Documentary on One Podcast

On Saturday, August 28th, 1976, Elizabeth Plunkett walked out of a pub in Brittas Bay - and vanished without a trace. Over the following week, her distraught family and friends launched a frantic search, desperate for any sign of her. Though they didn’t find Elizabeth, a series of puzzling clues began to emerge. And at the same time, two suspicious men were seen lurking in the area, but within days, they too had disappeared.

If you have any information or knowledge about the actions of John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans please email us documentaries@rte.ie

Credits: Stolen Sister is written and produced by Nicoline Greer with production assistance from Shauna McGreevy. Roz Purcell is the host. Original music soundtrack performed and composed by Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck, together with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Sound design and orchestra recording by Ciarán Dunne. The executive producer is Liam O’Brien. Audio Product Support by Nigel Wheatley. Marketing by Maria Buckley and Christopher Hayes. Design and creatives by Darragh Treacy. Publicity by Sarah Neville. Sales by Graeme Bailey and additional online editorial content by Anna Joyce. Publishing weekly.

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The summer of 1976 brought an extraordinary three-month heatwave to Ireland. 23yr old Elizabeth Plunkett had just fallen in love and been on holiday to France. On the last weekend in August, Elizabeth headed for an overnight getaway with friends to the beach resort of Brittas Bay to mark the end of that summer. No one could have imagined what happened next…

New episodes every Friday.

If you have any information or knowledge about the actions of John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans please email us documentaries@rte.ie

Credits: Stolen Sister is written and produced by Nicoline Greer with production assistance from Shauna McGreevy. Roz Purcell is the host. Original music soundtrack performed and composed by Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck, together with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Sound design and orchestra recording by Ciarán Dunne. The executive producer is Liam O’Brien. Audio Product Support by Nigel Wheatley. Marketing by Maria Buckley and Christopher Hayes. Design and creatives by Darragh Treacy. Publicity by Sarah Neville. Sales by Graeme Bailey and additional online editorial content by Anna Joyce.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the last weekend of the summer of 1976, a young woman named Elizabeth Plunkett went away for a night with friends to Brittas Bay in county Wicklow. Nobody knew it then, but that was the last time she would leave home. Elizabeth was brutally murdered by two men who would go on to continue to rape and kill until they were stopped.

Episode 1 available Friday 30th May 2025.

Credits: Stolen Sister is hosted by Roz Purcell. It's written and produced by Nicoline Greer. Production assistance is by Shauna McGreevy. Original music soundtrack is performed and composed by Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck, together with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Sound design and orchestra recording is by Ciarán Dunne. The executive producer is Liam O’Brien. Audio Product Support by Nigel Wheatley. Marketing by Maria Buckley and Christopher Hayes. Design and creatives by Darragh Treacy. Publicity by Sarah Neville. Sales by Graeme Bailey. Additional online editorial content by Anna Joyce.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Skype shut down on May 5th, 2025. Coincidentally and appropriately, it was the day this documentary, by Austin Kenny, was first broadcast.  It’s about another technology, also now defunct, that allowed Irish emigrant families communicate their tenderness and sense of loss over the oceans.  (2025)

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UPDATE: Samantha Cookes pleads guilty to fraud. She appears in court for her sentencing but all does not go smoothly. There's an outcry. A shout from the public gallery halts proceedings and Samantha is taken from the dock while the Judge takes stock... Alongside this series, the story of Samantha Cookes has been developed into a 2-part TV documentary entitled Bad Nanny - a co-production between RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland from Alleycats TV, directed by Alan Bradley. It debuts on RTÉ One TV and RTÉ Player on Monday 12th May at 9.35pm with versions available for audiences on RTÉ Player and BBC iPlayer after it airs on RTÉ. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.