By Eimear Rabbitte,
Campus.ie Intern

A DCU final year student has compiled a RTE radio 1 documentary charting his mother's brave battle with drug addiction.

"When you hope for a happy ending, you think it is just a fantasy. You never believe it is going to happen. You believe you are destined to die, because you lose the will to live" - Lynda Barton

Lynda Barton was born in Ballymun in the late 1960's. She first experimented with drugs at the age of thirteen and by fifteen she had become fully addicted to heroin whilst living alone on the streets of Dublin.

In 1981, she fell pregnant with her first child Derek and by 1986 she had given birth to her second son, Christopher, who as a result of his mothers addiction was born a heroin addict.

Christopher was forced through detox and Lynda lost full custody of him, later deciding to relocate to Manchester with her first-born Derek.

However with Derek in foster care and Christopher back home in Dublin with his father, Lynda was on a steady spiral downwards. It was not until 2001, when Lynda finally decided to check her self into rehabilitation that she finally began on her road to recovery.

Written and directed by her second son, Christopher, 'eight years on' tells the story of Lynda's extraordinary progress to a fully qualified counsellor who now enjoys a loving relationship with her children.

Christopher Cleary is a final year student on DCU's Communications studies degree.

In June 2009, her eight year to be free from drugs, Christopher travelled to Manchester to document his mother's past and her road to recovery.

In the Irish radio production, Christopher recalls his upbringing in Dublin, tracing his relationship with his mother during the years of her deteriorating health and throughout her subsequent battle with and recovery from the ravages of addiction.

Eight year's on was first broadcast on RTE radio1 on 28th November 2009.

Eight Years On can be heard at:
www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/8yearson.html