gerry Conlon

Bronagh Gallagher - Anne Conlon

Janice McAdam - Bridgid Conlon

Elsa Johns - Young Sarah

Eileen Pollock - Mary Kelly

P.H. Moriarty - Warder Deans

Tim Loane - Man on Chair

Sean Rocks - Other Man

Dave Duffy - RUC policeman

Gary Whelan - Policeman #1

Michael James Ford - Policeman #2

Simon Chandler - Alastair Logan

Philip Hardy - Armstrong

Maria McDermottroe - Mrs. Moore

Aine McCartney - Hair

Ricky Tomlinson - Warder #1

Martin Oldfield - Warder #2

Mark Shelley - Warder #3

Mal Whyte - Warder #4

Lloyd McGuire - Warder #5

Tani Bentis - Landlady

Peter Gale - Chaplain

Eoin O’Callaghan - Singer/Piano Player

Frank McCusker - Michael

Rosemary Henderson - Maggie

Jerome Willis - Inspector Still

Brendan Gleeson - Brendan Dowd

David Heap - Prison Board Officer

Des Braiden - Assistant Governor

Amanda Benson - Waitress

OTHER RESOURCES