A former lord mayor of Dublin has blasted RTÉ’s new crime drama Kin, saying that the national broadcaster is “a disgrace to allow such toxic material” to be aired.
Christy Burke, an Independent councillor for Dublin's North Inner City, is demanding that RTÉ management take the series off-air immediately.
The eight-part series, which was shot in Dublin, is being aired at the prime time broadcasting slot of 9.30pm on Sundays.
Kin follows the lives of the Kinsellas, a fictional Dublin family embroiled in a gangland war. When a member of the Kinsella clan is killed, the family embark on a gangland war with an international cartel.
Out-numbered, out-financed and out-gunned, the Kinsellas find themselves holed up in their Dublin stronghold while their businesses fail, and family members and associates are picked off.
What kind of message is this sending out about Irish society?
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Cllr Burke said: “If all RTÉ can provide is a young guy, then a woman using cocaine, then a 17-year-old drinking alcohol in front of his mother and a guy with a very fake Dublin accent again using drugs what kind of message is this sending out about Irish society?
“They need to understand families all over Ireland have lost loved ones through drug use along with young people being shot dead due to crime.
“The national broadcaster needs to ask itself what this series stands for. This city is awash with cocaine and anti-social behaviour and deaths of so many involved in crime feuds, it doesn’t need any further glamorising which without a doubt impacts on young people’s behaviour.”
Concerned texts
Cllr Burke said that he has been “inundated” with texts from families, not only from those directly affected by drugs but also from others who are “sickened by the glamorising” of such crime and the “vulgar” use of violence.
“Not only is this bad enough but there was also a smart remark about Alcohol[ics] Anonymous (AA) but they should realise people attend this extremely important organisation to help them to recover.”
Kin features a cast of Irish actors including Aidan Gillen of Game of Thrones, Love/Hate and The Wire fame, The Last Duel’s Clare Dunne and Ciarán Hinds from The Terror and Game of Thrones.
The first episode, which was highly anticipated, aired on Sunday night to mixed reviews from critics.
