Story of rise and fall of Irish missionary movement

Since the mid-19th century, Irish missionaries have followed the example of earlier ‘saints and scholars’ in taking their faith to every corner of the known world.

At its peak, in the 1960s, more than 6,000 Irish Catholic missionaries were dispersed over 80 countries.

Now, though, with vocations evaporating and the last missionaries ageing and dying, a movement that put Ireland on the map in terms of moral influence is coming to a close.

The remarkable rise and fall is charted in two-part documentary The Last Missionaries on RTÉ1 on Monday at 9.35pm.

Bryan Dobson and Dearbhail McDonald chart the unique evolution of the movement, from religious colonialism to heroic acts of self-sacrifice and philanthropy; from a flourishing of Irish ‘soft power’ to tawdry scandals of abuse and cover-up.

As the era of the Irish missionary draws to a close, what will be their legacy? And who, if anyone, will take their place?

Today, there are only about 450 of them still scattered around the world and most of these are well over the age of 60. By the end of this decade, that number is likely to fall below 200.

In the series, Dobson and McDonald travel the country and the world to explain the origins and impact of the Irish missionary project, for better and for worse, and to assess its legacy.

At its heart, the series is an odyssey of human encounters, as the presenters explore the shifting social and religious landscape at home and abroad that created this unique cultural and religious phenomenon, which has had such a profound influence on the Irish culture and psyche.

They will demonstrate how missionaries enabled Ireland to punch way above its weight in terms of global influence, while also raising consciousness of global affairs at home.

At one point, it seemed that every Irish family had a member out in the missions, creating direct connections between the Irish and the world’s poorest and most oppressed peoples.

Some of those priests and religious undoubtedly led heroic lives of self-sacrifice, but sadly, the legacy of some others is more tainted, even toxic.

From the earliest days of Columba, leaving Derry to spread the good word to the pagan Picts of Scotland, to the liberation theology of those who worked with some of the poorest children in South America in the late 1970s, Irish Missionaries have long travelled to the farthest known corners of the world.

For better and for worse, the series tells their story, with fairness and unflinching honesty, while the last Irish missionaries are still able to share their experiences first-hand.