The podcast tells how at the height of the Biafran War, an estimated 10,000 people, including 6,000 children, were dying from starvation and disease every day – largely because of a brutal blockade that prevented food being imported into Biafra, which had a population of about 13 million.
“They brought out their poor little bodies and buried them straight away. It was horrific. God almighty, it was terrible,” recalls retired journalist Des Mullan (86) from Howth, Dublin, in episode one of the series.
Des reported for the Evening Herald, Irish Independent and Sunday Independent with late photographer John O’Neill.
Mariner Karl Vekins from Donegal, who was just 16 in 1968 when he joined the crew of Concern’s ship, The Columcille, and missionary priest Fr Dermot Doran of the Irish Spiritans (also known as Holy Ghost Fathers) were also interviewed for the series.
The podcast S.O.S: How Ireland Helped a Nation was researched and presented by Concern’s Clare Ahern and produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.
It is Concern’s first podcast series and can be listened to at concernworldwide.libsyn.com and also in iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and Soundcloud.
ENDS
For more information or interview requests, please contact Kevin Jenkinson at kevin.jenkinson@concern.net or on 086 358 2886.