TVScope: Would you Believe: Iron Will, RTÉ One, Sunday, November 20th, 10.25pm.
At this time of the year, with the early-evening darkness and the leafless trees swinging in the windswept rain, depending on what school you go to, you might be desperate to get your hands on a schoolboy ticket for the forthcoming home international rugby matches. You might even be one of the older contingent who remember putting their name down before Christmas on an Elvery's ticket list or club sweep that would either make or break your January, February or March. Or maybe you're one of the lucky ones whose school traditionally made the march to Lansdowne Road at least twice a year and tickets were always guaranteed.
In 1958, Jim Costello, then a 15-year-old student, must have thought he was one of those lucky chaps when his school, Clongowes Wood College, decided to make a pilgrimage to the home of Irish rugby. He was probably ecstatic when Ireland won 12-6 and Alexander Pedlow, the Irish wing, scored two tries. Months later, having contracted polio and on the way to developing an upper-body paralysis, that would leave him without the use of his arms, and severely compromised his lung function, his thoughts must have been very different.
The subsequent medical prognosis suggested he picked up the infectious disease from a carrier who had probably made his way to the match from Scotland, where a polio epidemic was widespread.
Today, Costello, the subject of Would You Believe: Iron Will, is the only man in Ireland still using an iron lung. He's also a regular 60-something who does most things, from walking in his garden to attending rugby matches, and seems to be the sort of guy who, according to his friends, doesn't complain, hence the title's play on words. The programme covers the massive challenges Costello has faced in his life, from running the family's retail business, dabbling in property speculation, co-owning a restaurant and sustaining a successful relationship with his partner, Delia, for over 20 years. And that's all before you get to the Post-Polio Support Group which Costello helped found to support survivors affected by the late effects of polio - a second and debilitating condition that affects some people many years after the diagnosis of their original illness.
The programme also traces a short history of polio in Ireland, how the illness has affected Costello and how he sees Cherry Orchard Fever Hospital - he's the hospital's last surviving patient - as his second home. Its fly-on-the-wall observations catch Costello on the ward living a "normal" life, save for his incarceration in a large, sealed, metal, crab-like, sleeping bag.
The crustacean iron lung, straight out of those old black-and-white 1930s Flash Gordon films, encloses his whole body expect his head, and has been specially adapted by Costello to suit his needs. Such needs include using his foot to dial up his bookmaker and a specially placed microphone to place his bet, while an overhead television gives him access to starting prices, races and results.
The iron lung, also called a negative pressure ventilator, essentially enables Costello to breathe. When he's placed inside the airtight compartment, pumps periodically control airflow, decreasing and increasing the air pressure inside.
When the pressure falls below the pressure inside his lungs, air from outside is sucked in via Costello's nose and airways to fill the lungs. When the pressure rises above his lung's capacity, the reverse occurs, and air is released - the iron lung effectively mimicking the physiologic action of breathing.
An interesting short programme with valuable contributions from friends and family, it's produced and directed by Angela Ryan, and is full of humour and hope, and will bring back memories for many people in Ireland.