First aired on Tuesday 4 November 1958, this BBC series for children concerned a little Irish girl named Grania (Jacqueline Ryan), who has an extraordinary talent for painting and believes herself to be an orphan.
She is taken away unexpectedly one evening from the comfortable house of her aunt by a young horseman named Desmond Burke (Sean Barrett), who has ridden over the mountains to fetch her.
He takes her to the desolate Castle O’Hara to live amongst her wild and unruly relatives.
They take her to their hearts, and the castle undergoes a seemingly magical transformation as the warmth of Grania’s personality touches each of their lives.
She is in very mixed company, however, with her violent-tempered Uncle Phil (James Neylin), Terry (John Hussey) and Jer (John Colin).
Then there is her beautiful and tempestuous Aunt Judy (Diana Lambert) and the dominating old grandmother, Mrs O’Hara (Gladys Young).
There are family feuds, and the swirl of wild Irish music, and always, not very far away, there is the salty tang of the sea.
The O’Hara’s are horse-breakers and have been dubbed as tinkers by the respectable neighbouring villagers. The only friend that visits the isolated, tumble-down Castle O’Hara is Travelling Finn (Dermot Kelly), a little man who has lived all his life dedicated to his very special profession. He is a tramp, and he roams the countryside with his little dog, singing for his supper.
The series was adapted from a novel by Patricia Lynch (the author of many well-known Irish stories for children).
Grania O’Hara
Jacqueline Ryan Jer O’Hara
John Colin Mrs O’Hara
Gladys Young Phil O’Hara
James Neylin Desmond Burke
Sean Barrett Eily O’Hara
Pauline Letts Judy O’Hara
Diana Lambert Terry O’Hara
John Hussey Steve Farrelly
Neil McCarthy Mr O’Neill
Liam Gaffney Christie Hanlon
Hamilton Dyce Sally Hanlon
Jill Hyem Norrie Hanlon
Pat Pleasance Brigid Hanlon
Rosemary Scott Travelling Finn
Dermot Kelly Big Bill Farrelly
John Kelly Maggie Scully
Catherine George Captain Scully
Anthony Sagar Father Coulahan
Shay Gorman Mrs O’Driscoll
Nora Gordon Mrs Fogarty
Joan Young Barney Dillon
Edward Byrne Mrs Rattigan
Ann Rowan Mr Donnelan
Donald Masters Jimsy Molloy
Bob Marshall
Episodes
A Golden Apple Tree | The Castle | Christmas at Kilvaragh | The Feud | Boycott | The End of the Feud
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She is taken away unexpectedly one evening from the comfortable house of her aunt by a young horseman named Desmond Burke (Sean Barrett), who has ridden over the mountains to fetch her.
