First Conviction: Bonus - Behind the Scenes

First Conviction: Bonus - Behind the Scenes

Author: RTÉ November 21, 2025 Duration: 47:46

As a combined project of a podcast series and TV documentary, First Conviction was over 15 months in production. In this bonus episode - and in a first for RTÉ - we give an insight into how the entire production was made through all of those involved.

 Hosted by Aoife Hegarty (Deputy Editor, RTÉ Investigates), we hear from Tim Desmond (Producer, RTÉ Documentary On One), Philip Gallagher (Director, RTÉ Investigates), Pamela Fraher (Reporter, RTÉ Investigates), David Doran (Editor, RTÉ Investigates) and Liam O’Brien (Series Producer, RTÉ Documentary On One). We also hear from our host Ruth Negga and composer Mel Mercier.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


There's a particular kind of magic in a story told truthfully, and that's the space Documentary on One Podcast occupies. Produced by RTÉ, this isn't just a collection of audio pieces; it's a living archive of real life, capturing voices and moments from Ireland and across the globe. What you'll hear are deeply human narratives, sometimes quiet and personal, other times sweeping and historical, all crafted with a careful ear for the sounds that bring a place or a memory to life. With an astonishing library of over 1,800 documentaries stretching back to 1954, this podcast offers a unique auditory journey through decades of social change, cultural shifts, and raw human experience. It's no surprise it's garnered over 400 awards for its work. Beyond the vast archive, the team also produces compelling series like 'The Real Carrie Jade' and 'Finding Samantha', diving deep into single stories over multiple episodes. Tuning in means more than just listening; it's an immersion into the fabric of society, one meticulously recorded story at a time.
Author: Language: en-ie Episodes: 100

Documentary on One Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Stolen Sister: Bonus - Petition and Witness Accounts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:30
Over the last seven weeks we have heard from many people who have had interactions with John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans. Up to twenty people have provided us with accounts of attempted abductions, sightings and various inte…
Stolen Sister: Bonus - Petition and Witness Accounts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:30
Over the last seven weeks we have heard from many people who have had interactions with John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans. Up to twenty people have provided us with accounts of attempted abductions, sightings and various inte…
Stolen Sister: 07 - A Chance for Justice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:22
As this series has been publishing, we’ve been contacted by many listeners, including about a dozen contacts from people who are new witnesses to events around Ireland in September 1976 - and who it appears could have be…
Stolen Sister: 07 - A Chance for Justice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:22
As this series has been publishing, we’ve been contacted by many listeners, including about a dozen contacts from people who are new witnesses to events around Ireland in September 1976 - and who it appears could have be…
Stolen Sister: 06 - Irrelevant Victims [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:27
Having lived over 40 years with the loss of Elizabeth, the Plunkett family are taken aback when in 2023, they’re approached by the Parole Board. John Shaw is looking to get out of prison. Elizabeth’s family are invited t…
Stolen Sister: 06 - Irrelevant Victims [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:27
Having lived over 40 years with the loss of Elizabeth, the Plunkett family are taken aback when in 2023, they’re approached by the Parole Board. John Shaw is looking to get out of prison. Elizabeth’s family are invited t…
Stolen Sister: 05 - The Trials [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:27
With the heartbreaking recovery of both Elizabeth and Mary’s remains, the investigation’s focus sharpens. The men, isolated in solitary confinement for months, are finally brought before the courts. But things take a str…
Stolen Sister: 05 - The Trials [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:27
With the heartbreaking recovery of both Elizabeth and Mary’s remains, the investigation’s focus sharpens. The men, isolated in solitary confinement for months, are finally brought before the courts. But things take a str…
Stolen Sister: 04 - Confessions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:02
With the nation on high alert, two Gardaí in Galway spot and arrest Ireland’s two most wanted men. Quickly brought in for questioning, Shaw and Evans find themselves at the center of a desperate investigation. Gardaí bel…
Stolen Sister: 04 - Confessions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:02
With the nation on high alert, two Gardaí in Galway spot and arrest Ireland’s two most wanted men. Quickly brought in for questioning, Shaw and Evans find themselves at the center of a desperate investigation. Gardaí bel…