DOCUMENTARY

All animal rights law in the World stem back to a man who made his reputation, paradoxically, as the most renowned duellist in Ireland. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was founded by a man who, two years later, was thrown out of the British Parliament for rigging the Galway election. But not before he single-handledly began policing the streets of Georgian London implementing his new law on whomever he saw abusing animals. He remains the only man to have called a donkey as a witness in a British court. Mixing in the royal circles of Georgian London, but living on the proceeds of smuggling from his remote and wild estate, ‘Humanity’ Dick’s life story would be ridicously implausible if it were not true.

Yet little is known about a man who, it could be argued, on the basis of his legacy, was one of the greatest Irishmen of all time. This dramatised documentary, based on the 2003 biography of Richard Martin, brings the life and times of this remarkable man to a variety of audiences that include those interested in the history of animal rights as well as people who just enjoy a rollicking good true tale.

Writer / Producer: Peter Phillips
Length: 50 Minutes

Format: HD
Estimated Budget: £200,000 (sterling)

Development Status

Option on book (Humanity Dick, Parapress 2003) secured. Detailed Treatment available. Funding of 50,000 Euro committed by TG4, subject to dual language production (Irish and English). Application being made to the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund.

Available to download from this on-line version of the catalogue.

BBC History Magazine Article

Treatment