Pop Goes Northern Ireland

Pop Goes Northern Ireland focuses on the years 1963-1968. When Terence O'Neill becomes the new prime minister of Northern Ireland, there is hope that sectarian tensions will reduce as he reaches out to the Catholic community and seeks to improve the Stormont government's relations with the Republic of Ireland. However, O'Neill faces growing dissent within the Unionist party over his approach. Ian Paisley emerges from the loyalist fringes as a strident critic of O'Neill and as a political force to be reckoned with. At the same time, the nationalist community becomes increasingly restive at the failure of O'Neill to carry out concrete reforms addressing issues such as discrimination in housing, employment and local democracy. In 1968 the civil rights movement takes to the streets demanding reform. When a peaceful march in Duke Street is banned and then attacked by the police, the British Labour government begins to take an active interest in the affairs of Northern Ireland. All over Northern Ireland civil rights marches are confronted by loyalist counter demonstrations and the RUC find it increasingly difficult to maintain order. In December 1968 O'Neill appeals for Northern Ireland to pull back from the brink - Ulster stands at the crossroads.

This episode focuses on 1975. In January the IRA declare an 'indefinite ceasefire’ and secret talks take place between the government and Sinn Fein. Unionists and loyalists are fearful that the government is planning a withdrawal from Northern Ireland and loyalist paramilitary violence intensifies. On the political front there are elections to a constitutional convention. There is a brief hope that William Craig's compromise of 'voluntary power-sharing' will form the basis of a solution for Northern Ireland. However, the idea is swiftly rejected by most unionists and leads to the destruction of William Craig as a political force. Meanwhile, the IRA ceasefire disintegrates as hardliners within the organisation believe that their leadership have been duped by the government.

This episode focuses on 1978. The IRA are feeling the squeeze as secretary of state Roy Mason continues with a 'military solution' to the conflict. However, although the IRA are a diminished force they still carry out terrorist atrocities. Their increasing using of incendiary devices results in the deaths of 12 people in the La Mon hotel in February. Amnesty International reports concerns about the abuse of suspects in police custody. The government continues to refuse to treat republican prisoners differently than 'ordinary' criminals. This leads to conflict in the prisons and the start of the 'Dirty Protest' by republican prisoners demanding the restoration of 'special category status’.

This week Pop Goes Northern Ireland focusses on 1980. The government holds a constitutional conference in the hope of making progress on a political solution to Northern Ireland. The project is fatally undermined by the refusal of the Ulster Unionist Party to take part. The conference is wound up by March without any significant agreement on a way forward. Meanwhile the violence continues. There is heightened tension in the Maze prison over the demand for ‘Special Category Status’. The issue comes to the boil when Republican prisoners end their ‘Dirty Protest’ and commence a hunger strike. The strike is called off in confusing circumstance after a last minute ‘deal’ between Republicans and the government. However the government and Republican versions of what has been agreed significantly differ. It is soon apparent that this dispute has not been settled...

Pop Goes Northern Ireland blends news footage, archive material and the musical hits of the time to provide an enthralling and entertaining potted history of Northern Ireland dealing with our difficult recent past in a way that is entertaining, informative, fresh and accessible to all. This episode focuses on 1978. The NI Assembly continues to sit but remains without any powers due to a nationalist boycott. The year sees the beginning of the controversial 'supergrass trials.' Serious questions are raised when it turns out that many of these 'supergrasses' have been granted immunity from prosecution and given money to testify. Republican paramilitaries respond by kidnapping the close relatives of certain supergrasses with the aim of getting them to withdraw their evidence. The Republic of Ireland sets up the New Ireland Forum to make recommendations on new all-Ireland constitutional arrangements. In the general election, Gerry Adams wins the seat of Belfast West, underlining the political advance of Sinn Fein. September sees a mass escape of republican prisoners from the top-security Maze Prison. The violence continues throughout the year. In November three protestant church-goers are killed in what becomes known as the 'Darkley Massacre'. The year ends on a grim note when an IRA bomb explodes outside Harrods in London, killing seven people.

Pop Goes Northern Ireland blends news footage, archive and the musical hits of the time to provide an enthralling and entertaining potted history of Northern Ireland dealing with our difficult recent past in a way that is entertaining, informative, fresh and accessible to all. This episode focuses on 1986. Unionist opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985 continues. In January, 15 by-elections in Northern Ireland, caused by Unionist MPs resigning their seats, sees all but one of them re-elected. In March a unionist 'Day of Action' turns sour when there is widespread intimidation and street violence. As the year progresses the homes of policemen and women are targeted by loyalists. In June the NI Assembly is dissolved and police are called in to remove Assemblymen who refuse to leave Stormont. In August Clontibret, a small town in County Monaghan, is taken over by 500 loyalists and Peter Robinson is arrested for his part in the incident. November sees a split in Sinn Fein when it votes to end its policy of abstentionism towards the Irish parliament. The same month sees the creation of a new loyalist paramilitary group, Ulster Resistance. Also in that month and a mass protest in Belfast, marking the anniversary of the Anglo Irish Agreement, descends into violence. By the end of the year, despite unionist opposition, the Anglo-Irish Agreement remains in place.

Pop Goes Northern Ireland blends news footage, archive and the musical hits of the time to provide an enthralling and entertaining potted history of Northern Ireland dealing with our difficult recent past in a way that is entertaining, informative, fresh and accessible to all. This episode focuses on 1989. The violence continues in Northern Ireland. February sees allegations of ‘state collusion’ in the killing of solicitor Pat Finucane. In March, two senior RUC officers are shot dead as they return from a meeting with the Garda, leading to allegations that an IRA mole is operating in the Irish police force. Claims of security force collusion appear to be confirmed when intelligence documents are found in the possession of loyalist paramilitaries. In September an IRA bomb kills eleven members of the Royal Marine band at their barracks in Deal. A few weeks later the ‘Guildford Four’ are released after serving 15 years in jail. The Appeal Court finds that their convictions were a miscarriage of justice. In November, secretary of state Peter Brooke infuriates unionists when he states that the IRA cannot be beaten militarily.

Pop Goes Northern Ireland blends news footage, archive and the musical hits of the time to provide an enthralling and entertaining potted history of Northern Ireland dealing with our difficult recent past in a way that is entertaining, informative, fresh and accessible to all. This episode focuses on 1991. The violence continues throughout the year. In February the IRA launch an attack on the cabinet when a mortar bomb explodes in the garden of 10 Downing Street. March sees the release of the ‘Birmingham Six’, who were wrongly convicted and imprisoned for the Birmingham pub bombings of 1974. There are talks between the constitutional parties on the future of Northern Ireland, however the talks end in July without any agreement. In the same month it is announced that the UDR will merge with the Royal Irish Rangers to become the Royal Irish Regiment. However, for a brief period in the summer, Belfast gets a touch of normality when the ‘Tall Ships’ sail into town and when the IRA declare a short Christmas ceasefire.

Pop Goes Northern Ireland blends news footage, archive and the musical hits of the time to provide an enthralling and entertaining potted history of Northern Ireland dealing with our difficult recent past in a way that is entertaining, informative, fresh and accessible to all. This episode focuses on 1996. The peace process is stalled over the issue of decommissioning. In January, Senator George Mitchell’s report recommends the beginning of talks, with the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons to start soon after. The report is ignored by the government, which decides to hold elections to a NI Forum that will determine the delegates to talks scheduled to start in June. In February the IRA ends its ceasefire when a bomb explodes in London’s Canary Wharf killing two people. Talks start in June, but Sinn Fein are excluded from them until the IRA resumes its ceasefire. However, the IRA continues its violent campaign in England with a major bomb attack on Manchester city centre. In July there is serious disorder in NI when the Orange Order is refused permission to march down the Garvaghy Road from Drumcree Church. Eventually the police relent and allow the march to go ahead, which leads to serious rioting in nationalist areas. Despite a number of initiatives, the IRA does not resume its ceasefire and the peace process remains stalled.

Pop Goes Northern Ireland blends news footage, archive and the musical hits of the time to provide an enthralling and entertaining potted history of Northern Ireland dealing with our difficult recent past in a way that is entertaining, informative, fresh and accessible to all. This episode focuses on 1999. The full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement is stalled over the issue of decommissioning. The Ulster Unionist Party insists there must be decommissioning of IRA weapons before a power-sharing executive can be set up. Despite the Good Friday Agreement there are a number of violent incidents, including the murder of former IRA man turned informer Eamon Collins and civil rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson. A number of deadlines set by the British and Irish governments for the establishment of the executive pass without success. However in November, thanks to Senator George Mitchell’s review of the agreement, the Ulster Unionists agree to enter government before any decommissioning takes place. A power-sharing executive is finally established and devolved government is returned to Northern Ireland.