Andrew Trimble Examines C.S. Lewis and Belfast Roots on RTÉ One
RTÉ will broadcast the documentary The Lion, The Witch and the Ulsterman at 10.15pm on Thursday, featuring former Ireland rugby international Andrew Trimble exploring the Belfast upbringing and Ulster-Scots background of The Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis.
Investigating the Author’s Accent and British Identity
Trimble travels to Oxford to investigate why Lewis is rarely categorized as an Irish writer despite growing up in Belfast to a Cork family. During his visit, Trimble listens to a 1950s audio recording of Lewis and notes a distinctly British accent, observing that the author pronounced prayer
as pray-ah
and idea
as idea-r
. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb tells the documentary that Lewis was sent to an English boarding school at age nine following his mother’s death, suggesting that brutal school conditions likely beat the Irish accent out of him.
Belfast Tensions Prompted Lewis to Seek Literary Escapism
The documentary visits East Belfast to examine how local tensions shaped the author’s imagination. Professor Margaret O’Callaghan explains in the programme that Lewis grew up in a city divided between unionists and nationalists, which likely prompted him to seek refuge in flights of fantasy. O’Callaghan describes this literary escapism into ideal rurality as a direct reaction to a polarized urban environment.
Scholarly Perspectives on Faith and Controversy
The broadcast features contributions from several academic voices, including historian Dr Margaret O’Callaghan, writer Jan Carson, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, Dr Frank Ferguson, Rev Dr Reggie Weems, and Dr David Clare. The project is funded by the Northern Ireland Screen Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund. Trimble states that Narnia’s enduring cross-generational appeal inspired him to examine the deep local connections that shaped the author’s work.
Frequently Asked Questions About the C.S. Lewis Documentary
When and where can viewers watch the documentary?
The programme airs on RTÉ One and streams on the RTÉ Player on Thursday at 10.15pm.
Who hosts the documentary?
Former Ireland rugby international and theology graduate Andrew Trimble hosts the programme, visiting Lewis’s former family home in East Belfast and his long-time academic base in Oxford.
Which funders and scholars supported the project?
The documentary is funded by the Northern Ireland Screen Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund and features commentary from historian Dr Margaret O’Callaghan, writer Jan Carson, and Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, among other scholars.
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