‘I was thinking about my own mortality' admits RTE star after filming new show during cancer treatment
Manchan Magan
has revealed he was battling
prostate cancer
while filming his brand new series.
The much-loved writer and
documentary
maker was diagnosed in 2023, just before filming on his show began.
2
Writer, Manchan Magan has opened up about his cancer diagnosis
2
Manchan battled with prostate cancer while filming a brand-new documentary
But instead of stepping back, the
star
pushed through a year of hormone and radiotherapy all while travelling the country and reflecting on "Ireland's ancient spirit".
Manchan told
prostate cancer
.
"Then I went on a journey of healing and I was experiencing that during the filming. It just wouldn't have been fair not to share it with viewers."
The powerful two-part doc titled Listen To The Land Speak sees Manchan delve deep into Ireland's mystical landscape, uncovering the ancient wisdom hidden in our myths and hills.
READ MORE IN RTE
But behind the scenes, he was facing his own very real battle.
The filmmaker added: "I was in these deeply visceral, beautiful places thinking about mortality, spirit, and wider things.
"And I realised I had to be honest with the audience about what was happening inside my own body too."
Now that treatment is behind him, Manchan admitted how "interesting" it feels that the series is coming out just as he
steps
away from his illness.
Most read in News TV
Magan recalled: "We all try to avoid thinking about death. But I spent a year facing it and it was enriching. Especially to do it in places so stunning, geographically and archaeologically."
Filmed over a year, the series travels from
Winter
Solstice
to Bealtaine, from Reek Sunday to Samhain, uncovering the sacred stories rooted in Ireland's rivers, mountains, and caves.
RTE stars left shocked as guest reveals secret ingredient in 99 ice creams
Along the way, Manchan met archaeologists, shamans, writers and storytellers, each helping to unlock how our ancestors saw the world.
One standout moment was when Manchan visited the Keash Caves in
reality
.
NEW PERSPECTIVE
He said: "She showed me how caves were seen as doorways into other worlds. It was real, visceral — not metaphor, but belief."
After more than a year on the
road
, Manchan said the experience changed how he saw everything.
The journalist added: "I thought I knew
Ireland
. But I got to know it on a far deeper, more profound level. The land is speaking to us through stories, myths, and memory.
"And when we really listen… it's like we can hear our ancestors speaking again."
Listen to the Land Speak is now available to stream on the
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