Entertainment

Why an Irishman living in London buried himself alive

A NEW documentary tells the fascinating story of an Irishman living in London who buried himself alive.

Tipperary-born labourer Michael 'Mick' Meaney was working in the capital when he decided to stage his own burial despite not being dead.

It was 1968 and the Ballyporeen native wanted to compete in the world record competition for ‘Longest Time Spent Buried Alive’.

Michael Meaney lies in a coffin in the Admiral Nelson pub on the eve of his burial record attempt (Pic: TG4)

He was buried for 61 days in a wooden coffin beneath a builder’s yard in Kilburn, north London, where hundreds came to see his burial.

And Mr Meaney was not the first person to take on the unusual feat. It had previously been attempted in 1920s California and also in Skegness, as a new Irish language documentary reveals.

Beo Faoin BhFód, which was commissioned and funded by TG4 and Coimisiún na Meán, tells Mr Meaney’s story.

Mary Meaney, Mick's daughter, features in the documentary (Pic: TG4)

“Using never-before-seen archive, animation, and interviews with people who personally knew Mick, the story is brought to life through the eyes of his loving daughter, who grapples with her father’s bizarre legacy,” the production company explains.

“The programme uses unseen archive, bespoke animation, and first-hand accounts to tell the story like a yarn by the fire in a warm pub,’ they add.