Irish Labourer’s 61-Day Coffin Stint Unearthed in New Documentary
Dublin,Ireland – The exceptional story of Mick Meaney,an Irish labourer who voluntarily spent 61 days buried alive in a coffin in 1968,is being revisited in a new documentary by TG4. The feat, orchestrated by his manager michael ‘Butty’ Sugrue, captured public attention before being overshadowed by global events, and ultimately ended in disappointment for Meaney.
the documentary sheds light on a bizarre publicity stunt that briefly gripped Ireland and attracted international curiosity. Meaney’s confinement, connected to a phone line at the Admiral Nelson pub, allowed for calls from celebrities like boxer Henry Cooper, but interest waned amidst the escalating Vietnam War and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.Despite the fading spotlight, Sugrue staged a “resurrection” event on April 22nd, complete with dancers, musicians, and journalists.
upon being exhumed, Meaney, sporting sunglasses and a beard, famously declared, “I’d like to go for a hundred days more,” and proclaimed himself “the champion of the world.” However, promises of a world tour and a sponsorship deal with Gillette never materialized, leading to allegations that Sugrue had swindled his star.Mary Meaney, his daughter, recalls her father returning to Ireland “without as much as the price of a bottle of milk in his pocket.”
The attempt to claim a world record was further complex by a rival, Tim Hayes, who spent less time buried in a standard-sized coffin, and later that year, Emma Smith surpassed Meaney’s duration with a 101-day burial under a fairground in Skegness. Meaney later found employment with Cork county council and passed away in 2003.
“He could live an ordinary life, working class, ordinary, but he craved this extraordinary life,” said mary Meaney. “Breaking the world record made him feel, ‘I’m somebody’.” The documentary offers a poignant look at a man seeking recognition and the often-harsh realities of fleeting fame.
