Ulaidh Faoi Thalamh: Dearcadh Stiúrthóra

Bhí an t-ádh dearg orm bheith ag obair le grúpa beag cairde, criú teilifíse agus an láithreoir Cormac Ó hÁdhmaill, ar dhá sraith de Ar Scáth na Sléibhte, léiriúcháin de chuid Doubleband agus BBC Gaeilge, le tacaíocht ón Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge.

Sraith dhúshlánach a bhí ann, ag dreapadh na mbeann is airde i gCúige Uladh le criú léiriúcháin iomlán agus ár gcuid trealaimh ar fad. Ach is ón tsraith sin a d’eascair nóisean eile, smaoineamh a d'fhan linn fríd an léiriúchán ar fad - d'éirigh linn na pointí is airde in Ulaidh a bhaint amach, ach cad faoi na cinn is ísle?

Agus muid ag tabhairt faoi Ar Scáth an Sléibhte, bhí dhá shuíomh a d'úsáid muid thíos faoin talamh – an tollán atá thíos faoi Ghleann an Chiúnais sna Beanna Boirche, agus na mianaigh chloiche i ndeisceart Thír Chonaill. Áiteacha iontacha a bhí iontu, agus ba léir go raibh siad gleoite ar cheamara. Ach ní gur thaifead muid sna suíomhanna sin gur thosaigh muid ag machnamh faoi na cinn eile a bhí go fóill thíos faoin talamh i gCúige Uladh.

Fiú i ndiaidh dúinn giota beag taighde a dheánamh i dtús báire, thuig muid go raibh i bhfad níos mó i gceist ná mar a mheas muid roimhe – meascán mearaí de tholláin, uaimheanna, mianaigh, buncair agus séaraigh, gach ceann acu le gnéithe, agus d’fhéadfá a rá, le ‘pearsantachtaí’ difriúla. Agus an chuid is mó go hiomlán i bhfolach.

Mar sin de, i mí Lúnasa 2017, tháinig an criú ar ais le chéile agus thosaigh muid ar eachtra úr, ar thuras faoi thalamh.

Eispéireas iontach a bhí ann, ag tabhairt cuairt ar áiteanna nach mbíonn an pobal go minic, nó i gcásanna, ariamh. Seo áiteanna faoi rún; fiáin, sceirdiúil, garbh. Ach tá siad contúirteach fosta. Mar gheall air sin, bhí an tsraith seo i bhfad níos dúshlánaí ná lá ar bith a chaith muid ar bharr sléibhe.

I dtosach báire, tá lear mór de na háiteanna seo dochreidte cúng. Tá sé deacair go leor cheana féin a bheith ag lámhacán isteach ar do bholg in uaimh thalún Chnoic Dhuibh agus tú i d’aonair ar recce, ach is rud iomlán difriúil é i gcuideachta criú, le trealamh ceamara agus fuaime.

Tá cuid mhaith de na suíomhanna iargúlta agus é deacair teacht orthu, mar is amhlaidh le hUaimh Bhrúis ar Oileáin Reachlainn, áit nach dtiocfadh leat cuairt a thabhairt air ach amháin corruair annamh sa bhliain, mar gheall ar an fharraige, ar an aimsir agus ar thaoidí. Bhí an t-ádh orainn agus d'éirigh linn, ach bhí orainn trí bhád éagsúla a thógáil le dhul ann, agus neart dúshlán ar an bhealach.

Maidir leis na séaraigh, ní féidir mórán a rá faoi – ‘What happens on shoot stays on shoot’, mar a deir siad. Ach is cinnte gur eispéireas a bhí ann nach ndéanfaidh duine ar bith againn dearmad air go deo.

Ach i measc na ndúshlán go léir, bhí luach ár gcuid saothair ann. Bhí sé ina phribhléid dom go pearsanta bheith i mo sheasamh i dtollán Abhainn na Fearsaide, áit a bhfaigheann cathair Bhéal Feirste a hainm. Nó rud draíochtúil a bhí ann an turas a dhéanamh thíos faoin eas le uaimh Pholl na gColm a bhlaiseadh. Agus b'iontach an rud é don duine mór staire seo haiste a oscailt agus dreapadh síos i mbuncar núicléach i bPort an Dúnáin (an rud is fearr faoi Phort an Dúnáin, dar leis an fear Lorgaineach seo!)

Ní mholfainn cuairt a thabhairt ar an chuid is mó do na suíomhanna seo. Tá sé ródhoiligh teacht orthu agus tá siad dáinséarach. Ach ná bí buartha, tá an obair is deacra déanta againn cheana féin. Mar sin, ar an 22ú Eanáir, suígí os comhair na teilifíse agus tagaigí ar thuras linn in Ulaidh Faoi Thalamh. Ó, agus ná déan dearmad, múchaigí na soilse. Tá sé ar tí éirí dorcha.

I had the good fortune to work with a group of friends, a very talented crew and presenter Cormac Ó hÁdhmaill, on two series of the BBC Gaeilge production, Ar Scáth na Sléibhte. It was a challenging series, climbing Ulster’s highest peaks with a full production crew and equipment. But it was from that production that an acorn of an idea took hold, which would eventually become Ulaidh Faoi Thalamh.

Whilst filming Ar Scáth na Sléibhte, two of our favourite locations were underground – the Silent Valley tunnel and the stone mines of South Donegal. They were incredible places, which looked beautiful on camera. And it was only after filming in those locations that we started to wonder about other underground spaces.

Even our initial research revealed that there was much more underground than any of us had previously hoped – tunnels, caves, crypts, mines, bunkers, sewers, each one with its own unique character.

And so in August 2017, we got the crew back together and began our journey underground.

It was an amazing experience, seeing places that the public never see. These are our hidden places, full of intrigue. But they are also dangerous. And it’s for that reason, it turned out, that this series was so much more challenging than any of our days filming on mountain tops.

For a start, many of these spaces are cramped. To crawl into to Knockdhu souterrain on your stomach by yourself is one thing, but to bring the rest of the crew as well as camera and sound equipment is another. Some are also remote and difficult to access like Bruce's Cave on Rathlin, which you can only visit a few times each year. We were lucky but it took us three different-sized boats to get there.

And in terms of the Belfast sewers – the less said the better. Suffice to say that it is an experience none of us will forget.

But amongst all the challenging elements, there were a great many rewards. To stand in the Farset river tunnel from which Belfast gets its name, was a true honour. To climb below the waterfall in Pollnagollum Cave and see the huge cave was astonishing. And to open a hatch and climb into a nuclear bunker was a dream for this history buff.

I couldn't recommend the majority of these spaces for a visit. They are too difficult and too dangerous. But, not to worry, we've already done the hard work. So, on 22nd January at 10pm, switch the television on to BBC2 and join us as we venture downwards to Underground Ulster. Oh and don't forget to turn off the lights. It's about to get dark.