New ILBF documentary sheds light on the disappearance of Arthur Kingsley Porter
Date Posted: September 1, 2022
A fresh investigation into of the mysterious disappearance of a Harvard millionaire who vanished without trace on a remote Donegal island will air on Wednesday 7th September at 9:30pm on TG4. The Irish Language Broadcast Fund documentary produced by Clean Slate TV, Ar Iarraidh – Scéal Arthur Kingsley Porter, sheds new light on the case.
The mystery of American Arthur Kingsley Porter’s disappearance is re-examined by veteran investigative journalist and filmmaker Kevin Magee in an hour-long documentary. Magee uncovers new information about Kingsley Porter and his disappearance including some previously unseen material that lay undetected in a Harvard archive for decades.
Arthur Kingsley Porter, 50, was last seen alive by his wife Lucy on the tiny Gaeltacht Island Inis Bó Finne or Inishbofin off the northwest coast of Donegal on 8th July 1933. He disappeared while out walking but no body was ever recovered.
An inquest – the first held in the Irish State without a body – accepted his wife’s opinion that the internationally-renowned academic slipped, fell into the ocean, and was washed out to sea. However, many of the islanders and a surviving relative of Porter’s believe he may have staged his death to create a new secret life for himself abroad.
Around the time of his disappearance Kingsley Porter was being treated for depression by the eminent London-based sexologist Havelock Ellis who recommended that Kingsley take a young male lover which he did with his wife’s knowledge. Not long before he went missing, Kingsley Porter confided to Ellis that he was concerned details of his clandestine relationship would be made public.
On 8th July 1933, Porter was staying in a small two-roomed cabin he owned on Inishbofin, some 15 miles from Glenveagh Castle. Within hours of him going missing, Porter’s wife Lucy told a friend.
Last year a memorial was unveiled on the island to all those lost at sea off the island’s coast, however his name does not appear on the monument.
Scéal faoi Arthur Kingsley Porter ag dul ar iarraidh a phlé i gclár faisnéise úr de chuid an CCG
Tabharfar léargas úr ar an milliúnaí agus ar an Ollamh i Harvard a d’imigh gan tásc ná tuairisc d’oileán amach ó chósta Thír Chonaill i gclár úr de chuid an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge atá le craoladh ar TG4 ar an 7ú Meán Fómhair ag 9.30.i.n. ar TG4. Is léiriú de chuid Clean Slate Television é an clár faisnéise seo a dhéanann iniúchadh ar saol agus scéal Arthur Kingsley Porter.
Is é Kevin Magee, iriseoir iniúchta agus déantóir scannán, a fhiosróidh an scéal sa chlár uair an chloig ‘Ar Iarraidh’ do TG4. Aimsíonn Magee eolas úr faoi Porter agus faoina imeacht i gcartlann Harvard.
Chonaic Lucy Porter a fear céile Arthur Kingsley Porter, 50, den uair dheireanach ar an oileán beag Gaeltachta Inis Bó Finne ar an 8 Iúil 1933. D’imigh sé gan tásc ná tuairisc agus é amuigh ag spaisteoireacht, níor thángthas ar a chorp riamh.
Ag an ionchoisne – an chéad ceann riamh sa tír gan chorp – glacadh le scéal a mhná céile gur thit an seandálaí mór le rá amach san fharraige agus gur bádh é.
Mar sin féin, creideann roinnt de mhuintir an oileáin agus duine muinteartha le Porter gur eagraigh sé timpiste bhréige le go dtiocfadh leis saol úr a thosú thar lear.
Timpeall an ama a ndeachaigh sé ar iarraidh bhí lionn dubh ar Kingsley Porter agus bhí sé faoi chúram an ghnéaseolaí chlúitigh Havelock Ellis a bhí lonnaithe i Londain. Mhol Ellis do Kingsley teagmháil a dhéanamh le fear óg agus thosaigh caidreamh collaí eatarthu, rud a rinne sé le beannacht a mhná. Go luath sula ndeachaigh sé ar iarraidh, d’admhaigh Kingsley Porter do Ellis go raibh imní air nach mbeadh an caidreamh ina rún go ceann i bhfad. Bhí homaighnéasacht mídhleathach ag an am.
Ar an 8 Iúil 1933, bhí Porter ag fanacht ina bhothán dhá sheomra ar Inis Bó Finne, cúig mhíle dhéag ó Chaisleán Ghleann Bheatha. Cúpla uair a chloig i ndiaidh dó dul ar iarraidh d’inis Lucy dá chara “Ní fhillfidh Kingsley anocht, ní fhillfidh Kingsley choíche.”
Nochtadh leacht cuimhneacháin ar Inis Bó Finne anuraidh in ómós do gach aon duine a raibh baint acu leis an oileán a bhásaigh ar an fharraige. Níl ainm Arthur Kingsley Porter ar an leacht.
