The cast and crew of TG4’s Ros na Rún wrapped up their milestone 25th season in a different fashion this year.
Instead of a wrap party, the soap drama team celebrated making it through 24 weeks of filming without any Covid-related stoppages.
Managing 160 people on a TV set during a pandemic required a lot of effort, but the team successfully created 82 episodes – all free of Covid-19 storylines.
Donegal actor Pól Penrose who plays Colm, took the extra step by bubbling up in an apartment in an Spidéal with his onscreen co-star Mo, played by Marie Bheag Bhreathnach.
“Our storylines had us in close contact in every scene so we felt it made more sense and gave us peace of mind when filming, we felt safe and we felt our fellow actors and crew would be too, it certainly worked,” says Pól Penrose from Falcarragh.
Reducing numbers on set and in scenes on a daily basis was a priority for series producer Marion Ní Loingsigh when ensuring the safety of cast and crew.
“We were extremely strict from day 1 of filming season 25 with COVID19 protocols,” says Marion Ní Loingsigh, Ros na Rún Series Producer, “we appointed 3 COVID officers to the production of this season and implemented all of the necessary guidelines, maintaining daily contact and reporting procedures with the HSE and HSA, PPE Equipment, sanitisation points and mask wearing but it was the proactive commitment of each cast and crew member and mutual respect amongst the entire team which ensured that we successfully filmed an entire 82 episodes for season 25 without an COVID19 stoppages or closures of the set and we’re extremely proud of this achievement. We had other celebration plans for season 25 but this is certainly momentous.”
Ros na Rún script writers have already begun working on the stories for season 26 which will start filming in autumn. Strict COVID19 procedures will remain on set at Ros na Rún as it finishes editing its 25 season and fans wonder will Mo and Colm stay or leave Ros na Rún following Mo’s admittance of Frances’ murder.
Ros na Rún will continue to be broadcast twice weekly on TG4 on Tuesday and Thursday at 8.30pm with an omnibus on Sunday at 7.30pm.
It’s also available to view on TG4 and RTE player and viewers can catch up on season 24 on RTE One.
