''Whistleblower'' is a two-part Irish television IFTA-winning fact-based drama, broadcast on RTÉ One for two consecutive nights in 2008, which focuses on the Michael Neary scandal that first erupted in the 1990s. Neary, a retired Irish

consultant A consultant (from la, consultare "to deliberate") is a professional (also known as ''expert'', ''specialist'', see variations of meaning below) who provides advice and other purposeful activities in an area of specialization. Consulting servic ...

obstetrician and

gynaecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences, spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with ...

, gained notoriety when it was discovered that he had performed what was considered an inordinate number of

caesarian Caesarean section, also known as C-section or caesarean delivery, is the surgical procedure by which one or more babies are delivered through an incision in the mother's abdomen, often performed because vaginal delivery would put the baby or mo ...

hysterectomies during his time at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in

Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...

County Louth County Louth ( ; ga, An Lú) is a coastal county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of Meath to the south, Monaghan to the west, Armagh to the north and Down to the ...

. ''Whistleblower'' follows the obstacles encountered by a midwife Louise ( Emma Stansfield) as she blows the whistle on Neary ( Stanley Townsend)'s irregular obstetric practices. The series was written by Rob Heyland, directed by Dermot Boyd, produced by Siobhán Bourke and Peter Norris and researched by Sheila Ahern. The first episode, broadcast at 21:30 on 31 August 2008, drew in a third of the available audience across all platforms.

Production

The series was based upon the activities of Dr. Michael Neary, a former consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, who was considered to have performed an inordinate number of

hysterectomies during his time at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in

. A subsequent inquiry found that Neary had carried out 188

peripartum Childbirth, also known as labour and delivery, is the ending of pregnancy where one or more babies exits the internal environment of the mother via vaginal delivery or caesarean section. In 2019, there were about 140.11 million births globally ...

over a period of 25 years, some on very young women of low parity. The average consultant obstetrician carries out five or six of these operations in their entire career.

Reception

The series' broadcast prompted the support group Patient Focus to renew its call on the Irish government for every woman affected by Neary's actions to be included in the Lourdes hospital redress scheme.

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 ...

were also criticised for airing the series too soon after the conclusion of Neary inquiry, and for making the in-depth script too "upsetting for" all those involved. The commissioning editor of drama with the national broadcaster, Jane Gogan, attempted to justify the broadcast, commenting that; "RTÉ hopes to convey to a wider audience the human cost of the injustices which were exposed, and to illustrate the power of the individual in affecting change".

Cast

* Emma Stansfield as Louise * Stanley Townsend as Dr. Michael Neary * Adrian Dunbar as Florence Wycherley * Charlene McKenna as Karen * Patrick Ryan as Sean * Paul Meade as Dr. Muriston * Ingrid Craigie as Shelagh Hodnett * Sandra Ni Bhroin as Elaine * Janice Byrne as Jacinta * Michèle Forbes as Nuala * Simon Keogh as Brian * Catriona Lynch as Lauren * Michael McElhatton as Miller * Lise Ann McLaughlin as Frances *

Kathy Rose O'Brien Kathy Rose O'Brien is an actress from Dublin, Ireland, who has appeared in the Irish television drama Whistleblower, which dealt with the controversial events at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda relating to obstetrician/gynecologist Mi ...

as Marie *

Owen Roe Owen Roe O'Neill (Irish: ''Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill;'' – 1649) was a Gaelic Irish soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster. O'Neill left Ireland at a young age and spent most of his life as a mercenary in the Spanish A ...

as Dillon

Episodes

Awards

, - ,

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

, , ''Whistleblower'' , , Best Single or Serial Drama , , , -

References

External links

*
Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whistleblower (Tv Series) 2008 Irish television series debuts 2008 Irish television series endings Irish drama television series Irish history television shows RTÉ original programming