Lelia Doolan (born 1934) is an Irish television producer. Doolan was born in Cork in 1934. She studied French and German at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

, where she won a scholarship to study at the Brecht Theatre in Germany. She presented and acted in shows on the newly established

RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...

in 1961 and starred in a short entertainment called "The Ballad Singer" produced by Tom McGrath, a program preserved in the station's archives. She soon moved into a role as producer/director, after training in the United States. She was responsible for the establishment of ''

The Riordans ''The Riordans'' was the second Irish television drama serial made by Raidio Telefís Éireann (then called ''Telefís Éireann''). It ran from 1965 to 1979 and was set in the fictional townland of Leestown in County Kilkenny. Its location fil ...

'' rural soap opera. She became concerned at the one sided nature of the material being received from USA only and broadcast by RTÉ on the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

and attempted to send a ''

7 Days Seven Days or 7 Days may refer to: * Week, an amount of time Film * ''7 Days'' (2010 film) (''Les 7 jours du talion''), Canadian thriller film * ''7 Days'' (2021 film), American romantic comedy film * ''Seven Days'' (1925 film), American silent ...

'' film crew there from Ireland but they were prevented from traveling at

Dublin Airport Dublin Airport (Irish language, Irish: ''Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath'') is an international airport serving Dublin, Ireland. It is operated by DAA (Irish company), DAA (formerly Dublin Airport Authority). The airport is located in Collinsto ...

by direct Irish government action. She was once described by Archbishop

John Charles McQuaid John Charles McQuaid, C.S.Sp. (28 July 1895 – 7 April 1973), was the Catholic Primate of Ireland and Archbishop of Dublin between December 1940 and January 1972. He was known for the unusual amount of influence he had over successive governme ...

as "mad, bad, and dangerous". Shortly after being made head of light entertainment, Doolan resigned in protest at the political and commercial policies of RTÉ. She became artistic director of the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...

for two years before studying for her PhD in Anthropology at Queen's University. While she was there, she also worked in community video and adult education in Belfast. Her unpublished Ph.D. thesis at Belfast Queen's University in 1977 was titled "Elements of the Sacred and Dramatic in Some Belfast Urban Enclaves". She taught at the College of Commerce, Rathmines (now part of the

DIT DIT or dit may refer to: People * Dit name, an alternative family name, e.g., in French Canadian historical traditions * Dit Clapper (1907–1978), Canadian ice hockey player Information technology * Directory information tree * dit (unit), a ...

) between 1979 and 1988, where she established and was head of the first Irish course in Media Communications, teaching

Bryan Dobson Bryan David Dobson (born 10 February 1960) is an Irish journalist, newscaster and presenter with RTÉ in Ireland. He currently presents the RTÉ: News at One. He previously presented '' RTÉ News: Six One,'' '' RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock'', most r ...

(news anchor), Fergus Tighe (film director),

Anne Cassin Anne Cassin (born 1969) is an Irish journalist and news presenter working for Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). Cassin began her broadcasting career working for Dublin pirate radio station Radio Nova in 1982, where she co-presented a nightly ne ...

(newsreader), and Ned O'Hanlon (U2 and Rolling Stones video director) amongst others. In 1987 she produced ''Reefer and the Model'', with director Joe Comerford. In April 1993 she was appointed chairperson of the

Irish Film Board Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, formerly known as Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board, is the Republic of Ireland's state development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry. It provides funds for the developm ...

, a role she filled for three years before retiring. She was also a founder and director of the

Galway Film Fleadh The Galway Film Fleadh (; Irish for "festival") is an international film festival founded in 1989 as part of the Galway Arts Festival. Describing itself as Ireland’s leading film festival, the event is held every July in Galway city in Ireland ...

. She has been a prominent defender of

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

rights. She was involved in opposing both the

Burren Interpretative Centre Burren can refer to: *The Burren, an area dominated by karst landscape, in County Clare, Ireland *Burren National Park, the national park in County Clare, Ireland *Burren (barony), an historical administrative division of County Clare, Ireland *Burr ...

and the Corrib Gas pipeline. She lives in Kilcolgan near

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

where she tends a herb and vegetable garden. Lelia Doolan's documentary in 2011 ''Bernadette: Notes on a Political Journey'' about Bernadette Devlin screened at the 2011 BFI London Film Festival.

References

External links

* https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0233177/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Doolan, Lelia Living people Irish television producers Irish women television producers Alumni of University College Dublin 1934 births