Pop Goes Northern Ireland

Original version

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One

BBC One Northern Ireland

Documentaries

Factual

Factual: History

Music

Key years in the history of Northern Ireland accompanied by the chart hits of the time

Series looking at key years in the history of Northern Ireland accompanied by the thumping chart hits of the time

BBC Two

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

Pop Goes Northern Ireland: Series 5: 1983

1983

Series 5

BBC Two - Pop Goes Northern Ireland, Series 5, 1983

This episode focuses on 1983, with archive and musical hits of the time providing an enthralling and entertaining potted history of Northern Ireland.

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: Series 5

Key years in the history of Northern Ireland accompanied by the chart hits of the time.

Series looking at key years in the history of Northern Ireland accompanied by the thumping chart hits of the time.

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Pop Goes Northern Ireland

Series 5

1983

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Series

BBC One Northern Ireland

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