'Tír Eoghain: The Unbreakable Bond' aired tonight and it was powerful.
In a year jam-packed with superb GAA documentaries, the TG4 production, which was supported by Northern Ireland Screen, produced another terrific contribution as it told the remarkable and tragic tale of the Tyrone minor teams of 1997 and 1998.
It was a group touched by extraordinary personal tragedy yet managed to not only survive through the adversity but strive. The show was widely praised by viewers.
This is a lovely yet very poignant programme about Tyrone football on tg4
— Sinéad Kissane (@sineadkissane) August 26, 2018
Tir Eoghain: The Unbreakable Bond. What a show on @SportTG4, give me a jersey and I'll go out and beat the Dubs myself✊⚪🔴
— Brian MacGrada (@BrianMagoo82) August 26, 2018
The Unbreakable Bond on @sporttg4 is excellent! Unbelievable resilience from that group of players who came through so many tragedies #Tyrone
— Morgan O'Callaghan (@MorgantheBriar) August 26, 2018
Certainly wouldn't begrudge Mickey Harte another all Ireland next weekend after watching #theunbreakablebond. Tragedy has followed him the past 30 years and he stills keeps toughing it out year in year out!
— Eddie Alford (@Alfa_beat) August 26, 2018
‘The Unbreakable Bond’ is a perfect title for this Tyrone GAA doc on TG4 now.. Success in any sport is difficult enough without the major blows they were dealt with again and again, all from the age of 17-18 years. #TG4 #TyroneGAA #Warriors
— Aidan Burke (@AodanDeBurca) August 26, 2018
Powerful documentary @TG4TV on the rise of the @TyroneGAALive team that came through in the late 90s and the incredible litany of tragedies they had to cope with.
— Philip Coleman (@philo_coleman) August 26, 2018
This Tyrone documentary is powerful stuff ... and some of them have won the odd title
— declan kelly (@bigarmskelly) August 26, 2018
Central to the programme was the contribution of Mickey Harte. The Tyrone native and his son, Mark, spoke articulately and honestly about the difficulty they and their team-mates went through. It was a stunning insight into the make-up of a special Tyrone team and one of the game's most successful managers.
It did not seek to diminish the importance of football in relation to real life but contextualize it, demonstrating the solace and comfort a close-knit team offers.
You can watch it in full here.
