A new BBC series will explore extraordinary human stories from those who lived during the Troubles.
Signed on April 10 1998, the Good Friday Agreement brought an end to the 30-year conflict here in Northern Ireland.
Now 25 years on, Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland will give voice to the people who lived through Northern Ireland’s violent past by sharing intimate, unheard testimonies from all sides of the conflict.
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Due to air later this spring, the powerful five-part series will combine unfiltered personal accounts with archive footage to tell the story of the people and communities that had to live with conflict daily – and are still dealing with its legacies today.
Commissioned for BBC Two, BBC Northern Ireland, iPlayer and PBS, the series comes from award-winning director James Bluemel and the team behind the BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning series Once Upon a Time in Iraq.
Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland runs chronologically from the beginning of The Troubles in the late 1960s to the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
Interviewed at length about their experiences over a number of hours or days, it features men and women whose lives were changed forever by the conflict. From the son whose widowed mother is kidnapped by the IRA, to the man from a loyalist estate whose family secret challenges his beliefs, and the woman who agrees to plant firebombs, the contributors recall historic events and personal memories.
Director James Bluemel explains why he chose Northern Ireland for his next project.
He said: "Hearing stories from Iraqis of how their friendships, families and neighbourhoods were ripped apart by sectarian killings, made me think about another sectarian conflict, one which was much nearer to home.
"Northern Ireland was always on the news when I was young - bombs, violence, murder and pain seemed to be ever present there. As an adult, I might have understood the broad politics behind the events, but I realised I had no idea how anyone in Northern Ireland really felt about living through that turbulent history.
"While interviewing for this series, I did not feel like I was hearing another well-worn rendition of The Troubles. I was hearing a spectrum of human emotions, contradictory and confusing but also real and searching. This was very different to how I think most of us outside of Northern Ireland have heard or understood this conflict before.
"The people I interviewed for this series wanted to talk about their lives this way, they wanted this history to be told and they want to be heard. And I think it’s our job to listen.”
Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland, says: “This extensive series puts a fresh lens on the legacies and events of The Troubles. It is a challenging subject that continues to affect everyday life for people in Northern Ireland.
"James Bluemel has approached the stories featured with great care and made a series that is both considered and compelling. With the 25th anniversary of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement, it is a timely and important addition to other BBC programming on The Troubles."
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